Winter Munchies

With thanks to Megan from Pace & Power

Humans have an instinctual (and useful) aversion to being hungry. Thousands of years ago, we needed a strong, uncomfortable drive to shift us from the cosy-camp and get out there hunting and rummaging amongst the foliage for sustenance. However, the instinct for eating and our dislike of being hungry has not evolved along with today’s world where food is conveniently available 24/7. Most of us can get to food with relative ease – a phone call away; a mouse-click; a quick trip to the kitchen, or a dash down the road to the nearest supermarket: But the mere thought of going hungry sends us into “more” mode…

Learning to recognise your body’s true hunger signals is key to keeping the traditional winter weight gain at bay: Hunger and satiety are physical cues that, if you read accurately, will help you stay lean without too much effort. But most of us get out of touch with true hunger, and especially in the cold of winter, we end up eating more as a response to cravings or external “winter-triggers”: Comfort foods such as cream-based soups, hot buttered rolls, burgers, hot chocolate, beer, rich pastas, cheesy pizzas, late-night biscuits, chocolates and rusks etc. In addition, in winter, we tend to continue eating long after we should have stopped. If you listen to your body – and not to the external triggers such as the cold weather, the people around you, or your boredom, loneliness, procrastination or stress, you’ll eat only when you’re truly hungry. In addition, you’ll instinctively feed your body just the right amount and stop when you’re feeling satisfied, not overly full.

Here are the 6 physical cues on the Hunger/Satiety Scale that your body consistently gives you!

• Starving:
  You have an uncomfortable, hollow feeling in your gut that is usually accompanied by a jittery, shaky feeling and light-headedness. You’re a bit short on patience, and lose the ability to focus and be at your productive best. This is caused by low blood sugar levels from lack of food. Your risk of binging when you reach this stage is extremely high.

• Very Hungry:
  Your stomach is growling and you are starting to feel a little weak and unfocused. If you don’t eat within the hour, you’ll enter the “starving” zone and possibly overeat.

• Moderately hungry:
  The energy effects of your last meal have started to ‘wear off’ – you could wait to eat if you needed to, but this is the optimal time to eat – before you’re very hungry or starving.

• Satisfied:
  You’ve eaten and are satiated, but not full or bloated. You’re not hungry either. You’re relaxed and comfortable and can wait a while to eat again.

• Full:
  Your belly feels bloated, and the food does not taste as good as it did as the first few bites. If you’re still eating at this point, then it’s for reasons other than actual hunger: Often it is simply a carry-over from an instilled childhood habit of “finishing everything on your plate”, or it’s appetite – your taste buds are going wild, or it’s social – everyone else at the table is still eating; or you’re stressed or bored or procrastinating, or you’re still eating simply because the food is there.

• Stuffed:
  You feel uncomfortable, your belly is swollen, your belt is tight and you want to unbutton your trousers. You might even have mild heartburn as the acid from you gut gets pressed back up your oesophagus.

So if you want to keep the fat off this winter – take a peek at the following tricks to stop yourself from much more munching!

1. Eat every 3 hours. Moderate hunger (the ideal window for eating) is most likely to hit about 3 hours after a balanced meal. Extending this interval for longer can set off triggers to go in search for food – any food! Being overly hungry will diminish your willpower to make a healthy choice. Regular eating will keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable.
2. Have healthy food on hand – all the time, at home and at the office. Avoid temptation by packing a lunch box of healthy, portable snacks. I never go anywhere without my LeanPlex. I simply add water. Other healthy choices include fresh fruit, raw nuts, seeds and (game) biltong.
3. Eat breakfast. A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition tracked the diets of nearly 900 adults and found that people who eat a balanced breakfast consisting of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates, ate less over the course of the day than those who ate their bigger meals later on. If you’re feeling starving before lunch, then you’re probably not eating a substantial breakfast. If you can’t stomach breakfast early, simply have it a little later – at 9 or 10.30 am. Eating breakfast will help you stay in control later in the day and evening.
4. Eat high-fibre and watery foods: Eat solid foods that are loaded with fibre and water – such as raw or steamed veg. Because fibre-packed meals are higher in volume, your portions can be bigger, whilst the kilojoules remain low. In addition, your body takes longer to digest high-fibre meals, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer on less kilojoules. The same principle applies to fresh fruit versus dried fruit: There are fewer kilojoules in a cup of fresh fruit than in a cup of dried fruit.
5. Deal with Stress: Frustration, anger, sadness, boredom, loneliness, anxiety and procrastination. Eating for reasons other than “real” hunger is commonplace but is also self-defeating if you’re would like to lose those last few kilos. Choose something other than food to distract yourself from your source of stress. An intense exercise bout is always a great option!
6. Drink Water: Sometimes we misinterpret what our bodies are telling us -   Often we think we’re hungry, when we are really thirsty. Drink a large glass of water before noshing.
7. Keep the starch – both at breakfast and lunch meals. Choose nutrient-dense starch from the earth– such as sweet potato, potato, squashes, brown rice, lentils, beans, chick peas and unflavoured oats. Avoid “man-made” highly-processed starches including breads and pastas. Starches with a moderate to high GI – such as rice or potato, help with the release of leptin, which is a powerful hormone that tells you that you’re full and that it’s time to stop eating. If you eliminate starch completely from your diet, the subsequent lower leptin levels will make you feel constantly hungry, driving you to eat more food overall thereby derailing your attempts to get lean.
8. Include healthy protein at each meal: Protein-eaters feel more satisfied and less hungry throughout the day than those folk who skip this nutrient in some of their daily meals. In addition, protein helps preserve lean muscle tissue, which is the powerhouse of the metabolism. Include eggs or egg-whites with your breakfast, some salmon, chicken breast or steak with your lunch and dinner. And include one serving of LeanPlex, as your midmorning and midafternoon meals. Simply add water.
9. Get at least 7 hours sleep: With less sleep, leptin levels drop significantly and so does the feeling of being full…In addition, less sleep raises the level of grehlin, the hormone which dramatically increases your urge to eat. People, who sleep less, tend to eat more and gain more bodyfat over the years than those who get adequate sleep at night.