Eating to Satisfy! – Putting a Meal Together

Eating healthy is very important, but how much we eat is even more important!  This is not a license to eat whatever we want, whenever.  You have to get to know your body.  Learn what food satisfies you the most and what doesn’t.  Like I’ve said before, 80% of what you eat should be healthy and the other 20% percent is whatever you want.

What Satisfies You?

It’s no secret that food in its natural state is better for us than processed foods… but why?  What exactly is happening in the body that makes a meal stay with us longer than a bag of potato chips?

Real Food versus Processed Food –

We all know that carbohydrates include bread, rice, cereal, pasta, fruits, veggies, and all sugar and sweet products.  Carbohydrates also come in the form of packaged and processed food.  When I talk about REAL FOOD, I’m referring to food in its most natural state (whole wheat bread vs. white bread, whole wheat pasta vs. white pasta, brown rice vs. white rice, fresh fruit vs. fruit juice, etc…)

When a carbohydrate is in it’s natural state, our body has to work physically harder to break it down.  The whole grain and fiber is in tact, which makes it harder for the body to breakdown.  The longer the body takes to break down that food… the longer that meal will stick with us and keep us satisfied for a longer period of time.  This is why emphasis is placed on consuming whole grains, fruits, and veggies.  They are higher in fiber.  The more fiber a food has, the longer that food will take to be converted to energy in the body and the longer that meal will stay with us.

With pre-processed foods, our body has to do a minimal amount of work to break it down.  It is absorbed quickly in our body, therefore, it can leave us feeling hungry and wanting more food in a shorter period of time.  The result can leave us feeling unsatisfied and wanting more food.  Great examples of processed carbs are anything that comes packaged.  A good question to ask yourself is “Did this food naturally come this way?”  We know that Oreos don’t grow on trees and Skittles don’t naturally fall from the rainbow in the sky.  They are processed and should be eaten in moderation.

The Protein & Fat Factor

So now we know the importance of eating real food versus processed food. There are other factors involved in making a meal satisfying and protein & fat play a big role.  Protein comes in the form of lean meat, chicken, fish, low-fat dairy, & some plant based foods such as beans.  Protein provides a much needed satisfaction factor to our meal.  Protein naturally takes longer for the body to breakdown; therefore, it sticks with us longer, providing more satisfaction.  What even more important to know is what protein does when eaten with a carbohydrate. 

Carbs are our body’s form of energy.  No matter what form the carb is in (natural or processed) the body breaks it down (into sugar) and utilizes it for energy.  Protein, when eaten with a carbohydrate, slows down that process, thus making that meal last longer.  Here is a good example.  If we eat an apple, our body would go through its natural process of breaking that apple down and converting in the energy for the body.  If we added a piece of cheese with that apple, our body would take even longer to break that meal down because we’ve added protein, which will slow down the conversion of the apple to energy in the body (providing more satisfaction).

The same thing goes for fat.   Fat provides more satisfaction factor because it takes much longer to be processed in the body.  When we combine a meal of whole grains, lean protein, and a small amount of healthy fat, the meal will stick with us longer and leave us feeling more satisfied.  Healthy fats to consider are plant-based oils such as olive and canola oil, nut butters, nuts, and seeds.

Where do processed foods come in?

It’s unrealistic to say we will never eat processed foods.  They are everywhere and provide a quick and easy convenience.  The goal is to not make processed foods the based of our diet.  Eighty percent of our diet should come from “REAL” food and the other 20% can be whatever we want.  This makes our diet more livable and realistic.  If we have a day where we eat more processed foods than intended, don’t beat yourself up over it.  Just take it for what it is and move on.  No need to obsess over something that’s already been done.  We always have our next meal to make up for it.

Quick Summary

Here is a quick summary of what we’ve gone over in the series and what it takes to lose weight.

1.     Get to know your hunger!  This is a very important rule.  When we consistently eat when we’re not hunger, weight gain will happen.

2.     Know your limits! – Listen to your body.  Portion control is extremely important.  Get to know your body and your limits.  Eating healthy is very important, but how much we eat is even more important.

3.     Are you really hungry, or just bored?  Consistent mindless noshing can easily pack on the pounds.  I know this is a hard one, but boredom eating is a bad habit.  Try to really focus and identify when you’re eating when hungry versus eating when bored.

4.     EAT REAL FOOD!  Food in its most natural state will provide us more satisfaction.  Try to keep your intake to 80% real food and 20% whatever you want.  This will keep us balanced, and keep out diet for “Livable”.

If you have any questions about this article, want to know more, or have suggestions for future topics, add a comment in the comments section below.  If you know of anyone who may benefit from this article click on the “share this” icon below; from there you can post a link to this article or you can email it to a friend.