How To Lose Fat Without Getting Hungry
“Dieting is the only game where you win when you lose.”
Key Takeaways
To lose fat, and keep it off, you need to do it in a sustainable way. You know what’s not sustainable? Being hungry all the time and eating foods you hate.
When embarking on a fat loss journey, it sometimes feels like hunger is an inevitable price to pay. It’s not.
To be victorious in the battle against hunger, we need to:
Form an Alliance with Protein and Fiber
Enlist The Liquids
Use Psychological Warfare
The top ten ways to lose fat without getting hungry include:
Eat A Lot Of Protein
Eat High-Volume, Filling Foods
Eat Plenty Of Fruits And Vegetables
Stay Hydrated and Drink Calorie Free Beverages
Consume Caffeinated Beverages Wisely
Avoid Empty Calories
Eat Mindfully
Consider Time Restricted Feeding
Understand the Difference Between Hunger and Craving
Find What Works For You
Fat loss takes work. Sustainable fat loss requires:
Planning
Effort
Time
Discipline
Accountability
Full Story
So, you want to lose a few pounds. No big deal. Hit the gym consistently, tighten up your diet, and accept living with a gnawing, ravenous hunger for the rest of your days.
Wait, what?!
To lose fat, and keep it off, you need to do it in a sustainable way. You know what’s not sustainable? Being hungry all the time and eating foods you hate. Hunger sucks, and it’s even worse when the foods you eat aren’t satisfying and don’t fill you up.
Blame your ancestors. As I mentioned in part 1, hunger is a feeling ingrained by millions of years of evolution that lets us know death by starvation is right around the corner. Today, it just gets in the way of our health goals and keeps us from achieving the body of our dreams.
Losing fat doesn’t need to be miserable. You don’t need to commit to a zero carb, low fat, or salad-only diet. If you don’t enjoy salad and it doesn’t fill you up,, take it out of your fridge and toss it in the trash right now!
When embarking on a fat loss journey, it sometimes feels like hunger is an inevitable price to pay. It’s not.
The Good News
I have good news and “bad” news. Which do you want first?
The good first? Perfect, that’s what I was thinking too. The good news is that being hungry all the time is not a necessary component of fat loss.
There’s enough needless suffering in everyday life, let’s avoid creating more through diet. With a few tips and tricks, fat loss can even be fun!
Okay, that’s a stretch. “Fun” may not be the best word, how about “innocuous?”
Innocuous - adjective. Not harmful or offensive
Yeah, that will work. I promise you that if you follow my advice, losing fat will be innocuous.
As for the bad news, I can’t bring myself to break it to you just yet. After my top ten tips to lose fat without getting hungry, I’ll share the bad news.
The Battle Against Hunger
In the fight against hunger we’re up against a formidable opponent. Hunger has hormones, emotions, and ice cream sundaes on it’s side, and we just have opposable thumbs and a desire for improved fitness.
It might appear to be a one-sided battle, but we will not be defeated!
Afterall, hunger is just an abstract concept made real by you and me. If we brought it into this world, we can take it out.
To defeat hunger, we need help. Specifically, we’ll need to:
Form an Alliance with Protein and Fiber
Enlist The Liquids
Use Psychological Warfare
Together, these 3 strategies encompass the top ten ways to lose weight without feeling hungry.
The Top Ten Tips To Lose Fat Without Getting Hungry
Form an Alliance with Protein and Fiber
To defeat hunger, we need to get very comfortable with protein and fiber. They are key allies because:
They fill us up quickly
They “boost our metabolism” by increasing thermogenesis (i.e. the amount of calories needed to digest food) (1, 2).
Protein helps us hold onto muscle and lose fat
Fiber is beneficial not only for weight loss but also promotes overall health and longevity (3).
To stave off hunger, eat a lot of protein, prioritize high volume foods, and load up on fruits and vegetables.
