How to Stop Hunger and Lose Weight Faster

Cambridge personal trainer describes several simple ways to curb hunger and help you lose weight faster.

As a personal trainer and fitness expert here in Cambridge I’ve helped many local residents lose weight and body fat. One of the major problems that people encounter when they change their diet and the amount of time they exercise is that they feel much more hungry.

This is an okay problem to have because it means that you are working out harder, thus boosting your metabolism (to burn calories at rest, awesome!) and you are probably taking in less calories which is a good thing as long as you are eating nutritious foods.

With all of that said though, being hungry is kind of annoying. When you switch from a burger and fries or a greasy slice of pepperoni pizza for lunch to a nice salad piled high with veggies and some chicken with balsamic dressing, your body is going to have to adjust. This second meal is much lower in calories and fat and contains a much better mix of vital nutrients. In other words, you are not stuffing yourself silly at every meal now.

Here are some of the ways that I coach my personal training clients to avoid hunger and bad food choices.

1. Eat More Protein. I’m not saying become a protein obsessed body builder, but protein will fill you up and will also support lean muscle tissue growth and repair. Higher protein diets have been proven to help women lose weight faster and keep it off.

2. Eat Smaller Meals and Snacks More Often. Eating every 3-4 hours will help regulate your blood sugar and help you to avoid those crashes that can kill any nutrition plan. How many times have you worked through lunch at the office only to be ravenous at 3pm and reach for the closest sugar concoction in the vending machine? Plan out your day so you are eating like this: breakfast/snack/lunch/snack/dinner. This will keep your metabolism up and running all day. Think of a fire that has consistent fuel to burn it. It burns much faster and more efficient than one that is lacking. Your body is the same- keep it fired up.

3. Get Enough Sleep. Lack of sleep can increase cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can lead to excess fat storage. Also staying up too late can often lead to late night snacks which only causes the body to take in more calories. Get 8-9 hours of sleep per night to keep you energized for your fitness training workouts.

4. Stock Up On Fruits and Vegetables. Fruits and veggies are perfect snacks that can be prepared and stored at the office or in the car in a small cooler. They also provide vital nutrients without a huge amount of calories. Curb your sugar craving with a few slices of watermelon or some fresh berries. Your waistline will thank you.

5. Drink Plenty of Water. Often times drinking water can help curb your hunger. Thirst and hunger trigger the same response in your body and usually people reach for the food when a glass of water can often be the cure. Drinking water also helps reduce bloating in the body and helps energize your brain and body for your intense training sessions.

Give these quick and easy weight loss tips a try and keep your training and nutrition program on track.