Are you still resorting to extreme dieting to lose weight? Beware, you might end up gaining more weight in the long run.

If you limit your daily intake to just a few hundred calories, rely solely on fruit for meals, and avoid essential foods like grains and proteins, you risk malnutrition. This can lead to muscle loss and a decrease in basal metabolic rate (BMR), which means your body will burn fewer calories. When you return to normal eating habits, you’ll likely gain back the weight—and possibly more.

The most effective and scientific way to lose weight is to maintain moderate hunger while ensuring a balanced diet and proper calorie intake. When your calorie intake is less than your calorie expenditure, your body uses stored fat for energy, leading to weight loss. Moderate hunger indicates that your body is using stored energy, including fat, helping you to lose weight.

However, it's crucial to correctly understand and apply "moderate." Overly intense hunger, where you consume less than your BMR, can lead to negative effects such as malnutrition, slower metabolism, decreased immunity, and even binge eating, which can cause weight regain.

Principles for Maintaining Moderate Hunger During Weight Loss

1. Regular Meals: Eat three balanced meals a day and ensure you consume enough to meet your BMR (around 1200-1500 calories). Avoid snacking between meals and stay away from sugary drinks and snacks. Drink plenty of water or eat low-calorie foods like cucumbers if you feel hungry between meals.

2. Avoid Takeout and Eat Light: Cook your meals at home, aiming for a balance of 30% protein and 70% vegetables. Eat slowly and stop when you feel 70-80% full to maintain digestive health and avoid overburdening your stomach.

3. Pre-meal Hydration: Drink a glass of water before meals to reduce hunger and control food intake. Stay hydrated throughout the day to help manage hunger and reduce the desire to eat unnecessarily.

How to Determine if Your Hunger is Moderate

1. Physical Reactions: Moderate hunger shouldn't cause dizziness, fatigue, heart palpitations, or shaky hands—symptoms of low blood sugar. If these occur, your hunger might be too intense and could harm your health.

2. Timing of Hunger: Moderate hunger typically appears close to meal times, around 3-4 hours after your last meal. If you feel extreme hunger much earlier, you might need to adjust your meal composition or portion sizes.

3. Stomach Sensations: A slight contraction of the stomach is normal with moderate hunger, but it shouldn't be painful or overly uncomfortable.

4. Focus and Attention: Moderate hunger shouldn't drastically impair your concentration or disrupt your daily activities.

5. Weight Monitoring: If your weight is steadily and reasonably decreasing with moderate hunger, you're likely on the right track. However, rapid weight loss or physical discomfort might indicate excessive hunger.

Conclusion

Consider these factors to find your ideal level of moderate hunger, ensuring a healthy and effective weight loss journey. Remember, sustainable weight loss is about balance and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not just cutting calories drastically.