Eat A Lot Of Protein
Protein is the #1 macronutrient for losing fat while building/maintaining muscle. A high protein diet:
Prevents muscle loss
Improves recovery
“Boosts metabolism”
Keeps you full
For the purpose of this article, that last point is the most important. Calorie for calorie, no macronutrient is more filling than protein! Some of the best sources of protein include:
Lean ground chicken/turkey/beef/pork
Seafood (salmon, tilapia, canned tuna, oysters, mussels, clams)
Fat free/low fat Greek yogurt
Cottage cheese
Eggs/egg whites
Whey, casein, and vegan protein powders
A solid daily protein target to shoot for each day during a fat loss phase is 1 gram/lb of bodyweight. For instance, if you’re 200lbs, try to eat 200 grams of protein each day. If it sounds impossible, check out these tips here.
2. Eat High-Volume, Filling Foods
Seems like a no brainer. There’s a lot of individuality here. Foods that fill me up may not even put a dent into your hunger, and vice-versa.
Here are the highest volume (i.e. lowest calorie) and most filling foods for 3 categories: carbs, fats, and miscellaneous/fun foods.
Carbs
Oatmeal
There’s a reason oatmeal is known for “sticking to your ribs.” Oatmeal is full of fiber, tasty, and one of the healthiest grains you can eat. My favorite food (I actually eat it 2-3x/day) is a bowl of oatmeal mixed with protein powder and topped with fruit/nut butters.
Potatoes
Ever heard of the potato diet? It’s absolutely whacky, but it works because potatoes, especially plain, boiled ones, are very filling (4).
Legumes
Another one full of fiber and protein.
Low Calorie Bread/Rice Cakes
Whoever said that you can’t eat bread on a diet is totally missing out. At 40 calories, no added sugar, and tons of fiber, this bread from Nature’s Own is a staple in my fat loss diet (5). Just because you’re dieting doesn’t mean that French toast is off the menu (6).
I know, rice cakes are a bland “diet food.” But they’re low in calories, versatile, and come with a nice crunch (7). Don’t sleep on rice cakes!
Fruits and Vegetables
These are SO important, I’ve devoted the entire next section to them.
Fats
At 9 calories/gram, all sources of fat are energy dense and should not make up the majority of calories when you’re trying to lose fat. That does NOT mean you should eat zero fat, as it is essential for mood, hormone production, and a bunch of other processes in the body.
Gram for gram, fats are not nearly as satiating as carbs or proteins, so use them sparingly! Some of my favorite sources of fat on a low calorie diet include:
Nuts/nut butters
Enjoying a tablespoon or two of peanut butter makes it easy to forget that you’re dieting.
Eggs (scrambled, hard boiled, etc.)
Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet and, depending on how you prepare them, can be extremely filling.
Higher fat meat/fish/dairy products
Personally, I stay away from most high fat meat and dairy during a fat loss phase. But if you can’t live without bacon, eat bacon!
Again, consume in moderation. The difference between 8 almonds and two monster handfuls could be hundreds of calories - measure out your fats with care and make sure you understand what a true serving size looks like.
Misc Foods
PB Fit
PB Fit, or peanut butter powder, is another food I eat 2-3x/day on a consistent basis. It’s high volume (for a “nut butter”), full of protein, and tastes great.
Sugar free pudding/jello
A GAME CHANGER. If you have an insatiable sweet tooth, you can have a serving or two of sugar free pudding every night without a breaking the calorie bank. If I’m craving a sweet dessert, I’ll mix the powder into some Greek yogurt or oatmeal - so, so good.
Sugar free syrup, chocolate sauce, whatever
Perfect to put on top of French toast, protein pancakes, or dessert. (Yes, I’m serious. You can have French toast and dessert every day of your diet and still lose fat).
Soup/Broth/Chili
Filling, high volume, and comforting. What’s not to like? (If going the canned route, look for the “BPA free” label).
