12 No hunger diet tricks

Feeling peckish? Use these tips to curb your hunger pangs!

1. Stay fuller for longer

Choose foods that take longer to digest, keeping you fuller for longer. Two cups of popcorn will take longer to digest but have the same number of kilojoules as one homemade cookie, says dietitian Priya Seetal. Have oats for breakfast rather than a muffin. Oats have a low-GI so you won’t be searching for that sugary snack afterwards; while muffins are full of fat and sugar.

2. Spice it up

Add chilli to your food. It can rev up your metabolism by increasing your body’s output of adrenaline. This makes you burn kilojoules slightly faster for a while. And if your food’s spicy you’re likely to eat less and drink more water!  You’re also less likely to add salt. Alternatively, blend sour fruits and bitter greens. The sharp flavours increase digestive enzymes and nutrient absorption, ideal for cleansing and stimulating digestion.

3. Swap this for that

Choose skim milk over full cream. Cup for cup, skim milk has 40 percent fewer kilojoules than full cream milk, says Seetal. Swap French salad dressing for orange-honey vinaigrette. Its primary ingredient is orange juice, which makes it healthier. Combine 60 ml orange juice, 1 T olive oil, 2 T red wine vinegar, 1 t honey, salt and a pinch of black pepper.

4. Pump up the protein

More protein may prompt the release of hormones that help you feel full, says Peter Clifton, author of The Total Wellbeing Diet. But rather than bulking up on braai meat, sprinkle kidney beans or chickpeas on your salad, and switch to protein-rich Greek-style yoghurt with your breakfast cereal. Eat eggs for breakfast three times a week. They’re a great source of protein and a simple boiled egg and wholewheat toast will keep you going until lunchtime without the urge to snack on something sweet.

5. Bulk up

Start your meal with low-kilojoule foods such as clear soups, green salads and fruit. These will fill you up before you move on to your main meal. Fill at least half of your plate with vegetables, which have virtually no kilojoules but carry enough bulk to fill your tummy without you feeling deprived.

6. Skim the fat

Refrigerate food after cooking then remove the hardened saturated fat from the dish. Add vegetables later to prevent them from absorbing excess fat. For every teaspoon of butter, margarine and oil you cut out, you save 4g of fat.

7. Eat an artwork

Treat your plate like a painting. Adding a mix of brightly coloured foods will stimulate your taste buds and satisfy hunger pangs faster than bland, colourless foods like the heavier carbs (white bread, pasta and potatoes). Use red tomatoes, yellow peppers, green beans and exotic fruits like papaya, star fruit, kiwi and pineapple. Different textures have the same effect. So try smooth avocado, crunchy celery, crumbly feta and rough-skinned seeds and nuts to keep your tastebuds enthralled.

8. Work it off

Eating within an hour of a workout encourages food to be turned into energy, not stored as fat, because your metabolic rate is sped up, says exercise and movement specialist Kesh Patel. The bonus: the more you work out, the more you can eat!

9. Snack often

Your metabolism is boosted by about 10 percent for two to three hours after you eat. Eating small meals regularly, will increase this post-eating burn and is a much better way to work off kilojoules than two or three big meals a day, says a 2005 study at the University of Nottingham (UK).  Regular consumption of food brings a significant rise in your metabolism. Therefore regular, frequent eating may assist weight loss in the long-term. A healthy snack should have 836 kilojoules or less per serving. So don’t forget to read those labels!

10. Shop right

Look out for products with the Heart Mark as supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa. They’re lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, added sugars and sodium, and higher in fibre. Also never grocery shop on an empty stomach. You’re more likely to buy choose high-fat foods. Make a list and stick to it. Read labels, and look at the fat content. For a healthy low-fat product, the fat content should be 3-5g/100g.

11. Box clever

The fastest way to lose weightloss motivation is to deprive yourself of the foods you love. Don’t give up the good stuff, just change the way you do things. Chocoholics will be more easily satisfied if they switch to dark chocolate. Meat lovers can reduce the fat of hamburgers by making your own patties with topside mince bound with lower-GI oats. Then grill without adding extra oil or fat. Spread the roll with mashed baked beans as relish and serve with a good helping of salad. Yum!

12. Drink tea (and water)

Can’t get out of bed before you’ve had your cup of tea? Then choose green tea. It contains potent antioxidants that can increase your metabolism and stimulate the release of stored fat. Thirst is often confused with hunger pangs, so when you’re peckish, drink a glass of water. If the hunger persists, opt for a fruit or nut snack.