Eat more and weigh less

Like most of us, you probably believe going without and feeling a little hungry is an inevitable part of successful weight loss. If so, you’re also likely to think that dieting equals deprivation, but that assumption could easily be sabotaging your best efforts at weight loss. The good news is, the latest hunger-busting eating strategies for optimal weight loss scientifically prove it really is possible to eat more and weigh less.

Learn the magic of the fullness factor
It’s a commonly known fact that if you skip meals, restrict your food intake and wait until your hunger level reaches ‘ravenous’, you will be far more vulnerable to temptation, not to mention unplanned snacking and unhealthy food choices. Thankfully, one of the latest strategies for long-term weight-loss success is designed to keep your hunger levels on an even keel while still controlling your daily kilojoule intake.

It would be too easy if our bodies were like a car and refuelling simply meant choosing one type of petrol and keeping your gauge above empty. However, satiety – the scientific term for feeling full or satisfied after eating food – varies greatly with different food choices. In other words, certain foods keep you going for a whole lot longer than others.
The secret of success lies in choosing more of those ingredients that offer high satiety for relatively few kilojoules. These foods can extend the time required between meals and the amount of food needed to ease hunger. This, in turn, can reduce your intake of daily kilojoules, tipping the equation in favour of weight loss. Here’s how you can make the right food choices.

Fill up with fibre
Chances are you’re well aware of the benefits of a high-fibre diet for your digestive health. But did you know that population-based studies link lower body weight and body fat, plus less weight gain over time, with diets that are higher in fibre? Dietary fibre, from foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, adds bulk to your meals and fills you up with few kilojoules.

Dietary fibre is also likely to do more than simply keep your tummy content – it can decrease your level of hunger hormones. Research shows that a type of fibre called resistant starch is the most satiating, keeping you fuller for longer than any other fibre studied. You can find it in foods such as cooked pasta, rice, potatoes, legumes and firm bananas.

Feel fuller with water
As well as filling up on fibre, it’s a good idea to try to include plenty of foods with a high water content in your daily diet. In clinical trials it has already been shown that drinking two glasses of water before a meal will increase feelings of satiety. In essence, water dilutes the kilojoule value of a dish and pumps up the volume to a satisfying serve size.

Eating more fibre-rich foods, such as pears, leafy green vegetables and whole grains, adds bulk to your meals, keeping hunger at bay and limiting your desire to snack on unhealthy foods.

By the same token, studies agree that eating foods with a high water content increase feelings of satiety and decrease the overall kilojoules consumed at a meal. High-water-content foods include fruits and vegetables, and meals such as soups, stews and casseroles in which water or stock is a main ingredient are a good option.

Power on with protein
Interestingly, the size and volume of the food you eat is not the only thing that helps you feel full. Granted, bulkier foods are more likely to fill you up, however there are other components in food that may play a role in satiety. One of these is the lean protein content. One study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when protein replaced fat in meals (in equal kilojoule portions), satiety was significantly increased. The people in the study chose to eat less food overall, which resulted in weight loss. For this reason, in addition to the nutritional benefits, it’s smart to include controlled portions of lean protein in your meals.

Keep your metabolism motoring
Eating a satisfying volume of food to keep your hunger level on an even keel is also a smart strategy that can help you maintain your metabolism while you lose weight. Fad- or crash-diets that are based around a very low kilojoule intake can cause a drop in your metabolism and a slower than expected weight-loss result, in addition to other unwanted side-effects such as headaches, nausea and mood swings!

Research is looking closely at the complex metabolism pathways and their impact on weight loss. One theory is that your body activates a starvation or famine reaction when it’s severely kilojoule restricted, causing it to drop your metabolism and hold on fiercely to your fat stores. When you focus on ‘filling’ foods and avoid ravenous hunger, you minimise any drop in your metabolism, lose weight at the safe rate of 0.5-1 kilogram per week and, more importantly, enjoy your meals and social life along the way. More research is needed but, until then, it certainly seems that slow and steady wins the long-term healthy weight-loss race.

Small tips for BIG losses

1| Go for extra vegetables or legumes in sandwiches, stir-fries and pasta sauces, and decrease meat to palm-size portions of lean lamb or beef.
2| Swap dried fruit for fresh fruit on half a cup of wholegrain breakfast cereal. This gives you a satisfying serving size, keeping hunger at bay.
3| Opt for wholegrain breads and cereals. Whole-wheat tortillas, crackers and dry biscuits are also good options.
4| Try to always start your main meal with a vegetable-based soup or high-water-content salad to help take the edge off your appetite.
5| Snack on oranges, berries and other juicy fresh fruit to feel full.
6| Focus on recipes with a high water content, particularly casseroles, in the colder months.
7| Begin your day with an extra serve of protein by having a poached egg or baked beans on wholegrain toast.
8| Have salad topped with salmon or tuna for lunch.