“The only way I lose weight is by starving myself.”  Does that sound like you? Do you feel the need to limit or restrict the amount of food you eat in a day in order to lose weight?  I used to feel the same, but I found a new way. Here are 5 secrets to losing weight without being hungry, restrictive, or deprived. 

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Some people look at me and they think, oh she’s just naturally that way and say “you have great genes” or chock up my body to some external factor that I seemingly had no control over. 

Let me just tell ya, that shit pisses me off. 

While I love what my momma gave me, I’ve worked hard for this. 

Here’s the deal, I actually gain weight easily. It’s absolutely false to think this “comes naturally.”  I work hard to maintain a lean figure and lean body mass. The truth is, I’m one hungry lady. You can ask my mother, father, husband, brothers, friends. They’ll tell you…  lol. “Stay away from Shay when she’s hungry”

So, being the hungry person I am, for years, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to be lean without eating less. I’d feel deprived, only to gain back what I had lost. 

But now, I’m able to maintain a lean figure.  I can lose weight without feeling hungry or deprived. AND, it’s not extremely difficult for me to do this because I’ve built a system that works for me, my lifestyle, my schedule. 

Your unique lifestyle and schedule affects your weight loss

A lot of times I get questions from people who ask me weight-loss and nutrition tips that are only looking at one factor within their overall health. Like “what do I eat for breakfast to give me energy” or “how do I stop sugar cravings.”

Here’s the truth.  One meal isn’t going to make that big of a difference.  Many meals, over time, absolutely will. 

You’ve got to look at the full picture of what your day looks like and back that into your week. I like to look at things week by week, honestly anything longer than that just feels overwhelming. It’s why you see weekly meal plans or 7-day meal plans all over the place. 

Each person is individual, each person has a different schedule, different job stress levels, or obligations. It’s important to look at your unique lifestyle and schedule and determine what’s gonna work best for you to lose the weight for good, while not being hungry. 

That being said…

Here are 5 secrets to losing weight without being hungry

1 – You aren’t eating enough protein

Protein provides the building blocks of our bodies.  We are constantly adapting to everything in our lives on a cellular level as evidenced through a process called protein turnover.  

RELATED: 5 High Protein Snacks you can Take to Work

When you are trying to lose weight, lean protein is your best friend.  All food comes from three types of macronutrients – protein, carbohydrate, and fat. 

A little science with your nutrition advice

During protein turnover, our cells are always adapting, regenerating, and rebuilding muscles (and other body tissues). Protein is the primary macronutrient responsible for this process.

Fat and carbohydrate are predominantly used for energy. That’s why these two macronutrients get stored most often, while protein typically gets used for tissue repair and regeneration for protein turnover.  

A great way to help you feel full and not be hungry, is to eat more protein.  Also, our bodies require more energy to break down protein, which helps you feel full for longer. 

You may have heard your body can’t process too much protein at once. This is true. The best way is eat protein is to stagger portions throughout the day. Aim to eat 4-6 oz of lean protein like chicken breast, ahi tuna, or lean beef 4-5 times a day. 

Here’s a list of protein sources, aim for lean protein most the time and medium to high fat some of the time.

Download the list of lean protein sources right here ↓

2 – You’re nutrient deficient

Did you know most people are nutrient deficient in some way?  Yep, even athletes with dialed-in meal plans. It’s why I still take a multivitamin, vitamin D3, Omega-3 fish oil, and probiotics every day.  You can get tested from your doctor, which I recommend and then create a plan on what to supplement from there. 

3 – You eat when you’re actually just thirsty 

Our bodies often confuse being hungry when in reality we’re just thirsty.  Try drinking 8 oz of water before and after each meal or snack to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day. 

When hunger strikes and you know you ate within the last 2 hours, drink a big glass (16 oz) of water before you eat again. You might find this will satisfy you for another hour or two. 

4 – You aren’t getting enough fiber

If you’ve struggled to lose weight in the past, fiber could be a missing ingredient in your weight-loss arsenal. Fiber helps us feel full, is good for our gut health, even lowering cholesterol, and numerous other benefits. 

It’s a great weight loss tool because in addition to helping you feel full, it binds to fat and calories, ushers them out of the body, so you don’t store them (as fat).  

I’ve created a list of the best high-fiber complex carbohydrates here. 

5 – You ‘sneak’ calories

Ever walk by a bowl of chips and snag just a few.  “A few chips are harmless” you think. Well, you’d be surprised.  Sneaking a few bites here and there can add up over a week. It’s common for people to under-estimate their true caloric intake throughout a day even with tracking or logging calories.  This can be for a number of reasons, but simply looking at those sneaky snacks, we typically don’t realize how many calories it actually adds up to. Even just 200 extra calories a day from a few extra pistachios, bite-sized candies, or chips can create a caloric surplus you didn’t account for.  

Want more secrets to weight loss? Don’t miss out on this secret!

Conclusion

If you’ve been struggling to lose weight due to hunger, I’m telling you there’s a better way. Eating lean protein and fiber rich foods, getting adequate hydration, and being mindful of your snacking are a few secrets to help you lose weight without being hungry.