Unregulated food plan can cause more hunger in the diet; see how to adapt

A common complaint among dieters is excessive hunger despite strictly following the rules of the diet. The lack of portions adapted to the patient’s reality is one of the factors that leads to increased appetite during the period of food restriction, making reeducation difficult.

Fad diets that offer all patients the same foods in equal amounts can also make you feel more hungry than expected. Emotional issues may also be linked.

When this happens, it means that the menu is unbalanced, says nutritionist Lidiane Pereira Magalhães, from the Oncology Department at Unifesp (Federal University of São Paulo). “With these crazy diets and restrictions that people are doing, generally, people are hungry because the way they should eat is not balanced”, she points out.

The professional says that a personalized menu developed by a qualified professional will be adapted according to the person’s schedules and food tastes, which facilitates reeducation.

“From the moment a person goes on a diet, for example, which he saw in the magazine or the neighbor told him about, it is impossible to succeed, because it is based on nothing. It works for a while, but it has no follow-up and can cause health problems”, warns Magalhães.

Even a person who is monitored by a qualified professional, however, can feel hungry, which means that the food plan is not properly adjusted.

According to the expert, this occurs when the menu chosen does not meet the needs of the person’s body. The choice of foods, portions and times must be done according to the particularities of each individual, and the professional can make adjustments if the first version does not work.

“That’s why follow-up is important. Sometimes, people don’t come back to the consultation because they can’t lose weight and are embarrassed. Did it not work? Come back for us to adjust”, guides Magalhães.

In addition to general diets and incorrect amounts, the change in the food routine aimed at weight loss also messes with a primitive instinct of our brain.

According to endocrinologist Márcio Mancini, vice president of the Department of Obesity at SBEM (Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology), the human body does not understand that the diet is made due to excess weight. For the organism, the person is simply “starving” and, therefore, the body understands that it needs to protect itself to avoid death.

“It’s that simple, it’s the organism of primitive man”, says Mancini. “All people on a diet will feel hungrier.”

The nutritionist and coordinator of the communication committee of SBAN (Brazilian Society of Food and Nutrition), Lara Natacci, also recalls that excess hunger during diets occurs because the hormones that promote hunger do not react as desired.

“When we lose weight with a diet, the secretion of hormones that are orexigenic increases, that is, those hormones that bring the feeling of hunger. In a diet, we restrict our food, we stop eating the amount we would like or what our organism would need. Then our organism’s response is hunger”.

Experts also point to the emotional and psychological issue.

“Today, human beings eat much more, activating the hedonic appetite, for pleasure, linked to the limbic system, than the homeostatic appetite, the appetite for survival, hunger itself”, highlights endocrinologist Mancini.

In addition, the so-called emotional hunger can be confused with physiological hunger.

“It appears suddenly, from one hour to the next and usually the person seeks a specific food, the type of food that becomes comforting many times, like those related to some childhood memory”, says SBAN nutritionist, Natacci.

This feeling can be linked to emotional problems like stress, anxiety and depression. Therefore, it is important to observe which triggers trigger this behavior and seek the help of a psychologist.

Nutritionists give advice and tips that can help you deal with hunger when it hits you during your diet – and it’s not emotional.

Take it easy. There is no miracle in weight loss. “Do you want to lose weight in a month, everything you’ve gained over the years? It doesn’t even make sense”, says Magalhães. An honest relationship with a qualified professional will be your greatest asset on this journey.

be present. During a meal, it is important for the person to use all of their senses to enjoy the food. No eating in a hurry, in front of the cell phone and computer. “Studies say that when we eat in front of the TV or with distractions, the tendency is to eat in greater quantity, in addition to taking time to be satiated”, says Natacci.

Slowly. The ideal is to eat slowly, because, according to Magalhães, the center responsible for satiety takes about 15 minutes to be activated.

With the! “The body tends to save [energia]. It reduces the body’s functions, the person becomes quieter, more still, feels more sleepy because they have no energy”, explains Natacci. It seems banal, but the professional highlights the importance of not going too long without eating so as not to overdo it. at the next meal.

Invest in fiber and proteins. Include these foods at every meal – not just your main ones. They take time to digest, they are ideal in the pursuit of satiety. Give preference to water-soluble fibers such as chia. Good fats in small amounts such as those found in avocados, chestnuts and almonds can be good allies.

Relax. Before meals, take a few minutes to take a break and calm down from the hectic routine. Breathing and meditation techniques help bring mindfulness to that moment and enjoy the pleasure of eating.