How I Managed My Hunger and Improved My Diet
The saying, "You are what you eat," rings true when it comes to our health. The food we consume fuels everything we do, be it work, hobbies, or day-to-day living. Whether it's mental acuity or physical strength you're after, it all traces back to your diet.
If you're still not convinced, let me share my food journey with you.
I didn't always have a problem with my diet. Like many of us, I grew accustomed to my eating habits. If there didn't seem to be any immediate issues with my diet, why should I bother fixing something that wasn't broken?
My dietary journey began when I started researching blue zones – areas where people tend to live exceptionally long lives. My partner and I were intrigued to discover that most residents of these zones followed primarily vegetarian diets, with occasional additions of meat or fish. Noticing this, we decided to incorporate mostly vegetarian foods into our meals. Although I've oscillated between vegetarianism and veganism over the years, I often felt very hungry on these diets. In fact, when I resumed a vegetarian diet, I wasn't feeling my best and noticed increased hunger compared to when I was on an omnivorous diet.
The next phase of my journey was prompted by an unexpected change. Despite not gaining a significant amount of weight after switching my diet, I felt softer, as if I was losing muscle and gaining fat. Dissatisfied with this shift, I turned to the advice of Stephen Zimm, a professional personal trainer who works with celebrities. Zimm frequently discusses the role of insulin spikes in hunger and recommends various strategies to control this. His mantra, "Starve the fat, feed the muscle," resonated with me, as it focused on nourishing your body in a way that prevents hunger. I was inspired to start a new training regimen incorporating more strength training and resistance exercises. I appreciated Zimm's suggestion to increase protein intake, which can be challenging for vegetarians without deliberate planning. The combination of Zimm's advice and my need for more protein to support my strength training led me to reassess my diet and pay more attention to my macronutrient intake.
Despite not being a fan of low-carb diets due to my love for carbohydrates, I made a mindset shift. Instead of focusing on reducing carbs, I concentrated on increasing my protein and fiber intake. As a result, I naturally started consuming fewer carbs. After all, to consume the same amount of carbs while increasing protein and fiber, I would have to eat an impractical volume of food. By focusing on protein and fiber, I was satiated for longer periods, and my mood, emotional control, and mental acuity improved. I no longer had to deal with the grumpiness that accompanies hunger, which improved my overall happiness. I'm sharing this experience in hopes that this change in perspective might help others.
One of the significant changes in my diet was reducing my sugar intake. I used to have a sweet tooth and allowing myself a sugary treat only on weekends (or during trips) helped manage my cravings. The first couple of weeks were challenging, but knowing I could indulge in a sweet treat on the weekend made it easier. Limiting sugar intake may sound restrictive, but it was crucial for me because excessive sugar made me feel hungrier and, consequently, more irritable. Not to mention, sugar has numerous other health detriments. Perhaps I'll delve into that topic in another article.
Remember, focusing on what you should eat rather than what you shouldn't can make your dietary journey less daunting. Any restrictive mindset can trigger cravings for the foods we're trying to limit. By shifting the focus to nourishing our bodies with what they need, we naturally align our eating habits with our health goals.