3. Eat Plenty Of Fruits And Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are a key component to staying full while losing fat because they are:
Low calorie
High volume (and high water content)
High in fiber
High in vitamins and minerals
For fat loss, some fruits and vegetables are definitely better than others. High sugar fruits such as bananas and pineapple and starchy vegetables such as potatoes won’t fill you up as much as more fibrous fruits or dark leafy green vegetables. The best fruits to keep you full include:
Strawberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Cherries
Apples
Pears
Oranges
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
The best vegetables to keep you full include:
Mushrooms
Broccoli/Cauliflower
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage/Lettuce/Spinach
Carrots
Onions
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Squash
Cucumbers
Squash/Spaghetti Squash
These lists are just my favorite/highest volume fruits and vegetables, don’t look too much into them. If it’s a real fruit or vegetable, it’s good for you and an awesome choice for your fat loss diet.
Enlist The Liquids
Liquids are tricky. In the case of water, coffee, and sugar free beverages, they can help us defeat hunger by:
Taking up volume in our stomach
Keeping us hydrated
Giving us more energy and helping us burn more calories
Reducing hunger directly
But in the case of soda, juice, or other sugar-sweetened beverages, they can sabotage us by:
Providing a lot of calories without filling us up
Spiking blood sugar and causing cravings
Increasing hunger and desire for sweet foods
Used correctly, liquids can be our most helpful allie. Used irresponsibly, they can be the sole cause of our downfall. Ignore the following tips at your peril.
4. Stay Hydrated and Drink Calorie Free Beverages
“You’re not hungry, you’re just thirsty.” I heard that more times than I can remember from my parents growing up and I always thought they were full of it. I wanted another grilled cheese, not a bottle of water! But now, with my fully functioning prefrontal cortex, I’m able to realize that they were right.
Not only does being dehydrated make you hungry, drinking more fluids and filling up your stomach can make you feel full. It’s a double bonus.
The best calorie free beverages to keep you full include:
Water (duh!)
Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning, before or after meals, and whenever you’re bored or feeling snacky is an effective way to stay hydrated and defeat cravings.
Coffee/Tea
More on these in the next section.
Diet Soda
Diet soda will not give you diabetes, cancer, or kill you. On the contrary, it can be a helpful fat loss tool that quenches your sweet beverage craving. As an added bonus, the carbonation might even make you feel a bit full.
Unsweetened Almond/Cashew Milk
The average unsweetened nut milk has 30 calories/serving. An awesome option for your morning coffee or protein shakes.
Sugar Free Lemonade, Water Enhancers, Etc.
See the above point on artificial sweeteners. As long as you’re not consuming 20 servings a day, every day, there is little reason to be concerned about any harmful effects.
5. Consume Caffeinated Beverages Wisely
Caffeine is a fantastic fat loss tool for a few reasons:
It has been shown to directly reduce feelings of hunger (8).
If consumed in liquid form (coffee, tea, sugar free Monster), it takes up volume in your stomach and makes you feel full.
It increases energy expenditure (i.e. calorie burn) (9).
If you can tolerate it, 2-3 cups of coffee or tea throughout the day is an effective way to stay full and feel energized when consuming lower calories.
To keep sleep quality high, be sure to cut off your caffeine consumption by the early afternoon. Caffeine has an average half-life of 5 hours, meaning that half of the caffeine from your 4pm Starbucks will still be in your bloodstream at 9pm
6. Avoid Empty Calories
Calories are considered “empty” when they come from a food that offers little to no benefit in the way of fullness or nutritional value. The term is not exclusive to liquids (cookies, candy, and chips come to mind) but they are the most insidious offenders.
They’re aren’t many foods or beverages I advise my clients to never consume, but regular soda is one of them - ESPECIALLY on a diet.
Full of sugar and devoid of fiber, nutrients, or anything that will make you feel full, do your best to avoid soda at all costs on a fat loss diet.'
