1. Fill Up On Premium 2. Get Satisfied, Not Stuffed 3. Search and Destroy 4. Eagle Eye All Labels 5. K.I.S.S. 6. Stockpile Handy, Healthy Snacks 7. Tricky Tactics 8. Don’t Kiss and Tell 9. Stockpile Mental Ammo 10. Seek and Shine
Tip #2: Get Satisfied, Not Stuffed
As human beings, we have basic instincts that keep us alive and thriving. Our thirst drive tells us when we need to hydrate our bodies. Our sex drive is critical for reproduction and the procreation of the human race. Our hunger drive tells us when we should eat.
Although many of us try to fight against our hunger drive, especially when we are dieting, the hunger drive always wins. That’s why we can’t starve ourselves forever on calorie-restricted diets—because we get hungry with too few calories and not enough nutrition.
We can’t fight a basic instinct.
We get hungry for one very fundamental reason—our bodies need nourishment. A full stomach doesn’t necessarily mean nourishment. That’s why you can eat a large meal and still feel hungry afterward—because you filled your stomach with foods empty of nutrients that feed your body.
The bottom line is: we should eat when we are hungry, but choose foods that are nutrient-dense, fiber-dense, and fat-, cholesterol-, and calorie-sparse. And we should stop eating when we are not hungry anymore.
Eat until your brain, not your stomach, tells you that you are satisfied.
This takes a while to get used to but, rather than eating until your stomach is over full and distended, eat until your brain tells you that you have eaten enough.
In other words, eat good-for-you foods until you are “satisfied,” not “stuffed.” If you eat until you feel stuffed, then you have packed away too much food and too many calories.
It takes trial and error to learn the difference between “satisfied” and “stuffed,” and to have the awareness and self-discipline to respond appropriately—stop eating.
However, by adopting a plant-based diet, it is doable. In fact, over time, you will find that the difference between feeling “satisfied” and feeling “stuffed” is not subtle at all, and it is much more comfortable to stop eating before your stomach gets overloaded.
Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.
Written By: Dr. Leslie Van Romer
