- March 27, 2019
- Diets
- Fedorova Victoria
Every person feels hungry when his body does not receive enough vitamins and minerals for a long time. This physiological feature is considered completely natural. However, some categories of people have an increased appetite. In this case, hunger is constantly present, even regardless of the amount of food received. Many people ask how to stop eating, because it leads to weight problems.
Why do you always want to eat?
The human body is an intelligent natural system for which food is the main source of energy. A small part of the brain, the hypothalamus, is responsible for controlling energy levels. Every time the brain feels the threat of rapid waste of energy reserves, it turns on a protective mechanism in order to compensate for the false energy deficit: the hypothalamus sends a signal to the body's systems about the need to refresh itself, and in response they synthesize hunger hormones. That’s why we want to eat in various unfavorable conditions for our brain, described further in the text.
Dehydration
The first reason why you constantly want to eat is a simple lack of fluid . The brain's signals about the need to drink are very similar to the feeling of hunger, so often we simply cannot differentiate these two urges to eat food and instead of the required liquid we put the usual solid food in our mouth. The fluid deficit remains unfulfilled: we feel thirsty again, and again we think that we are hungry and once again head to the refrigerator. How to lose weight if you constantly want to eat? Check whether you really want to eat and not drink and learn to understand your body.
Lack of sleep and rest
If you constantly sleep little, the energy balance simply does not have time to be restored, so the brain perceives the next lack of sleep as a signal about the urgent replenishment of energy reserves for the normal functioning of the body and starts the recovery process, the first point of which is gastronomic reinforcement of strength. A false feeling of hunger appears, and we rush to satisfy it with a piece of cake or candy, because what we want most after lack of sleep is sweets. The only correct solution to remove such an obstacle to slimness is to get enough sleep.
Stressful situations
During the next shake-up of the nervous system, an immediate increase in the level of stress hormones occurs in the body, and the brain perceives this as a danger of rapid waste of energy and immediately makes attempts to ensure its maximum production. The person again feels an obsessive appetite and simply begins to eat, forgetting about the desire to lose weight, sweeping away all the food in the house. Constant stress leads to overeating, which in this case is called compulsive and often requires qualified help from a specialist.
The balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is disturbed
Another reason why you constantly want to eat is an irrational, unbalanced diet . It is a well-known fact that for a healthy long life and to lose weight you need to eat right, maintaining a balance of substances important for the body - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, but not everyone applies this principle in practice, because they cannot give up their favorite sweet or salty treats in favor of healthy ones porridge, vegetables and fruits. As a result, not only your figure suffers, but also your health. To lose weight, if there is a constant desire to eat, if there is an imbalance of BJU, you should:
- Eliminate fast carbohydrates from your usual diet or reduce their amount as much as possible - they contain a lot of calories, but the feeling of fullness passes very quickly.
- Include protein in your daily menu in sufficient quantities - it fills you well and relieves you of constant hunger for a long time.
- Be sure to include unsaturated fats in your diet - they have a beneficial effect on all body systems, dulling appetite for a long time.
- Provide your body with vitamins in order to lose weight efficiently - their lack is also a frequent companion to a constant feeling of hunger.
Advice from nutritionists and psychologists
If a person cannot cope with overeating on his own, then he has to use the help of doctors.
Psychologists advise:
- Psychotherapeutic correction of eating behavior is offered to people suffering from overeating and bulimia, when a person cannot control the amount of food eaten. Therapy is carried out only by a psychologist who helps to correct attitudes, correct thinking and have a new attitude towards the process of eating, eliminating the cult of food.
- Art therapy . It allows you to clearly show people what happens to their body as a result of overeating and weight gain. This causes disgust and disappointment, so people think about the need to change their eating behavior.
- Gestalt therapy . It is presented as a complex treatment procedure, which consists of solving problems in different ways, but not by overeating. People must accept that it is simply impossible to solve various problems in life with the help of food.
- Discussions . They are held in a group where people share their problems, achievements and desires. Due to feedback and socialization, the process of improving eating behavior is accelerated.
- Cognitive, provocative, rational or explanatory psychotherapy . These methods allow a person to form the right attitude towards losing weight and eating food.
If therapy does not cope with the problem, then drug treatment is prescribed.