In addition to soda, the other “empty calorie” beverages we need to look out for include:
Juice
Sugar-sweetened ice tea/lemonade
Sugar and creamer-packed coffee/triple deluxe mocha latte
Unassuming beverages can pack TONS of hidden calories. If it’s not water, black coffee/tea, or a sugar free drink, consume with caution.
Psychological Warfare
The last tool we have in our arsenal to defeat hunger is our own minds. Just like free will, hunger is an illusion - it doesn’t exist (10). Hunger is simply a term we’ve created for a feeling - that’s it!
Because hunger is an abstract concept, we can utilize mental strategies to dismantle, understand, and, ultimately, defeat it. Although you might assume that losing fat is all burpees and squat thrusts, it is a mental challenge just as much as it is a test of physical capacity (11).
7. Eat Mindfully
Increases feelings of fullness
Improves digestion
Increases meal satisfaction
You should always aim to eat slowly and mindfully, but it’s especially important during a fat loss diet
To quell hunger, prepare a huge meal that consists of lean protein, loads of veggies, and some fruit. Chew slowly, be mindful of every bite, and you’ll be full in no time.
8. Consider Time Restricted Feeding
There has been a ton of hype about intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating - a consumption strategy that involves limiting one’s “feeding window” to a certain number of hours, i.e. from 8am to 8pm, for example.
In mice studies, TRF (the acronym for time-restricted fating) has been shown to have very impressive effects, with mice in the TRF group living longer, having more muscle and less fat, and seeing improvements in many other markers associated with good health.
In humans, the effects of TRF are much less clear. TRF appears to have a beneficial effect in humans, albeit perhaps not the same extent as in mice. Regardless, there are a few very real benefit of TRF- it may help you consume fewer calories and feel fuller throughout the day.
To start, try a 12 hour “fast,” meaning, for instance, you would stop eating a 8pm and not eat or drink anything with calories (water and black tea or coffee is fine) until 8am the next morning. In rats, the shorter the window, the better the results. After some time, you may want to try restricting your feeding time to 10 and even down to 8 hours.
9. Understand The Difference Between Hunger and Craving
We are so lucky. Most of us have never felt the feeling of true hunger in our entire lives.
I don’t doubt that you’ve felt hungry before - the feeling of “hmm, my stomach feels a little empty and it’s past lunch time. Guess I should eat.” But I would argue that this sensation is more so the feeling of “not being full anymore” rather than true hunger.
Even when we’re not hungry, we eat for:
Pleasure
Distraction
Boredom
To stick to a schedule
Social bonding
Cultural responsibility
Just because and come on, I have a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream sitting in my freezer!
If you take a moment to reflect on why you’re eating, you might find that it’s for a reason other than true hunger.
10. Find What Works For You
Different strokes for different folks. There is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach to staying full during a fat loss.
You might find that loading up on fibrous vegetables and staying hydrated does the trick, while others discover that swapping their sodas for black coffee is the missing piece that completes their fat-loss puzzle.
Explore, tinker, and mix-and-match the strategies. Use the tips that resonate with you and fit into your lifestyle, and discard the rest.
Wrap Up
The Bad News
Here’s the bad news – fat loss takes work. To be clear, fat loss does not need to be:
Painful
Uncomfortable
Unsustainable
None of these things!
Fat loss is not easy, by any means. If it were, we’d all be walking around with abs like Zac Efron’s in Baywatch (I mean, come on!) (12). Sustainable fat loss requires:
Planning
Effort
Time
Discipline
Accountability
It’s no walk in the park!
The good news (I like to sandwich the bad news between two slices of good news) is that I’m here to help. If you need:
An accountability partner
A knowledgeable coach in your corner
Someone who has “been there and done that”
A man with a plan to help you make more progress in the next few months than you’ve made in the past few years
Zero judgement, negativity, or disapproving facial expressions
Join those that have transformed their health and bodies with the help of my fitness coaching and virtual personal training!
With a FREE consult and 100% money back guarantee - you’ve got nothing to lose (well, except maybe that stubborn belly fat).
