Feeling hungry all the time is one of the hardest things about dieting, here are 8 tips on how to stop feeling hungry or reduce hunger when you are dieting to lose weight and lower your body fat.

1. Eat same-sized meals with 2-4 hours between each meal. Don’t go more than 5 hours without a meal to stop feeling hungry.

Have about the same amount of calories with each meal and space the meals out evenly throughout the day. This will keep the metabolism working and it will shrink your stomach sack. If you go 2-3 weeks with consistently eating smaller evenly sized meals and not having a very large meal you will start feeling fuller faster and less hungry during the time between each meal.

2. Eat protein with each meal

It takes the body a longer time to digest protein than carbs despite having the same amount of calories per gram. Therefore it will keep you feeling fuller for longer, protein is also essential to growing and maintaining muscle mass. Having more muscles increases the number of calories you burn at any given time.

3. Eat more high volume, high fiber, low-calorie foods to stop feeeling hungry

Vegetables, berries, lean meats, and fish are great for putting more on your plate without adding too many calories, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, vegetable soups, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, cod, tilapia are great choices. Using potatoes or rice (baked – not fried) instead of pasta or bread as a carb.

4. Caffeine can reduce hunger

A cup or two of coffee per day can help lower feelings of hunger during your day. Although you should stick to 1-2 cups of coffee or other caffeinated drinks per day as consuming too much can lead to dehydration as caffeine is also a diuretic.

5. Drink more calorie-free beverages to feel less hungry

Fill up your stomach with water and other beverages that don’t contain calories can decrease feelings of hunger. Also sometimes when you are feeling hungry you might just be a little dehydrated. Drinks that contain amino acids or vitamin waters can also curb some cravings you have.

6. Just wait 20 min. Hunger comes in waves.

Hunger comes in waves. It builds in intensity to reach a peak and if you don’t give in to the intense desire to eat something it will dissipate and sometimes completely disappear. If you are dieting by counting calories and measuring out your meals a hunger wave may come very shortly after a meal, especially if you did not have any food for a long time before the meal. (Read more about why that might be in this article by Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/feeling-hungry-after-eating#causes-solutions )
So before you decide to say fuck it and dive into the fridge again wait 20-30 min. This might be all you need to get rid of the hunger and stay on track.

7. Distract yourself to stop focusing on the hunger

Occupy yourself with something that can take your mind off a rumbling stomach. Work, hobbies, self-care, chores, or physical activities can help you get over a “hunger-wave”. Organize your photos, start a new project or hobby, read a new book, get a massage, do some grooming, do some chores or organizing in the home, go for a quick walk or even do a workout to keep the time passing until your next meal.

8. Eat low-calorie snacks in between meals to curb the worst hunger pangs

Foods and products that have zero or very low calories can help you curb your hunger and keep you feeling more satiated until your next meal. Some great options are pickles, pickled bell peppers, dried beets, cantaloupe melon, cucumbers with hot sauce and seasoning, low or zero-calorie jello and gummy bears, air-popped popcorn without fat. All these options have less than 20 calories per 100 gr.

Summary of how to stop feeling hunger

To stop feeling hungry you can eat similar sized meals with 2-4 hours between each meal, eat protein with each meal, eat more food with high volume and fiber and fewer calories, drink more water and beverages without calories. Caffeinated drinks can reduce some hunger, but be careful to not overconsume caffeine. Waiting 20 mins can often take away the worst of your hunger, so find something to distract yourself while you are overcoming hunger pangs. Or snack on something that has zero or very few calories.

What to do if you are still feeling hungry

If you are still feeling hungry while implementing these strategies it is important to remember that hunger is a natural bodily function and it is not dangerous. Sometimes this is just something you have to accept as a part of your weight loss journey. You are in a caloric deficit which will lead to your body sending out signals and hormones that tell your brain that you are hungry. Because the body does not like change, even if it’s for the good, even if the change will benefit your health, the body will try to return to its “normal” state. The state you have stayed in for the majority of your life. Instead of feeling discouraged from knowing this, feel proud that YOU are in control of your habits, what you put into your body, and that you are strong enough to have a successful weight loss journey. Because it is hard, give yourself some recognition and praise for staying strong and overcoming hunger. Remember, if this was easy, everyone would do it!

Stopping yourself from eating too much is when trying to stay on track with your diet is probably the hardest part of a weight loss journey. So here are some additional tips on how to stop yourself from eating too much