Why ‘‘just eat less’’ is terrible advice for weight loss
Have you ever tried to “just eat less” only to end up hungrier and thinking about food 24/7? If you have been there, I get it. I have too, and it is brutal.
When you are hungry, your brain couldn't care less about your weight loss goals. You can try to outsmart millions of years of evolution with willpower, but good luck with that. You can only fight biology for so long before you give up and end up eating double what you “saved” earlier in the day.
Appetite control is the biggest obstacle to long-term weight loss
I used to think weight loss was just about burning more calories than I ate. Simple math, right? But then I came across research showing that feeling fuller for longer or reducing hunger actually makes weight loss easier and helps people lose more weight. One meta-analysis found that people who followed satiety-enhancing and reducing hunger strategies lost 3.6 kg more than the control group in eight weeks.
Weight loss plateaus are often blamed on a slower metabolism, but this study suggests increased appetite could be the culprit. This challenges the idea that metabolic adaptation is the main barrier and emphasizes the importance of managing hunger and appetite after weight loss, rather than just focusing on burning more calories.
It also makes sense that this approach is more sustainable. Spending two hours a day, every day, doing cardio just to ‘‘burn off’’ an 800-calorie donut doesn’t make much sense, does it?
Nutrient Density: eating smarter, not less
Instead of drastically cutting portion sizes, focus on filling your plate with nutrient-dense foods. How do you do that? Build meals around protein (at least 20-30g per meal), fiber (15g per 1,000 kcal), and healthy fats (but be mindful of portion sizes since fats contain more energy per gram: 9 kcal per gram vs. 4 kcal for protein and carbs).
Protein and fiber promote satiety (fullness) and help regulate hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin. Healthy fats can slow digestion, keeping you full longer. Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods adds volume and bulk, making it easier to feel full on fewer calories.
Processed foods are fine! Canned beans, rotisserie chicken, pre-cooked rice, and whole grain mixes are nutritious and convenient. Not all processed foods are bad. Example: 500 calories from a balanced meal made with ready-to-eat quinoa, vegetables, and some rotisserie chicken vs. a 500-calorie chocolate chip cookie: one keeps you full, the other not so much.
If you want to get more ideas, you might find these articles helpful: ‘Why I prefer nutrient-dense eating over ‘Clean Eating’' and ‘How to curb constant hunger: Tips for better appetite control’.
Toolbox for Appetite Regulation
I admit, I “borrowed” this idea from therapy. Instead of a wellness box, you should have an appetite regulation box: some strategies to help you feel full and navigate hunger.
1. Always pay attention to macronutrients
Make sure every meal includes all macronutrients: don’t skip carbs or fats just because someone said they are ‘bad’
Be mindful of sugary drinks, those Starbucks drinks have the same calories as a meal but aren’t very satisfying.
2. Have an emergency plan ready
Keep a go-to meal or snack on hand for when hunger hits unexpectedly, especially if travelling or having a busy day.
3. Set up your environment for appetite regulation
Make healthy choices easy: pre-cut veggies ready in the fridge, prepared nutritious frozen meals, high-protein, high-fiber snacks ready to eat (hard-boiled eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt, fruits, vegetables, tuna salad, protein smoothies).
Pre-portion snacks: Instead of eating straight from the bag, portion out energy-dense snacks like nuts, chips, or candy to prevent mindless overeating.
Eat slowly: give your brain time to register fullness and don’t rush your meals.
4. Behavioral strategies
Be kind to yourself: no negative self-talk.
Get enough sleep: it is crucial for regulating hunger and appetite hormones.
Manage stress: chronic stress can increase cravings and overeating.
Remove trigger foods if needed.
DO NOT wait until you are starving! Have balanced meals throughout the day to prevent extreme hunger.
Eat a nourishing breakfast: it helps regulate appetite for the rest of the day.
Don’t deprive yourself: over-restricting leads to cravings and overeating later.
Start incorporating exercise: it supports appetite regulation.
5. Planning is important
Having a plan helps you make healthier choices and prevents impulsive eating.
Even a loose meal structure is better than deciding what to eat when you are already hungry.
Are you in a weight loss maintenance phase?
Appetite and hunger regulation strategies (super useful if in a weight loss journey or maintenance phase).
When you lose weight, your body often needs fewer calories to function. However, your appetite might not decrease proportionally, leading to a mismatch between your energy needs and your desire to eat.
Some research shows that hunger hormones increase after weight loss, and it is likely that increased appetite contributes to weight regain. Reducing appetite appears to be linked to better weight management, suggesting that ‘‘appetite-suppressing foods’’ could be a useful tool for long-term weight control and overall health. This could mean focusing on higher protein, fiber-rich meals, or even using food products designed to keep you fuller for longer. See this in depth guide on ‘’appetite foods’’.
Unfortunately, evening and afternoon snacking is strongly linked to weight regain, so finding ways to mitigate it could be a smart approach. That is why I always recommend eating a hearty breakfast and maintaining regular meals throughout the day if you struggle with overeating at night.
Final thoughts
So, maybe appetite control is the missing piece because it tackles the actual problem: feeling constantly hungry. If you’re not starving all the time, eating less happens naturally, without the daily battle of willpower.
That is exactly why GLP-1 medications work. They mimic a natural hormone that signals fullness to the brain, making you eat less without feeling miserable or dealing with constant food noise.
So, eating less isn’t the solution. Eating more nutrient dense foods while prioritizing appetite control alongside calorie control might be.
So anyway, that’s it for this article. I think I finally managed to keep it short for once (unfortunately, my brain never shuts up - iykykf). If you have any thoughts or experiences on appetite regulation, let me know in the comments!
PS: If you’re looking for a nutritionist to guide you, I’d love to help!
I look forward to helping you thrive!
M.
