But I’m still HUNGRY! 

A growling tummy is a beautiful manifestation of a healthy appetite and that dear girlfriends is a FITastic thing.

July is breathing down your neck.  It’s practically here but no need to panic because you’re on a role! You have been grinding out the weekly workouts and making solid progress. All of your muscles ache and are religiously sore which means it’s actually working. Your food intake is by no means a show stopper but you’re making simple savvy selections and cleaning it up day by day. You’re digging deep and unapologetically cutting out the habitual fast food pit stops.  This FIT healthy way of life has been a huge adjustment and it’s only been a month.  You actually do feel better and are most proud of your steady commitment.  The only real BIG problem is, you’re HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF!  

CONGRATULATIONS!~  

If this blog only teaches you one thing, I hope that it’s this…A hungry body is a healthy body.

I believe with every fiber of my being that a hungry body is a well-functioning body. In other words, your metabolism is doing its job.  Your engine is firing on all cylinders and it’s time to refuel.   The camp fire within your body is burning but needs a few logs and a strong stoke.  Burn baby burn! 

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

If you’re a beginner we call this the ignite phase.  You are “starvin marvin” because you have ignited the pilot light a.k.a your metabolism.  You’re now a true workout warrior on a FITness crusade.  Allow me to welcome you into the club of “hungry hungry hippos”.  This is a unique club full of FITness freaks on a perFITual feeding frenzy. Now you are one of us and overcome with hunger.  You feel like a ravenous squirrel.  You find yourself stock piling chicken breasts, tuna cans and packing snack bags full of nuts and berries like a little toddler.  You’re eating more frequently than ever before and for the most part satisfied at every feeding.

Now, there is nothing worse than finishing a nice healthy meal and leaving hungry and unfulfilled.  If you still feel famished directly after lunch or dinner there could be a few things going on.  Ask yourself  some qualifying questions…

Did your plate contain any carbohydrates or did it only have vegetables, lettuce and grilled meat?  Did you eat breakfast? How long has it been since your previous meal?  What exactly was your last meal?  Have you had enough water?

TIPS:

Drink an 8 ounce glass of water before you eat a single bite. If possible try to drink the water 10 minutes before you eat your meal and or your meal replacement.  It’s not too much for me to ask that you chug a bottle of water before you head out to lunch or dinner or before every meal you eat.  I can’t stress enough the importance of drinking water and how it helps flush toxins, keeps things moving and helps sustain hunger pangs between meals.

If at your last meal only contained vegetables and protein perhaps your next meal deserves a whole grain carbohydrate like brown rice.  Rice is super filing and doesn’t blow your calorie count.  Try making a half a sandwich with a piece of whole grain bread.

I’m usually the most malnourished feeling during what I call the “witching hour”. That ghastly 3:30pm -6:30pm time frame when I need a snack, the kids are super demanding and going bonkers, dinner is barely in the works, hubby phoned and is on the way home and I’m  certain the kitchen walls are closing in on me. YIKES.

What I have learned in this precarious circumstance is to reach for the wine bottle to reach for a protein rich snack and a large glass of sparkling water.  Be proactive!  3:15pm is prime time for a protein bar or shake.  I recommend Quest bars and Premier Protein shakes.  Doing this will help you function at a high level and get things done during the torturous witching hour.  Otherwise your liable to grow a hairy mole and turn into the bad witch!  Guzzle that shake like you mean it and wait 10 minutes. I promise you will be full for at least two more hours or longer.

Mr. Chicken Fry often looks at me like I have two heads when I grab a snack on the way to eat dinner.  I realize that by the time we reach our ultimate destination, wait to be seated by the hostess, wait for a server, wait again for the server to deliver the water, place our order and again wait for the food to arrive, it could be any where from 30 minutes to an hour before we actually touch food.   If I don’t grab a snack, then I’m more likely to OVER eat.

I hope you find these tips useful.  The idea is to curb your hunger with nutritious and delicious healthy foods.  Ok so maybe I’m embellishing a tad on the delicious part, but I will kindly save this topic for another post.

Love, peace and it’s time to go EAT!!

Angi xo