I’M ON A DIET, BUT CONSTANTLY FEEL HUNGRY

QI recently started on a diet plan but I find that I’m hungry all day. What do I do?

AFirst, let me tell you there is a big difference between hunger and temptation. Here is how you can differentiate between the two:

Think of that one food you do not like at all. In my case, it’s apples. So, when I start experiencing feelings that I think are of hunger, I ask myself whether I’m hungry enough to eat an apple.

If I’m not, then I am not hungry; I am just tempted to eat food. It’s that simple.

But this acts more at the emotional/psychological level.

If you are on a diet that is genuinely not good for you or your gut – where you are eating less than is necessary or eating too much processed food or counting calories – chances are you are deficient/deprived of certain nutrients and are craving savoury or sugary foods.

When choosing a diet plan, make sure you pick one that is rich in healthy fats so your insulin levels remain stable all day long. When you eat enough good fats, your hunger hormones, leptin and ghrelin, stay in check and this helps you to feel satisfied with the food you’ve eaten.

When physiologically and chemically you feel contented and trigger the right hormones, the chances of you giving into cravings and temptations are far less.

It is for this reason that I keep highlighting the importance of consuming foods that are rich in good fats and fibre.

In my clinical practice, I have seen how starting the day with a tablespoon of good quality organic ghee, butter or coconut oil first thing in the morning helps bring down cravings dramatically while also stabilising hunger.