It's A Diet Again But It's Hard To Hold Back Eating Lust, Try This Way!

Illustration of a woman eating (Freepik/jcomp)

JAKARTA - While undergoing a diet program, one of the biggest challenges that is often faced is excessive appetite. Although we know that certain foods must be limited to achieving the goal of weight loss, sometimes eating can be difficult to control.

Recently, a dietist revealed that the desire to eat often has nothing to do with actual hunger, but is more about lifestyle factors.

In an effort to help people not to continue to gain weight, the expert responded to a TikTok user who asked how to deal with excessive appetite.

Reported by VOI from the Metro.co.uk page on Thursday, December 19, 2024, Shayne Rowland, known as the @proflex.health account, gave his explanation.

"When we feel like we want to eat, it's usually because of our bodies, as the word 'craving' (want), is signaling that something is missing," he said.

"This could be a sign that our bodies lack sleep. We know that when we lack sleep, the hormone ghrelin which plays a role in hunger will increase, so we feel more hungry and tend to want more food," he continued.

In addition, Rowland mentioned that dehydration can also cause a feeling of wanting to eat.

"Even a little bit of dehydration can be misinterpreted as hunger, which in turn creates a desire to eat," he said.

He also suggested that we ensure the adequacy of the protein in our diet. If the body lacks protein, we may feel dissatisfied or dissatisfied with the food consumed.

"Or maybe our bodies lack important nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals needed so that the body can function optimally," he added.

According to Rowland, sometimes the feeling of wanting to eat is not a matter of food at all, but rather a need to rest and recover energy, especially if we are stressed.

"So, if you start feeling the desire to eat excessively, make sure to check these factors first. Don't immediately take sweet snacks or chocolate to satisfy your desire, because it doesn't solve the real problem," he explained.

However, if you have confirmed these factors and are still feeling the desire to eat, Rowland says you can enjoy the little food you want.

"However, don't be too harsh on yourself. It's not about limiting yourself, but remember that the desire to eat usually arises because our bodies feel a lack of something they need," he added.

Meanwhile, according to NHS' health services, there are techniques that can be tried to overcome the desire to eat which is called 'gerge surfing' or "propagating in desire".

This technique involves how to overcome the urge or desire to eat by observing the intensity of the desire. Usually, if the desire is not fulfilled, that desire will be even stronger at first, but with time, that desire will decrease.

NHS also suggests looking for alternative activities that can help distract until the feeling of wanting to eat subsides. Here are some activities that can be tried: - Complete the task of watching televisions- Exploring the internet-chaotic friends-Going around the game- Filling in crossed puzzles- Reading newspapers- Spending time with hobbies