4 Strategies to For When You're Hungry but Not Really

Let's talk about Hunger....
It feels different for all of us. I’m sure you’ll all agree that my hunger could feel a lot different to your hunger.

But there are some common signs of what hunger is all about like

• lightheartedness and dizziness,
• irritability,
• unable to concentrate,
• headaches, and
• low energy or of course,
• a rumbling tummy.

 
So let’s take a look at some of these symptoms and what they could mean apart from hunger.

First off, headaches.
If you feel headache, instead of reaching for something to eat first, ask yourself, am I dehydrated, how much water have I drunk today?

Because so often dehydration shows as a headache and you are thirsty.

To avoid that, get a water app on your phone, an app that will remind you to drink your water on a regular basis throughout the day or have a large bottle on your desk, which you aim to empty by the time you go home in the afternoon.

If you’re hungry and you’ve got a headache, then you’re most likely dehydrated and you should drink water first.
Have a glass of water and wait 20 minutes and see how you feel.

Sugary foods.
Ask yourself, are you stressed?

Sugary foods and carbohydrate rich foods like muffins and cakes and biscuits and chocolates, help to boost our serotonin levels.

This has a calming effect on us and that’s why we reach the sugary foods when we’re stressed.

If you are going to reach for that sugary food, then do so while focusing on that food completely.

Sit in a quiet place, not on a couch watching your favorite TV show. But sit on the couch and really take notice of the taste of the sugary food, the texture of it, how it feels in your mouth, and how you are feeling as you are eating your sugary food.

Also when you are focusing on it so much, then you are less likely to overeat, so you are not going to finish the whole pack and you are also going to find it easier to stop.

Alternatively, get up and move about for 5 minutes or pick up the phone and phone a friend and talk your stress out.

The third thing is if you have low energy levels, and low concentration, you could be tired.

Food fuels us and when we’re tired, we are looking for more energy.

But the thing is that we usually reach for the non-nutritious option, the quick fix.
And that is not going to help us.

Aim for 7 - 9 hours of sleep consistently, every single night of the week.

And if you are really getting good sleep, then you need to look at having an afternoon snack which is high in healthy fats and protein and fiber so that it helps to keep your energy stable until supper time.

Now if you are bored, it is so easy to reach for a pack of chippies or some biscuits and just eat them mindlessly.

Because food actually gives you a purpose.

But instead of reaching for a pack of chippies or biscuits, the next time you find yourself bored, get up and do something. 

I have a Sudoku app on my phone which I absolutely love. It is my go-to when I need something to do.

Otherwise, get up, go for a walk, move your body, play catch with your children in the garden.

If you enjoy sewing or knitting a crochet, grab one of those projects before you reach for the chippies and the biscuits.
Choose to do some kind of activity when you are bored.

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I had a rave review recently that I'd like to share with you - 
I started working with Lee because I did not want to go on ANOTHER diet, but I did need to become more healthy and lose some weight.
After 4 weeks I have lost a pants size, but more than that I feel 100% better then I did.
I no longer hit the 4pm energy slump, I am more motivated to do healthy things with my kids and I feel more positive about my job.
I enjoy the new foods I prepare (especially my smoothies) and my weekly check-ins with Lee keep me motivated and
teach me so much I did not know about nutrition and how our digestive system works.
This is not a diet, it is a new way of looking at food. Thank you Lee! My life is changed.
- Jucintha, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

I'd love to help you reach your health goals. 

Go ahead and book your free Ditch the Cravings and Lose Weight  Breakthrough Call.

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