How to deal with the discomfort of feeling hungry while dieting for weight loss?
May 09, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Eating more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, can increase satiety. Dietary fiber absorbs water and expands, allowing it to remain in the stomach longer, thereby reducing hunger. Eating moderate amounts of low-calorie healthy snacks, such as cucumber sticks, carrots, or sugar-free yogurt between meals, can satisfy hunger without exceeding daily caloric intake.
When feeling hungry during weight loss, you can generally alleviate discomfort by increasing dietary fiber intake, choosing low-calorie snacks, drinking more water, diverting attention, adjusting dietary structure, and other methods. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Increase dietary fiber: Consuming more fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can enhance satiety. Dietary fiber absorbs water and expands, staying in the stomach longer to help relieve hunger.
2. Choose low-calorie snacks: Eating moderate amounts of low-calorie healthy snacks between meals, such as cucumber sticks, carrots, or sugar-free yogurt, can satisfy the desire to eat without exceeding calorie limits.
3. Drink more water: Drinking water can temporarily fill the stomach and help reduce hunger. Additionally, the body sometimes misinterprets thirst as hunger, so drinking sufficient water can prevent overeating caused by this confusion.
4. Divert attention: Engaging in activities such as reading, listening to music, or doing handicrafts can shift focus away from food, thereby reducing discomfort caused by hunger.
5. Adjust dietary structure: Appropriately increasing the proportion of protein and healthy fats in the diet can prolong satiety. For example, incorporating eggs, fish, or nuts into main meals helps stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce feelings of hunger.
On the premise of reasonable dietary control, it is appropriate to use certain healthy methods to alleviate hunger. However, if extreme dieting or excessive calorie restriction is used for weight loss, hunger should not be ignored. Instead, the meal plan should be adjusted appropriately or professional guidance should be sought.
