I often get, “I eat fine, Beth. I’m not a snack person, I don’t crave or binge on junk food, I love food – real food. I guess you can say that I have a big appetite. Ugh … I just eat too much.”
Does this sound like you?
The rest of the story usually
goes something like, “I get sooo hungry that when I sit down to eat, I feel as
if I can eat anything and everything that’s not nailed down.”
… Then comes the guilt …. The
feeling of being “stuffed” and then the feeling of defeat, “Well it won’t
matter now if I have that extra _____!”
PSST. Sssh. Here’s a secret:
Restaurateurs are hoping you
say this when it comes to desert!
Everyday we are bombarded with
what we should eat and shouldn’t eat. What if I told you that when you eat has a lot to do with how much you eat? That’s right, when you eat is really important.
See, after you eat, it takes
about three to four hours for your stomach to process the food you ate
and become empty. Of course this depends on how much you eat, but generally
speaking, it takes about 3-4 hours for your stomach to empty.
Now that you know this – I
suggest you play around with it.
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
After about 3-4 hours of not
eating, pay close attention to the following:
·
Does your stomach growl or feel “empty”?
·
Do you start thinking of food?
·
Do you feel thirsty?
·
Maybe your hands feel cold, or weak, maybe even shaky?
·
Do you feel tired, cranky, maybe you are unable to focus?
These are some general signs of physical hunger.
So, let’s say you ate breakfast
at 7:30AM. Are you hungry again at 10:30/11:00AM? Do you eat or do you ignore
your hunger and wait until your 12PM lunchtime? And if you eat lunch around
Noon, are you hungry again at 3/4PM? And do you ignore your hunger, again? If
you are like most people, you ignore this too, and wait until dinnertime -
which could be 6, 7 or 8 PM! Think about it - that’s 6-8 hours after you ate
lunch – if you ate lunch!
Well,
no wonder your starving and ready to
“Eat anything and everything that’s not nailed down.”
Don’t ignore your body.
Love your body.
Feed your body healthy foods.
Pay attention to when you feel hungry
and
Plan to Eat!
“Eat anything and everything that’s not nailed down.”
Don’t ignore your body.
Love your body.
Feed your body healthy foods.
Pay attention to when you feel hungry
and
Plan to Eat!
PLAN WHEN TO EAT
Here are five simple steps to
help you pay attention to your hunger clues, and plan when you eat:
·
At first, it may be helpful to write
down when and what you eat, so you can start to see a pattern develop. This
can also really help you focus in on those physical signs of hunger.
·
Next, you need to plan your meals so that you don’t go more than
4 hours without eating - breakfast being the exception. At this time, I want to
point out why I am a big supporter of a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast
can really set you up for a ravenous appetite – which, according to the latest
research, can leave you more hungry later in the day – around that bewitching
hour, around 3/4PM, and sometimes again at dinnertime.
·
Planning means you may need to set up breakfast the night
before, pack a lunch if your on the road, or familiarize yourself with healthy
options from local eateries that provide nutrient dense, whole-food options.
·
Planning means you need to pay attention to your “bewitching
hour”. For most people, the “bewitching hour” is some time between lunch and
dinner, usually around 3,4 or 5 o’clock. This is a good time to eat a
“mini-meal”:
·
An apple, pear, or banana with
o A
granola, sport or protein bar, or
o 1-2 Tbs
of a nut butter
·
A cup of vegetables with
o Humus,
or
o 1-2
ounces of cheese
·
A slice of whole grain bread with
o 2
ounces of turkey breast, or
o 2 Tbs
of a nut butter
·
6-8 ounces of yogurt with
o ½ cup
of fruit (like blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries), and/or
o Nuts,
flax, hemp or chia seeds
·
Planning means cooking once and eating twice. Cook on the
weekends and double the recipe, so you can have leftovers during out the week,
or freeze leftovers for the next week.
When you plan, you Fuel Your
Day. Eating throughout the day, helps balance your blood sugar and keep your
metabolism revved.
Elizabeth Candela is a graduate of Rutgers’ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science. Her studies at Rutgers led Elizabeth into employee health and safety, and she worked several years as a Safety Engineer in Risk Management. In 2007, after achieving a Master of Art from Montclair State University, Elizabeth taught high school Biology, Environmental Science and Physics. Then, in 2009, Elizabeth developed a portable core fitness device, and since has secured a United States Patent. The development of this device drew her into the Exercise and Nutrition field, so she left the teaching profession to pursue postgraduate courses in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. Since then, Elizabeth has achieved her New Jersey Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Certification, as well as her American College of Sports Medicine Exercise Physiology Certification. By maximizing her training and fitness through sound nutritional principles, Elizabeth continues to challenge herself physically and nutritionally through her commitment to run a half marathon in every USA state, and six World Marathon Majors.
Checkout My Website: https://www.beyondnutrition-
Follow Me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/
