IT’S NOT EASY TO CONTROL our food intake if we’re always hungry, especially when we’re faced with snacking options everywhere, all the time. The key to ignoring temptation is to eat food that leaves us feeling satisfied, so we find it easier to avoid picking and therefore maintain a healthy weight.
Eating to feel full is a well-researched topic, so we now have a good understanding of the foods and behaviours that work well to fill us up and why. Larger portion sizes, the constant availability of food and even our environment can cause us to overeat, overriding that 15–20 minute delay for our stomach to tell our brain we’re full. ‘It’s a massively complex process involving everything from our eyes to our tummy,’ says HFG nutritionist Amanda Ursell. The trick is to alter our diet and the way we interact with food to keep our tummy happy and our body healthy.