How to Not Feel Deprived on a Diet

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Succeeding with weight loss can be next to impossible if you have to battle with hunger every day. No one wants to feel deprived on a diet. But this needn’t be an issue. You have many choices when it comes to what you eat and how often that can make a huge difference. Feeling satisfied on a lower calorie diet is more than half the battle. Here are ten different strategies you might try.

1. Eat enough food

Often uncontrollable hunger on a weight loss diet is the direct result of having an overly restrictive and unrealistically low calorie intake. If you’ve experienced this can you blame your body for fighting back?

Just because Nutritionists and Dietitians recommend 1200 calories a day (for women) as a minimum when dieting does not mean that is enough for you. This might be the right number if you happen to be short, weigh less than 150 pounds, and/or you are moving past middle age. Even then you are better off finding out what might work best for you rather than simply guessing and going too low.

 

 

See:

1200 Calorie Diet: Getting Started

How Many Calories Per Day Do I need?

2. Eat Breakfast

Breakfast matters. Evidence backing the benefits of eating breakfast keep stacking up. Breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than those who skip breakfast. Also, eating enough for breakfast, helps you eat less later on in the day.

To learn more about healthy breakfasts for a low calorie diet see:

Best Healthy Breakfasts for Weight Loss Part 1

Best Healthy Breakfasts for Weight Loss Part 2

3. Get Plenty of Dietary Fiber

Getting enough dietary fiber matters no matter what kind of diet you’ve chosen to follow. Soluble fiber may be particularly important when it comes to keeping hunger at bay, however, both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber are important.

Citrus fruits, apples, potatoes, dried peas and beans, oatmeal and oat bran are good sources of soluble fiber. Insoluble dietary fiber is found in whole-grain breads and cereals such as wheat bran and whole wheat, and in certain fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, asparagus, and pears.

Dietary Fiber: Can it Help You with Weight Loss?

Fall Fruits and Vegetables: Low Calorie and High Fibe

4. Eat some protein with each meal and snack

Protein has been shown to delay the return of hunger more than carbohydrates (choose whole grains) or fats. Ideally we need a mix of all three with each meal.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) most Americans get enough protein in their regular diet. An NIH March 2008 newsletter reports that the average American consumes about 12-18% percent protein. That’s more than enough to meet most health needs.

However, if you are on a low calorie diet getting enough protein may be a different story. There’s little room for poor choices. Achieving a protein intake of 12-18% may require some vigilance. Some weight loss experts suggest weight loss might be easier when protein approaches as much as 25% of the macronutrient mix (carbohydrates, fats, protein).

NOTE: Consuming additional protein can be a problem for some individuals such as those with kidney disease. Check with your doctor before going on a higher protein diet.

5. Have a salad of leafy greens or a small bowl of broth-based soup before eating lunch or supper

The work of Dr. Barbara Rolls of Penn State University as shared in her book, The Volumetrics Diet, reveals the importance of volume for eating satisfaction. Evidently most people prefer to eat more food rather than less. By choosing low calorie yet nutrient dense food such as vegetables and fruit, you get to eat a greater quantity of food.

Having a salad with greens and low calorie veggies such as tomatoes can begin to fill you up before you begin eating the rest of the meal. Study participants ate 12% less total calories in a meal when filling up on broth-based soup or salad first.

The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan: Feel Full on Fewer Calories

6. Eat often but less with mini meals

Eating more often but less food with “mini” meals is a strategy that works for some people but not everyone. It can work by providing an ongoing stream of calories and nutrients to keep your blood sugar level steady and this in turn helps keep hunger under control. Small frequent meals may also help keep your metabolism running smoothly and your energy level up.

The drawback to this approach is that it takes time and effort to plan ahead and be prepared for eating 4-6 mini meals each day. The inconvenience may be what keeps many people from giving this approach a try.

For meal and snack ideas for this approach see:

300 Calorie Mini Meals: Eat less but often

7. Be prepared ahead of time with meal and snack ideas

A big reason for the hunger and overeating that results is not being prepared. If you’d like to learn how to dramatically increase your chances for weight loss success you’ll want to read my series on planning healthy low calorie meals and snacks.

Eating nutritious low calorie food matters because it can take the place of high calorie sugar treats or refined carbohydrate snacks such as chips. These foods encourage your body to produce more insulin. The insulin spikes increase hunger and encourage your body to store extra calories as fat.

How to Make Healthy Low Calorie Meals: Part One

8. Be prepared with healthy low calorie snacks

Avoid situations in which it’s time for a meal or snack but there is nothing to choose from but unhealthy high calorie food. This can happen whether you are traveling, at work, or at home and you’ve failed to plan ahead to keep your pantry stocked.

For some healthy snack ideas see:

28 Healthy Low Calorie Snack Foods to Go

9. Drink Green Tea with a Meal

According to a recent study by Swedish researchers reported on in the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, February 2011, sipping a cup of green tea with a meal may help you to feel more full. You might also be less likely to want seconds. Drinking plain water did not have the same affect.

10. Try a Low Carb Diet

If the first nine strategies don’t seem to work for you, it’s possible you might be better off with a healthy low carb diet approach. Low carb seems to work better for a certain segment of the population than reducing calories across the board or a low fat approach.

Simply pay attention to balance and variety when choosing low carb foods and tracking calories may be unnecessary. However, you will need to track your carb intake at first (how many carbs will vary from one person to another). It’s not that calories don’t matter but the number of calories actually absorbed and utilized on a low carb diet seems to take care of itself. The higher fat and protein intake provide satiety without obsessing about calories.

Hope these strategies have given you some insight on how to not feel deprived on a diet. Give one or more a try and see what might work for you!

 

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Women and Weight Website

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