Beat Your Body’s Fat Traps

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Working out can make you work up an appetite, but don’t think you can indulge in fettuccine Alfredo or ice-cream every night as a reward. Here's how to break the workout/pig-out cycle.

Eat Every 3 to 4 Hours

Giving your body a steady supply of kilojoules keeps blood sugar stable during and after exercise. It can also prevent an excessively high insulin response that encourages the body to store excess fat the next time you eat. To avoid taking in extra kilojoules because you’re eating more often, keep meals to 2,095 kJ (500 cal) or less and snacks to less than 840 kJ (200 cal), limiting total kilojoules to approximately 6,700 to 7,540 (1,600 to 1,800 cal) a day.

Have Protein at Every Meal

Protein increases satiety and helps control your appetite by stimulating gut hormones that help you feel full. Good options include eggs, milk, soy milk, yoghurt and oatmeal for breakfast. Include nuts, beans, wholegrains, low-fat dairy products, fish, lean meats and poultry at other meals and snacks to ensure you get enough protein.

Load Up on Fibre

Bulky foods fill you up on fewer kilojoules. Aim for 25 to 30 g of fibre per day. Include at least 5 g in every meal and snack. At meals, try 1/2 cup of black beans, 1 cup of pea soup or 1 cup of steamed spinach with 1/2 cup of raw carrot sticks. For snacks, try an apple plus a handful of nuts, or a rye crispbread and a pear.

Quench Your Thirst with Water

Exercise is more likely to increase your thirst, but many people mistake thirst for hunger. Next time you’re tempted to indulge your cravings, especially postworkout, try to satisfy your desire with kilojoule-free H2O. Sipping sweetened drinks can quickly override any kilojoule deficit you scored by working out.

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