Managing weight can be hard enough in itself but to make it even harder, there are certain medications that can contribute to weight gain. This could be a gradual gain or in some cases it can be quite a drastic gain in a short period of time. These medications have been prescribed for a reason and are important in the management of your health. So what do you do when you find you are storing weight easier or you have a ravenous appetite all the time? Unfortunately there is no quick fix or magical answer. Preparation and planning will be key, so you don’t find yourself grazing across the whole day or eating large portions of energy dense meals.
The following tips may help to curb your appetite and ensure you are getting the most out of your meals without exceeding your energy requirements.
1. Prepare low kilojoule, nourishing snacks.
If you feel as though your stomach is a bottomless pit, prepare low kilojoule snacks that you can eat a generous portion of without significantly impacting your daily energy intake. You may choose two more substantial snacks like Ryvita biscuits with tomato and a thin slice of cheese and your two pieces of fruit for the day and then in-between snack on vegetable sticks. Vegetable sticks are very low in energy yet very high in nutrition and most of us don’t get enough as it is!
2. Bulk up meals with low energy ingredients.
Have your protein (chicken/ red meat/ fish/ lentils) and carbohydrate portion (corn/ potato/ sweet potato/rice/pasta) with a large salad or steamed vegetables. Eating the salad/ vegetables first can help to fill you up and make you less inclined to over eat on the meat/ carbohydrate components. Salad also takes a little longer to eat, which will give your stomach more of a chance to register that it is filling up. Another option is to have a low energy soup prior to a meal, which can also be very useful in filling you up and preventing over eating on the more energy dense ingredients of the main meal to follow.
3. Choose foods that are low Glycaemic Index (GI).
Foods with a low GI will help to fill you up for longer. They are digested slower than higher GI foods, and are better for your health overall. These items include vegetables, fruit, dairy, and wholegrain products, like multigrain bread as opposed to white bread.
4. Practice mindful eating techniques.
Eating mindfully is important when you experience frequent cravings or when you have a big appetite and a preference for the energy rich foods. Learning to better control your food choices will assist in managing weight and general health.
Contact us for results focused nutritional advice
This article was written by our dietitian Belinda Elwin who is a Dietitians Association of Australia member and Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Nutritionist. If you have questions about nutrition, make an appointment. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns.
