Friday, July 31, 2009

Stay Full Tips




I want to share some of the ways I keep myself from getting overly hungry, so I don't grab the wrong foods just because I'm starving or have a craving. This has always been a challenge for me, so I'm happy to find these things to keep me feeling full and satisfied.
My number one tip is drinking water. It's amazing just how much water does for the body. Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily not only suppresses the appetite, but it helps metabolize the fat that is stored in your body. It keeps your kidneys functioning properly...otherwise the liver has to help do the job of the kidneys. If that happens, the liver can't do its own job, which is to turn the fat stored in your body into energy. Since I've been diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, this is even more important. My doctor said to drink plenty of water, eliminate some of the fat from my diet, and stay away from acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol) and use ibuprofen if I need something for a headache or other pain. I did have a couple of days where I drank too much diet soda earlier in the week, and my body sure felt the difference! I haven't had a soda since!
My next assistant in the fight against fat is eating plenty of produce. We need the vitamins and fiber that are in fruits and veggies, to keep us full and keep our bodies working properly. Green grapes really help when I'm craving something sweet...and now that I've tried them frozen, they are a great summer treat! It's also a good thing to eat a colorful variety of produce, because then you ingest more of the various vitamins your body needs.
Finally, I've already mentioned how much I love Greek yogurt, especially with fruit and plain ground cinnamon. I've also discovered something else...adding high fiber cereal to the yogurt is delicious and quite filling. Plus, it's a great way to use up the cereal "crumbs" at the bottom of the box!
I hope these tips help you as well, and feel free to share anything else that helps you. We are all in this together, and I want all of us to succeed!

6 comments:

Andrea said...

Great post!!!

Marcelle said...

Water, water, water...struggle with that one.
On the Weight Watchers plan 100g of grapes is one point...so think I should give this one a try,
Thanks

Trina said...

Great tips. I agree. I find when I fill my day with more fruits and veggies I stay full longer.

Trina said...

Our Weight Watchers leader freezes her yourt, adds fresh fruit, and almonds. Sounds good but I have never tried it. I was going to buy some of that greek yogurt last week but it was a little pricey.

WriterMarie said...

That frozen yogurt combo sounds good! The Greek yogurt keeps me full...when I eat the other stuff I'm hungry within half an hour, plus there's no sugar or artificial sweetners. Now that I've tried the greek stuff, I'm spoiled! :o)

missy said...

Thanks for the great reminder about water. This is the silliest struggle for me almost everyday! Such an EASY thing to do...yet I let it slack over and over again. :)