How not to starve on a diet

A typical picture: you are on a diet - and you constantly want to eat wildly, downright eat. In the evening, discovering that today you still have a limit of a couple of hundred calories, you rush between the refrigerator and all sorts of breadcrumbs, painfully counting in your mind and choosing the lesser of evils. After 15-30 minutes of such throwing, you usually:

- you throw a glass of water into yourself and hastily leave the kitchen

- nibble on a stem of lettuce, trying to convince yourself that it tastes like chicken

- tell yourself: "Yes, it all went!" and from the belly you gorge yourself on various harmful goodies like chocolate ice cream

The likelihood of such a breakdown is well shown in this picture, comic and vital at the same time:

1. After lunch

2. After breaking up

3. If you are on a diet

Our body resists artificial limitations, that's the way it is. The body is afraid of starvation and sees in it a direct threat to its own existence, and therefore actively gives us various signals and tries to make up for the "uneaten". Sounds like a mockery to people trying to lose weight, but it's a fact nonetheless.

But there is good news: the body can be fooled, and the feeling of hunger can be satisfied without absorbing a bunch of extra calories, if you approach the matter wisely. Let's move on to specific foods and recipes that can make your diet easier.

Protein

The benefits of protein have been talked about and written about a million times. It helps to build muscle, it suppresses the feeling of hunger, it has the so-called. "Thermal effect" (a large amount of heat is needed to digest protein), and in general is an indispensable component in any diet. In short, squirrels are the first of three whales we will rely on.

“Are you spending your apartment money on protein powder?

Are there no brains at all?"

Low Calorie Protein Sources:

- pitted and skinless chicken breast: yes, it is lean and boring, but it contains a lot of protein, few calories, and also satisfying

- turkey, beef, pork tenderloin

- fish: it is much lower in calories than many other protein-rich foods, and you can do a little more servings. This is especially true for "white" fish. Of course, to make the fish tasty, you cannot do without some spices: do not be afraid to be creative.

- "Greek" yoghurt: not everyone likes its taste, and different people require different amounts of this product to saturate. However, this wonderful yogurt is very high in protein, has no calories, and can be easily made into a delicious dessert.

- 1% cottage cheese: as with yoghurt, the satiety effect of low-calorie cottage cheese is individual. Moreover, many people simply cannot eat it because of the taste, they literally start to feel sick. It's a shame, because in terms of dietary nutrition and protein content, this is a great product.

Protein supplements are a good way to get the protein you need. Some manufacturers add flavors to this product, so it turns out to be quite edible.

- egg substitutes: great stuff. If you cook them correctly and add a little greens, they will be satisfying, tasty and nutritious. Microwave safe for softness.

- egg white: an omelet made from proteins with the addition of vegetables and lean pieces of meat is an excellent option for a dietary breakfast. High in protein, low in calories, nutritious and delicious.

Carbohydrates

Perhaps the most controversial point when drawing up a diet. Someone seeks to reduce their consumption to zero, someone is looking for balance, someone alternates periods of carbohydrate consumption with periods of abstinence. Nevertheless, here is a list of foods that are rich in this substance, but suitable for many diets.

- starch-based foods: oatmeal (and derivatives from oatmeal), boiled potatoes (one of the top foods for satisfying hunger), low-calorie popcorn (yes, one packet of such popcorn can contain only 240 calories), legumes, carrots … Yes, carrots are considered to be very high in calories, but since it is quite difficult to chew them, you still won't eat much, but suppress your hunger.

- Fruit (we list the most satisfying):

Strawberry - 450g is ~ 140 calories

Cantaloupe - 1 in one large melon ~ 230 calories

Watermelon - in a few good pieces of watermelon (just over a pound) ~ 230 calories

Oranges - in 1 orange ~ 80 calories

Grapefruit - in 1 grapefruit ~ 100 calories

Apples - in 1 medium apple ~ 80 calories

Papaya - 1 medium papaya contains ~ 120 calories

Grapes (frozen, of course) - 200g contains ~ 160 calories

- Vegetables: Of course, vegetables should make up the majority of your diet. Many people think that vegetables are kind of "not considered" and they can be eaten as much as you want. This is not the case, vegetables also have calories. Here is a list of vegetables that, according to the author, satisfy hunger best without harming the diet:

Broccoli and Cauliflower - You might be surprised to find that lightly boiled broccoli and raw cauliflower are considered by many to be very good options for satisfying hunger. Why? These vegetables are rich in fiber, it is difficult to chew them undercooked, and the taste, frankly, is not for everybody.

Anyone want a pickle?

Fats

But with fats, everything is sad. The list of products that may contain them, but at the same time are not harmful / high-calorie, is very short: meat (not lean), yoghurts and cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs and all the same fish and fish oil. If you can expand it, don't hesitate.

A little about seasonings

Things like barbecue sauce, cheese sauce, ketchup, or (oh my god!) Mayonnaise can kill any diet, and only harm the body. However, there are some spices that can spice up your meals without being high in calories:

- yellow mustard

- lemon juice

- vinegar

- spices

- horseradish

- salsa (sauce)

- soy sauce

- sugar substitutes, sweeteners

A few words about drinks. Oddly enough, the feeling of hunger can often be drowned out by liquid. A small amount of tea, coffee, almond milk or just water will create the illusion in the body, albeit for a short time, that it has ceased to be limited.

Little tricks

From one very useful one about willpower training, the author brought out some useful tips and tricks for those on a diet.

1. Find the optimal ratio of meal frequency and serving size. For some people, frequent meals in small doses are good. Someone prefers to arrange for themselves three or four full-fledged "feedings".

2. Be flexible with your diet. Sometimes it is better to allow yourself a step to the left, a step to the right, than strictly monitor the implementation of each small item, and then hate diets and abandon this business.

3. Eat with your left hand (if you are left-handed, respectively - with your right).

4. Draw boundaries that should not be violated. For example, instead of convincing yourself, “I’ll drink less beer,” firmly establish, “From now on, I will only drink beer on Fridays and Saturdays. Maximum 2 cans per evening."

5. Learn to tell yourself, "I'll eat this later." Much nicer than the harsh self-restraint "I will never …" For example, before a party, do not depress yourself with thoughts like "I will not eat anything here." Tell yourself, "I will sing this evening, but a little later."

6. Tell friends and family that you are on a diet. If you have an online diary or blog, write about it in the status. This technique greatly increases motivation, because now you are reporting about your successes not only to yourself.

7. Floss or brush your teeth not only after meals, as usual, but instead. A simple trick of deliberate self-deception, however, for many people it turns out to be quite effective.

8. Be busy all the time, do not become limp. Sitting down and sadly poisoning yourself with thoughts of forbidden and unhealthy food is not constructive. Learn to be distracted, switch to hobbies, work, or other activities.

Whichever diet you choose, know: it will be difficult. There will be pros and cons, ups and downs, be prepared for them. Remember that if you have a goal, strong motivation and a well-developed strategy, then everything will definitely work out. Necessarily.