Nutritionists advise following the recommendations:
- taking special natural supplements that reduce appetite, for example, dark chocolate, salmon or cottage cheese;
- replacing sweets with dried fruits or honey;
- increased physical activity;
- movement after each meal;
- taking enzyme supplements;
- increasing the amount of water you drink;
- eating only home-cooked food;
- avoidance of fatty or fried foods.
If you follow the advice of experts, then anyone can get rid of gluttony, improve nutrition, increase activity and increase self-esteem.
Constantly want to eat - health problems
A condition where there is a constant desire to eat is sometimes a sign of certain diseases. An illness directly related to acute addiction to food is bulimia, but the cause of constant obsessive hunger can also be other health problems not related to eating disorders. Constant desire to eat when:
- hypoglycemia or low blood sugar;
- diabetes mellitus;
- diseases of the thyroid gland, especially hypothyroidism;
- violations of the regulatory function of the hormonal system;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
What to do if you feel hungry all the time
Getting rid of the obsessive desire to eat is not easy, but it is quite possible. First you need to realize your problem, and then build a program of action to eliminate the constant feeling of hunger. If you decide to start fighting an excessive appetite in order to lose weight, you must understand that you will have to control yourself very strictly, severely limit something, and give up something completely. If you constantly want to eat due to psychological problems, you need to try to resolve them competently, even going as far as contacting a specialist.
After training
After intense physical activity, the body depletes not only energy reserves, but also liquid reserves, so it tries to quickly replenish them and sends signals that you want to eat. You shouldn’t immediately run to the refrigerator after working out at the gym; it’s better to first normalize your water balance and then start eating. Ideally, dinner after training should be protein-rich, no later than 19-20.00 . If enduring painful hunger is too much for you, you can eat a handful of nuts, dried fruits, an apple or a protein bar.
Before bedtime
With an incorrect diet, many people with an increased sense of appetite constantly want to eat before bed. A tired body does not receive enough of the nutrients it needs throughout the day, so late in the evening stimulates a strong feeling of hunger. If you have a desire to eat, but losing weight is more important to you, you should not follow your desires - a slim figure and snacking before bed are incompatible concepts. To help cope with an obsessive evening appetite:
- 1 tbsp. warm water with honey;
- 1 tbsp. skim milk or kefir;
- herbal soothing tea.
On a strict diet
A sharp restriction of your diet can do more harm to your figure than good. When the body suddenly reduces its usual daily caloric intake to critically low numbers, it regards this as a great danger to its normal functioning and turns on a protective reflex: it needs more energy, which means it constantly needs to eat more. If you still decide to lose weight on a strict diet, remember how you can tame your constant obsessive appetite:
- Don’t forget about water – drink it every time you feel hungry.
- Don't skip meals, even if you don't feel like eating.
- Try to have breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time.
- Chew all food thoroughly.
- Stop eating while doing something interesting.
- Find yourself an exciting hobby and devote all your free time to it to distract yourself from constant thoughts about food.
Signs of gluttony
How to stop overeating and start losing weight? In order not to bring your body to a critical state, people need to pay attention to some “first signs”:
- I can't stop eating. If a person watches TV while eating, thereby not noticing the amount of food he eats.
- When people constantly eat throughout the day, and the plate on the table is replenished with new food supplies.
- If a person cannot do any mental work or watch TV without some kind of snack.
- A glutton cannot sleep unless he eats something tasty at night.
Many people have one of these weaknesses. And most of all, it strikes at slimness.
Foods that reduce appetite and suppress hunger
A good way to lose weight if you are constantly hungry is to include in your diet foods that can quickly make you feel full, but contain few calories. Yes, they help improve metabolism and lose weight, but to speed up the results, you shouldn’t go to extremes: if you constantly want to eat, you can’t eat only foods from the groups described below, so as not to harm your health, because our body needs a rational, healthy, balanced diet.
Slow carbohydrates
Fast carbohydrates have a detrimental effect on your figure - they contain a lot of calories, but are digested very quickly, which is why they fill you up for a short time. Another thing is slow carbohydrates, the energy value of which is not very high, but they suppress the feeling of hunger for a long time. To lose weight if you are constantly hungry, you need to replace the first group of carbohydrates with the second. Giving up buns and sweets is not easy, but for the sake of a slim figure it is possible. The list of slow carbohydrates is not very large, but there is plenty to choose from. This:
- legumes;
- cereals and porridges;
- durum wheat pasta;
- unsweetened fruits and berries;
- vegetables;
- mushrooms;
- whole wheat bread.
