- Beat The Pangs!

As you start to work in more and more portion control you may experience what has been called “hunger pangs“. Otherwise known as hunger pains, I like to use the term pangs since your stomach does not actually start to hurt. It just starts to feel weird. Here's a simple explaination: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/1999-09/937872011.Gb.r.html.

This gnawing feeling in the pit of the stomach can make one feel the need to immediately insert food into ones mouth. Unfortunately, many lack the discipline to forego the not so wholesome foods and instead reach for processed and/or prepackaged foods. If care is not taken when managing hunger pangs, weight that has been lost can be quickly regained.

Understand that experiencing hunger pangs is perfectly normal. Until you get used to the wonderful new lifestyle you‘ve embarked upon, (using portion control, walking on a regular basis, eating more wholesome foods and less processed foods) it may be difficult to eliminate hunger pangs. They can, however, be easily managed by keeping your stomach fuller with light wholesome foods and pleanty of water. So fear not, here’s a few tips to to keep those pangs in check:

1 - Aim for eight cups of water each day. Unless your urine is pale yellow more often than not, you’re probably not getting enough water. Water fills you up (and cleans you out)!

2 - Don’t skip your mini-meals! Eating a little something light and wholesome every three hours will help a lot! Skip refined foods made with sugar or white flour. Check out my “Super Snacks” blog from June 30th, and my “Hungry Between Meals?“ blog from September 11th for loads of yummy wholesome mini-meal/snack food choices.

3 - Carry food around with you! It ain’t easy, but worth the effort. For starters, pack four pieces of fruit to take with you each morning and commit to eating all three before 5pm. Apple, orange banana and pear highly recommended.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again,. Once you start, it becomes easy and also pleasure to know that you’re striving to change your lifestyle by getting fit and providing wholesome foods for you and your family. Keep up the good work, and get walking!