Hunger and satiety: understanding your appetite

Everyone knows you for your hearty appetite? You’re never the last one to say yes to an ice cream? You spend half your life with your head in the fridge? Your number one enemy: hunger. If you recognise yourself in this picture, this article might just help. We’ll start by telling real hunger apart from a simple craving, then go through 8 simple tips to help you feel less hungry day to day!

First things first: hunger or just a craving?

Before anything else, let’s be clear about what we’re talking about. Do you eat because you’re hungry, or because you feel like it? These are two very different things! Physical hunger shows up as stomach rumbling, a drop in energy, yawning, a dry mouth, and sometimes headaches and chills. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, is simply a way of coping with a negative feeling: a sense of emptiness, boredom, sadness or stress. And that kind of hunger is exactly what we’d like to avoid, as it often leads to mindless snacking. So the first tip is to identify the nature of your hunger and respond to it accordingly. If you’re genuinely hungry, your body needs energy and you need to fuel it through food. But if it’s just a craving, find a way to work around it:

• Ask yourself why you want to eat
• Let the negative emotion pass through you rather than letting it take hold
• Instead of eating, have a tea, go for a walk or do something useful and/or enjoyable (reading, deep breathing, a short nap)

How to stop feeling hungry all the time

Here are a few tips that should help you regain control over your hunger.

Tip no. 1: Eat better

It sounds simple, but you may be constantly hungry because you’re not eating properly at mealtimes. A balanced meal should contain all the macronutrients your body and mind need. It should include:

• A portion of protein (preferably lean)
• A portion of complex carbohydrates
• Vegetables in abundance
• A little fat (for flavour)
• Optionally a dessert (compote, fruit, dairy), to bring pleasure

If you’re living exclusively on salads, you can vary the foods you eat.

Tip no. 2: Choose varied foods

A second tip that goes hand in hand with the first. Your meals should be made up of varied foods that fit into a balanced plate. Otherwise, watch out for snacking. Make room for the fibre found in vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and legumes. And don’t forget protein.

Tip no. 3: Drink regularly

You’ve probably heard this tip before, but it’s always worth repeating: drink regularly throughout the day. It’s also a good idea to have a glass of water before a meal. What’s more, it’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger. Really? It’s worth checking! So before you reach for food, try drinking… and see what happens! No longer hungry? You may simply have needed to hydrate!

Tip no. 4: Chew properly

To feel less hungry, you’ll need to pay attention to how you eat. If you tend to wolf down your plate in 2 minutes flat, it’s time to slow down. It can take the brain between 20 and 30 minutes to register fullness. So take your time: put your fork down between bites, chew thoroughly, and pause during the meal. You may realise you were less hungry than you thought. And as a bonus, you’ll have more time to enjoy your food. Remember that digestion starts in the mouth (thanks to the enzymes in saliva), and if you’d like to find out more, have a look at our article on bloating.

Tip no. 5: Brush your teeth

A fun tip, and an easy one to try! Brushing your teeth after a meal signals the end of eating time. It’s a ritual that implicitly says the meal is over and you’ve eaten well. On top of that, the minty taste of toothpaste and the feeling of a clean mouth make a pleasant full stop to the meal. So you know what to do: after every meal, head to the bathroom!

Tip no. 6: Vary your foods

We’ve already mentioned fibre, found in certain foods. But you can also complement your meals with other foods: konjac (in noodle form), oat bran and blonde psyllium (flakes to sprinkle over your dishes or into your yoghurt), apple and grapefruit are all foods you can incorporate into your diet.

But if you want a little extra something alongside these tips, let me introduce your new ally: our Fat-Burning Coffee!

Thanks to its specially crafted formula featuring natural caffeine, Acerola fruit extract and, above all, maltodextrin, this coffee is an enjoyable natural addition to your day.

Here’s why it could become a must-have in your routine:

• 🍃 Formula: contains maltodextrin.
• 🔥 Balance: naturally fits into a balanced diet and an active lifestyle.
• ☕ Caffeine: contains natural caffeine, to enjoy throughout the day!

Tip no. 7: Use smaller plates

What if your crockery could help you feel less hungry? This tip works directly on human psychology. Using smaller plates naturally leads to smaller portion sizes, and a well-filled small plate can look more satisfying, so you may simply feel less hungry. The same idea applies to glasses! A handy combination is therefore to choose small plates and large glasses — to eat a little less and drink more (water, of course!).

Tip no. 8: Use your nose

Now you might be thinking: “What on earth is this about?” Well, the link between smells and the mind is a fascinating subject. The scent of certain fruits, such as strawberry, pineapple or fig, as well as the fragrance of certain spices (cinnamon, clove, vanilla), is often described as soothing and comforting. If you enjoy them, you might want to surround yourself with gentle scents: diffused essential oils, scented candles, natural extracts. A pleasant way to fill your home with fragrances that echo our appetite-suppressing foods!

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell physical hunger from a craving?

Physical hunger shows up as stomach rumbling, a drop in energy, yawning, a dry mouth, and sometimes headaches and chills. A craving is often a way of coping with a negative feeling such as boredom, sadness or stress. Asking yourself why you want to eat is a good first step.

What should a balanced meal include?

A portion of protein, preferably lean, complex carbohydrates with a low GI, plenty of vegetables and a little fat. You can finish with a dessert such as a compote, a piece of fruit or a dairy product. Living exclusively on salads isn’t the idea.

What should I do if I feel hungry all the time?

Start by looking at your meals: are they balanced, and do you take the time to eat them slowly? Remember to drink regularly, too. If you still feel hungry all the time, or if it comes with other symptoms, ask your doctor for advice.

Is it OK to have a dessert?

Of course. A dessert is an optional part of a balanced meal and brings a little pleasure to the table. Simple options such as a compote, a piece of fruit or a dairy product fit in well.

Related articles

• Natural foods: 10 examples, from apples to almonds
• How can you manage your hunger?

Useful categories: Slimming Tips.