Cellulose
A good remedy in the fight against increased appetite is fiber . Once in the stomach, it swells greatly, simulating a feeling of fullness and eliminating the desire to eat for a long time. Be sure to base your menu on foods rich in this valuable substance (most vegetables and fruits), and also purchase a packet of fiber at the pharmacy and eat a teaspoon several times a day some time before meals or every time your appetite awakens.
Protein diet
Proteins are the basis and building material of our muscles, which is why they are so important for the body. They fill you up well and stop hunger pangs for a long time. For this reason, most effective diets are based on protein. If you need to lose weight, but are constantly hungry, you should enrich your menu with protein products (lean meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese), but cook them without adding seasonings, because hot, bitter, spicy spices whet your appetite even more.
Exercising will help you start losing weight
In combination with proper nutrition and calorie counting, exercise will help you quickly achieve the necessary results, become toned, and improve your health and well-being.
It is believed that the best sport for those who want to lose weight is running. You can start on the treadmill at the gym, or run laps at your local park, where you'll likely see other runners. Please note that if you want a noticeable result, you will have to work a lot for this. It may not be easy for you to do this right away, but gradually you should achieve the goal of running at least six kilometers a day.
Many people cannot get used to running and end up giving up sports altogether, forgetting that running is not the only way to lose weight! Also, yoga and aerobics of any type can help achieve the goal. Group fitness classes can also be very productive - many gyms offer a variety of sports programs every week, which are attended by many women.
Restoring water balance
The human body is 70% liquid. If you don’t get enough of it, the process of dehydration begins, which is dangerous not only due to excess weight gain, but also serious health problems. To restore your water balance in order to lose weight and maintain it at the required level, you need to remember a few important points:
- The body's daily need for water is 25-30 ml per kilogram of weight (from 1.5 to 3 liters), so if you want to lose weight, but you constantly feel hungry, you will have to drink your quota daily.
- Alcohol molecules very quickly bind and remove water molecules, causing dehydration, so in order to lose weight, it is better to completely abandon strong alcoholic drinks.
- Develop the habit of drinking a glass of water before breakfast, at night, before every meal and every time you feel hungry.
How to stop
Many people ask how to stop eating too much and lose weight. Fans of alternative medicine can use the following methods:
- Phytotherapy. This method is based on the properties of plants that can reduce gluttony. Flax, marshmallow and corn silk should be brewed. Take 1/2 cup. Cumin and dill will help strengthen the gastrointestinal tract. They can be added to various dishes.
- Aromatherapy. The smells of aromatic mixtures have a calming effect, which helps you forget about the feeling of hunger. You can light sticks or candles with bergamot or rosemary in the house. This will help you feel full faster when eating.
- Acupressure. To do this, apply pressure to the point above the upper lip. Acupuncture is performed using circular movements.
Many people ask experts how to stop eating too much and start losing weight. In combination with other methods, you can use alternative medicine.
Reducing appetite with folk remedies
A pressing question for many women suffering from excess weight is how to lose weight and eat whatever you want? It’s difficult to answer, because the fight for a slim figure requires an integrated approach. Good auxiliary means for taming increased appetite are folk recipes that have a beneficial effect on the body, prolong the feeling of satiety and stimulate the elimination of toxins. You can overcome obsessive hunger in order to lose weight, if you constantly want to eat, with the help of:
- parsley decoction;
- peppermint tea;
- linseed oil;
- apple cider vinegar;
- wormwood infusion;
- chamomile tea;
- pine nuts;
- raspberry infusion;
- essential oils (inhale).
Physiological or psychological hunger
There is a simple way to determine what kind of hunger overcomes you: physiological or psychological. Physiological hunger increases gradually and is felt as if from the abdomen (stomach). Psychological hunger has a neurotic component: you constantly think about what to chew, what to do with your mouth, how to calm down. You can drink liters of coffee or tea to quench this feeling, and at the same time not break into food, but the essence is the same: you are stressed, anxious or excited. Can you relieve stress with food? Can. Should a reasonable person do this? No. You don’t take a headache pill when your stomach hurts. So it is here. If you are alarmed or upset, try to harmonize your state. The best way is to practice relaxation, meditation, and distraction. This includes walks in the fresh air, leisurely cooking, shopping, art therapy, listening to calm music or watching films with a positive, life-affirming meaning, communicating with pleasant people, etc.