Lose weight by eating only when hungry
in Weight loss This fourth piece of advice is one of the most controversial – and most important – things to keep in mind.
![Don't eat by the clock]()
Eat Only When Hungry
Reduce unnecessary snacking
On a low-carb diet you should aim to eat when hungry, until you are satisfied… but just as important if you want to become lean: Don’t eat if you’re not hungry. Needless snacking will stall your weight loss.
This can be a problem on low-carb too. Some things you eat unnecessarily just because they’re tasty and easily available. Here are three common traps to watch out for on LCHF:
- Dairy products such as cream and cheeses. – They work well in cooking as they satisfy. The problem is if you’re munching a lot of cheese in front of the TV in the evening… without being hungry. Be careful with that. Or lots of cream with dessert, when you’re actually already full and just keep eating because it tastes good. Or another common culprit: loads of cream in the coffee, many times per day.
- Nuts. It’s very easy to eat until the nuts are gone, regardless of how full you are. A tip: According to science, salted nuts are harder to stop eating than unsalted nuts. Salted nuts tempt you to more overeating. Good to know. Another tip: Avoid bringing the entire bag to the couch, preferably choose a small bowl instead. I at least often eat all the nuts in front of me, whether I’m hungry or not.
- LCHF baking. Even if you’re only using almond flour and sweeteners snacking on baked goods and cookies usually provides extra eating when you’re not hungry… and yes, this will slow down weight loss.
Feel free to skip meals
Do you have to eat breakfast? No, of course not. Don’t eat if you’re not hungry. And this goes for any meal.
On a strict LCHF diet the hunger and urge to eat tends to decrease a lot, especially if you have excess weight to lose. Your body may be happily burning your fat stores, reducing the need to eat.
If this happens, be happy! Don’t fight it by eating food you don’t want. Instead wait for the hunger to return before you eat again. This will save you both time and money, while speeding up your weight loss.
Some people fear that they will lose control if they don’t eat every three hours, thus making them eat thousands of calories and blowing their diets completely. So they snack obsessively all the time.
This obsessive snacking may be necessary to control hunger cravings on a diet high in sugar and processed carbs, but it’s usually completely unnecessary on an LCHF diet. Hunger will only return slowly and you’ll have plenty of time to prepare food or grab a snack.
Summary
To lose weight quickly and sustainably: Eat when you’re hungry – but only when you’re hungry. Forget the clock and listen to your body instead.
More
All 16 tips on the page How to Lose Weight.
62 comments
When I was a child, we had egg & chips every evening, cooked In lard & occasionally with beans, this is the 70's. Watch films from the 70's, not many over weight people about. Fast food, lazy people & supermarkets are to blame as well as yourself for encouraging them, life's fast lane is not to be confused with an excuse to eat unhealthy. Your choice, no gyms about in the 70's, why ? People were not over weight, you are encouraging over priced exercise, its all about money. Stop the gym, walk to work and cook a healthy meal (Lol, egg and chips every day done me no harm), cheaper and more beneficial in losing weight.
Eat only when you're hungry ! Top advice.
Food is fuel, your body will tell you when it needs fuel, not the smell of the burger or urge to eat just because someone said its lunchtime.
In reality we can talk about cars, when your car needs fuel you put some in, if your car is full, would you continue to put fuel in ? Didn't think so. So why do it to your body ?
So here we are, 2019, my biggest observation is that women in general are getting huge, men always used to be bigger, not in 2019. Women would normally be able to wear dresses and heals, not 2019, they wear trousers, talk about gender bender, they do not look sexy any more, what has gone wrong ? Food, technology and god damn laziness. And before someone comments, I'm not a chauvinistic pig.
Women should look like women, not lumberjacks or bricklayers, no wonder there are so many gay men.
Over-weight = You're eating too much V's the calories your burning.
Feel the need to go to the gym, sorry it is too late, damage is already done, food wins.
of nuts . Maybe a low cal fruit drink but mainly water . I also blend mountains of veg into a cup a soup for quick meal and eat canned tuna / lean chicken . Track on MyFitnessPal. Works for me . I am 59 and weigh 62kg .
If you're questioning your hunger, you're not hungry.
FYI. I have lost 20 lbs in 7 weeks.
I'm 52 years old and I got to almost 600lbs to my highest, I cut down to 350lbs for like 5years and I couldn't do any better going back and forth from 350 to 365 until now. Finally I'm under 330 and looking forward to break the 300lb mark.
As you see we tend to follow traditions just out of habit, even if these traditions are not good or healthy.
If you answer those truthfully and remember those answers, you’ll be on your way to success.
First time I read something I can work with. Thanks. I have picked up more and less 20kg - and it is killing me. Now, I need to relax and get it off. I do believe I will achieve it if I follow an eating program I like. And the food I like. Although I prefer weight training, I have started to run. I miss the weight training though, but the running spirit of the team is good for my spirit. Looking forward to using your food program and shedding some kilos.