Cheng Hanyu recommends replacing half of your carbohydrate intake with vegetables, which helps you feel full longer and is beneficial for your skin and body shape.
Many people struggle with weight loss because they can’t control their eating habits, leading to constant hunger and cravings. Expert Cheng Hanyu shares five tips to help you eat less while still feeling satisfied, thus reducing the urge to snack.
Cheng Hanyu is a nutrition expert currently living in Taiwan. She is a member of the Taipei Nutrition Association and collaborates with several health and nutrition magazines. She has also published books on this subject.
Half of Your Plate Should Be Vegetables
Vegetables generally contain a lot of water and fiber, which help you feel full quickly and for a longer time. The expert advises replacing half of the carbohydrates you usually consume with vegetables. This way, you can eat more and feel satisfied while reducing your calorie intake.
Vegetables typically have low calories and glycemic index but are rich in fiber beneficial for digestion and health.
Start Your Meal with Vegetables
Nutrition expert Cheng Hanyu suggests that starting your meal with vegetables can alleviate severe hunger, helping you stay calm and control your eating habits, thus avoiding unhealthy choices. However, she emphasizes choosing dishes like salads, steamed, or boiled vegetables, and avoiding fried or oily options. Even when selecting salad, pay attention to the dressing to avoid adding too many calories to the dish.
Include Protein in Every Meal
Research shows that protein can increase feelings of fullness more than carbohydrates or fats. Therefore, every meal, whether main or snack, should include a source of protein. The expert recommends using lean protein sources such as eggs, chicken breast, seafood, and legumes for main meals, while snacks can include yogurt and various nuts.
Drink Water
Drinking a glass of water before meals can increase feelings of fullness, thereby limiting the amount of food consumed during meals. The expert also recommends including more soups and broths in your diet to feel full faster and longer, which can help reduce the consumption of starchy or oily foods.
The expert encourages eating soupy dishes during meals to feel full faster, thus controlling the amount of food consumed.
Use Smaller Plates and Bowls
The expert believes this is a very useful trick to deceive the brain. Eating from smaller plates and bowls can help control portion sizes while tricking the brain into thinking you are consuming more food.
