If your goal is to lose body fat or maintain your current weight, it can be challenging! Trust me, it's way easier to accomplish that if you don't feel hungry all day and you aren't having to fight off cravings! 
Here are 5 ways for you to stay fuller longer and curb your cravings.

​Studies show that eating a diet rich in protein will help you stay fuller longer with less food/calories. This is partly because it reduces the level of your hunger hormone Ghrelin. This effect on appetite can be powerful! In one study a group of women increased protein intake from 15% to 30% of overall calorie intake and this resulted in a reduced calorie intake of more than 400 calories per day, without intentionally restricting in any way!
Protein digests at a slower pace than carbs alone and makes you feel fuller longer. It keeps your blood sugar stable which reduces cravings between meals and snacks.
Prioritizing foods that are protein rich like lean poultry, seafood, lean beef, lean pork, eggs and egg whites, low fat greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu and protein powder will help you reach your daily protein goal. It is recommended that if your goal is to lose body fat and build muscle, you need to eat 0.7 to 1.0 gram of protein for every pound of your goal body weight per day. I recommend that you shoot for at least 30-40 grams of protein for each meal and at least 20g at each snack.
Protein not only makes you feel fuller longer and keeps cravings at bay, but it also supports your strength training workouts and helps repair and build that precious and hard earned muscle. 
Now, I am not saying that you should cut out carbohydrates or fat! I mean that you can swap some of the carbs and fat you eat with more protein to get the fullness benefits. Protein can be your secret weapon for changing your body composition.

Eating smaller meals more often helps stave off hunger. If you eat every few hours you are less likely to snack. Perhaps eat 5-6 small meals a day, just make sure they are smaller portions and protein rich.

Giving time for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full is key. Slowing down, enjoying your food and being mindful about it will help you stay fuller longer and make it less likely you will go back for second servings. Eat with intention and enjoy every bite and think about the taste and texture as you eat. This will help you tune into your fullness cues enabling your body tell you when it's full.

Leafy greens and vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus and zucchini, are high in fiber and low in calories so you can increase your portion sizes of these types of foods to help you feel fuller. Focus on foods such as these that you can eat in high volume, are nutrient dense and low in calories.

If you are tired and sleep deprived, you are more likely to have cravings and eat more overall. Lack of sleep actually increases your hunger hormones! Studies show that there is a well documented relationship between lack of sleep and obesity.
A good nights sleep will help you feel less hungry during the day and give you a clear mind to make better choices. So hit the pillow earlier and reap the benefits!

Losing body fat takes time in a consistent calorie deficit. Using these tools to help make that an easier and more sustainable journey is important for overall success. You got this!
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As a trainer and nutrition coach, I teach my clients how to create new habits to reach their health and fitness goals. Most of my client's goals center around reducing body fat, gaining muscle and creating healthier habits. No matter what your goals are, changing your body composition is downright hard. Everyone struggles, but here are some hard truths that I share with my clients that can be eye opening and may just help nudge you in the right direction towards your goals.

No matter what your goals are, it will take longer than you think. There is no shortcut, there is no quick fix. Building new habits that serve your health goals takes time and consistency. You will need to manage your timeline expectations.

You and only you are responsible for your own choices everyday. Whether it be a workout or food choices, it is all on you to make the choice that best serves your goals. This is a good thing because it also means that you are in total control!

The science is clear, the only road to fat loss is a calorie deficit, the only road to maintaining your current weight is to eat at your maintenance calories and the only road to weight gain is to eat in a calorie surplus. Read that again.
It all comes down to calories in/calories out. You must burn more calories than you take in.
Most people underestimate how many calories they eat in a day and overestimate how many calories they burn in a day. It can be an easy trap to fall into. A great tool to assess how much you are eating for a period of time, is to keep an accurate and honest food journal. 

If you are not seeing the results you want, then you are not being as consistent as you need to be over time. Not being consistent will stall your progress. Building healthy habits that last and are consistent is key. 

The more you try to speed up the process the more you are setting yourself back. Again, there are no shortcuts that are lasting. You must change your overall daily habits for long term success.

Last but certainly not least, you will have to make sacrifices to see the changes that you want. You cannot keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results. Changing your daily health habits must become a priority in your life. You don't have to make huge changes fast, but you can slowly make small changes that add up over time. Making sacrifices and changes are inevitable if you want to see the results you seek.

If you are interested in exploring your health and fitness goals with me, I am happy to chat with you for a free consultation about what you are seeking and my coaching process.
Some of my clients are in other cities and I coach them remotely, so you don't need to live near me. You can visit my client testimonial page and see before and after pics on my nutritional coaching page. Contact me at amyfrancisfitness@gmail.com or text or call 210-332-7253