How to Eat Less Without Feeling Hungry

In the nutritional world, the feeling of being full or “sated” is known as satiety. Satiety has commonly been referred to as a “Diet Weapon” (source- WebMD ) because it doesn’t have to involve an elaborate plan or strict diet to guarantee results. Unlike ridiculous fads such as The Atkins and/or HCG Diet, utilizing satiety to a physical benefit is both simple and safe. Here are 3 excellent ways to start eating less while still feeling satisfied:

1. Choosing the right foods and the best times to eat them
2. Implementing The Flavor Point
3. Eat Slower

Food Density

First, one key way of filling up your stomach without over-eating is to eat certain foods before you eat other foods. For example, it is a well-known fact that water-dense foods fill your stomach very quickly. While sugary and rich foods like fudge and cake have the same effect, water-dense foods like soup, salad, and fruit, are healthy. So before you delve into a calorie-rich meal, enjoy a bowl of Chicken Broth or a few handfuls of grapes. Your stomach will already be near full before the main course, and it will be filled with nutrient-dense substance.

There are many different densities among all types of food. Likewise, some foods are safe to be had in large portions, while others are not. For example, it is safe to eat grains, beans, and legumes in large portions, whereas meats and cheeses should be consumed in moderated portions. And, of course, snacks like crackers, chips, candy, butter and cookies should only be eaten in carefully controlled portions. Aim for satiety by eating foods that are safe to be eaten in larger portions; choosing a bowl of Oatmeal over a bag of potato chips will leave you just as sated but much less bloated.

Flavor

David Katz, MD, came up with a concept called The Flavor Point.

”When you eat a meal with multiple flavor categories such as sweet, salty, or savory, the competing flavors stimulate the appetite center of your brain, causing overeating. Limiting the flavor categories in a meal or snack makes it easier for your brain and stomach to reach the “flavor point” where you are satisfied and stop eating.”

Technically, The Flavor Point is a program based on the science of flavors and their impact on appetite. While Katz recommends a full blown diet is required to take advantage of the “flavor point”, his studies and recordings would suggest that one could control satiety by simply choosing to eat less varieties of flavors with every meal.

Take Thanksgiving for example. When you get ready to eat a big Turkey Day meal you can’t just have the turkey or the mashed potatoes; you have to also have some stuffing, Jell-O, rolls, green beans, Candied Yams, and so on. Katz theorizes that when you consume many different flavors, your brain thinks it has to have enough of every flavor so it opens new crevices and expands the walls of your stomach to make room for all the different flavors. Whereas when you only eat one flavor or a few flavors, your brain becomes satisfied and you get the feeling of being full.

Eat Slower

If you don’t exactly buy into the Flavor Point concept, you can at least benefit from this final tip on how to eat less without feeling hungry. Eating slower has time and time again, proven to have a significant effect on weight loss. When you eat slower you consume fewer calories than you would otherwise.

Studies confirm that slower eating, alone, can result in the loss of 20 pounds a year! You don’t even have to exercise more than you do now. Just eat slower and you will get results.

How does this work? It takes 20 minutes for our brains to register that we are full. Satiety occurs when our brain receives a signal that enough is enough; NO MORE! And that signal doesn’t come from the stomach, it comes from the intestines. Until the food that you have eaten reaches your intestines, your brain does not even know you are stuffing your face. By eating slower, you give your body time to digest consumed food from your stomach to your intestines thus resulting in your brain telling you to stop eating before you’ve over-eaten.

Hopefully you now understand how to use Satiety to your benefit. Strive to eat the right foods at the right times and in appropriate portions. Cut back on the amount of flavors you incorporate into each meal. And slow down, enjoy, and savor every bite before you overeat your way to obesity.