10 tips to drown gluttony –

From water to breathing, passing through the telephone, you have more allies than you can imagine to stop that uncontrollable urge to eat. Here are ten simple, foolproof tricks to keep your cravings in check, at least until your next meal.

1. Water for your hunger

Water can be a great friend when you want to lose the urge to eat. Sometimes, the lack of hydration is understood by our brain as hunger and, then, drinking a glass of water can hydrate your organism and disappear with the desire for food. Another advantage is that water fills the stomach, gives a feeling of satiety and reduces the desire to eat. If, even knowing this, you find water a very bland drink, try flavoring it. “Use mint or fresh rosemary, which are low-calorie and very refreshing herbs,” says Cinthya Maggi, a nutritionist from São Paulo who specializes in light and diet cuisine. Just put a clean branch of the chosen herb in a liter of water and leave it in the fridge until the next day. Then strain and drink.

2. Vegetables? why not?

Raw foods also give a nice boost when the idea is to hold back hunger. By the way, solid foods satisfy more than liquids. Whenever you can, abuse greens and raw vegetables. But vegetables don’t need to be eaten only in main meals. They can be your snack during the day. Result: you are satisfied for longer and take longer to eat. Baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers can even be taken to work. And they are low in calories. A medium carrot (50 g) has 25 calories and a small cucumber in slices or sticks only 8 calories. If you’re at home, use heart of palm and turkey blanquet for lunch. “A stick of canned heart of palm wrapped in two thin slices of turkey blanquet has 50 calories”, says nutritionist Cinthya Maggi.

3. Don’t hold back

Did you feel like eating something special and a little more caloric? With the. According to endocrinologist Alfredo Halphern, it’s not a good idea to feel like it. If you overdo it, make up for it the next day. It’s better to eat a craving food in moderation than to get full of cravings and dissatisfaction, which can put anyone off staying on the diet. But never go too long without eating or fasting. If you do this, you will open a breach for hypoglycemia (blood sugar drop) and food compulsion will become uncontrollable.

4. Directions at the table

Learn to eat with all your senses. Does it sound crazy? But it is not. When picking a fruit, for example, feel its aroma and texture before biting. When biting it, chew slowly feeling its flavor. Listen to the noise the food makes in your mouth. “By stimulating the senses, you value the food you are eating and tasting it is full of pleasure”, says Alfredo Halphern, an endocrinologist from São Paulo and author of the book The Point Diet. Following this rule, no eating while in the car, on the phone or watching television. When having a meal along with another activity, you don’t even realize what you’re eating and the risk of overindulging – without any pleasure – is greater.

5. Dried fruits in the bag

Another infallible strategy to stave off hunger is to always have a bag of dried fruit such as prunes (10 units have 200 calories), apricots (10 units have 260 calories) and raisins (one spoonful) in your purse or office drawer at all times. of full soup has 60 calories). “In addition to being very tasty, these fruits are energetic and full of fiber, which increases satiety and helps you get well into your next meal. Just do not overdo it, because they are caloric. If you’re not hungry, a portion of three units is enough”, says Luciana Setaro, a nutritionist from São Paulo.

6. Need a sweetie?

If your hunger comes with an almost uncontrollable desire for sugar, opt for sweet foods that don’t compromise your little body. Blend skimmed yogurt (200 grams) with two pitted plums or two dried apricots in a blender, which – believe me! – only have 100 calories. Or: skimmed yogurt mixed with two spoons of powdered diet juice of your favorite flavor. Mix well and consume only 75 calories. It’s even easier to eat two biscuits of the water and salt type with two spoons (tea) of diet jelly (75 calories), accompanied by your favorite tea. “These are quick, healthy options that are able to control the desire for sweets”, explains Cinthya Maggi.

7. Go for a calming tea

“Whenever you feel hungry between meals, drink cold lemon balm or chamomile tea, natural tranquilizers”, suggests culinary specialist Elizabete Presa. Hunger can be linked to anxiety and these teas help control it.

8. Biscuits, yes, but wholemeal

Tired of the increasingly sweet cereal bars, with more rice flakes and less fruit? Well, bet on the huge variety of delicious wholemeal cookies. If you love sweets, there are dozens of launches with different flavors. Savory versions can be chopped and added to a green salad. “If you know you’re having an event at night, abuse the green salad during the day, but mix in some chopped wholemeal biscuits to replace other types of carbohydrates”, says Elizabete Presa, nutrition technician and culinary specialist, from São Paulo. In order not to run the risk of eating the whole package, buy small plastic jars and carry portions of four to six cookies in your bag, so as not to exceed 100 calories.

9. Run to the phone

“When in doubt whether or not you are hungry, divert your focus from the food”, says Luciana Setaro. Drink water, read a magazine, surf the internet or just chat with a friend. Look how good it is: you stay on top of the news and catch up. This way, the urge to eat will pass without you attacking that bag of stuffed chocolate biscuits in the kitchen.

10. Powerful Breathing

Did you know that it is possible to reduce the feeling of hunger with a very simple breathing exercise? Close your mouth, leaving your lips parted, and place the tip of your tongue against the inside of your teeth. Then inhale through the side of your mouth and exhale through your nostrils. Repeat this exercise for three minutes a few times a day. “As breathing is linked to emotions, with this exercise you relax and feel a refreshing sensation in your mouth”, explains Anderson Allegro, director of the Yoga Alliance. You balance and feel a deep well-being. “That way, you can tell if you’re hungry or if it’s anxiety and gluttony,” he says.