Some days you just want to start eating and never stop. Other days you’re not remotely hungry first thing and can keep going to and even well beyond your normal lunchtime. Why does this happen? It’s a mystery, to some extent, but something that seems to happen to most dieters. A gnawing hunger no food seems to satisfy. It’s as if your insides are hollow and whatever you eat doesn’t touch the sides.
It could be you’ve been over doing the dieting. Cutting back too much and your body is rebelling. Sometimes the self denial becomes too much. And sometimes you just want to feast. And why not? Going without food while surrounded by plenty is very tough. It’s why many diets eventually fail. We just can’t keep going.
The munchies are normal. Inevitable even. The thing to do is not beat yourself up nor starve to compensate. Just accept it happens. Go with it. Tomorrow is another day.
How formerly obese dieters keep the weight off
An article in The Times this week called: The secret to losing weight in midlife featured a study in which more than 6,000 successful male and female dieters who’d taken off at least 50lbs (22.5 kilos) and kept it off for more than three years were asked for their tips. All had been obese. But they’d succeeded not just in getting their weight back to a healthy level but they’d kept it off. One of their tips that leapt out at me was recording what you eat. One participant said:
“Tracking was instrumental in helping me lose weight and two-plus years later I still track what I eat almost every day.”
Another successful dieter said getting straight back on the programme after a binge or an attack of the munchies was key to long-term weight loss. Those who maintained their weight loss viewed their goals long term and accepted they would occasionally falter. Keep going. Persevere. We all have off days. We’re human not robots.
Why we have hungry days
Most people seem to have hungry days. There could be a number of reasons for this. Lack of sleep is probably top of the list. It often makes you more hungry than if you’re getting a decent night’s sleep most nights. So if you’re trying to lose weight do whatever you can to ensure you get plenty sleep.
Another reason we may get an attack of the munchies is because we’ve been too strict. Under eating will usually cause a swing in the opposite direction. Don’t overdo the dieting. Make sure you’re satisfied with what you eat and enjoy it. Feeling deprived can lead to a “sod it” attitude. Don’t try to lose weight too quickly. If it comes off quickly it can go back on just as quickly. Slow and steady may not seem very exciting but it’s the best way to keep it off and we’re about keeping it off as much as we’re about taking it off.
Make your first meal of the day count
Skipping breakfast or not eating a big enough breakfast can lead to hunger pangs throughout the day. This may just be me but when I eat a very light breakfast it can affect the whole day. It’s as if I can’t catch up with my leftover hunger. If you do nothing else on a diet, have a filling breakfast. It doesn’t matter if you delay it or wait till you’re hungry. But whenever you have your first meal make it a good one! Likewise don’t go to bed hungry. The middle meals are much less important than your first and last meals of the day. Get them right and you’ll find it easier to stay on your diet for as long as you need to.
Good luck. More next week.