When you go on a diet, do you feel hungry?
I’ll bet you do. I’ll bet you feel like gnawing off your leg most of the time. Most dieters have a similar complaint. But why is that?
One obvious reason is that you’re eating less when you’re trying to lose weight (I hope). If you cut your daily caloric intake from 2,500 (or more) to 1,500 (or less), that typically is a big reduction in food volume. When you don’t eat as much, you’re hungry.
But do you know what hunger really is? In extreme cases (like starvation), it’s a physiological need. For most people , though, it’s only a habit.
You’re used to feeling full. You’re used to responding to the slightest stomach pang by stuffing something in your mouth.
If you’re significantly overweight, you’ve stretched your stomach to above-normal size. As you eat less, it’ll shrink and some of the hunger pangs will go away. You’re brain still remembers the habit of eating, though. That’s what you have to break.
In the end, this is an act of will, just like breaking any other habit. Sometimes when your will gets weak, you’ll need some help. I used distraction.
When I was trying to lose weight, I kept myself quite busy. Everyday eating became more of a nuisance. That helped me eat less, which helped me break the habit of eating too much. The same trick may work for you.
Just remember, eating is a habit. If you’re overweight, you’re doing too much of a good thing. Break the habit, and losing weight becomes almost effortless.