Do You Need to Feel Hungry to Lose Weight?

Losing weight.

I know what you're thinking, don't even talk about it! If you asked most people about losing a few pounds they would tell you it's hard work. Giving up all your favourite foods and worst of all feeling hungry.

We've all had that feeling, hey?

But here's a question: ''Do you need to feel hungry to lose weight?''

It seems par for the course. Somethings got to give. You know you can't carry on eating all those high-calorie foods without no thought of pressing the stop button or even the pause for a day or two. Well, there may be some good news for those interested in losing a kilo or two. Because many fitness coaches state if you are trying to lose weight that hunger is to be avoided at all costs.

You may say: ''Well, why is that?''

Simply because if you are ravenous, you are less likely to make healthy food choices. From a psychological point of view, it makes good sense. Now I'm not saying the person who was so hungry they could eat a horse rushed out and did just that. However, they probably walked past the doughnut stand and relinquished any hope of cutting back on the calories because the need for food exceeded anything beyond that moment in time.

''Just give me the doughnuts.''

So is feeling hungry a necessary evil of losing weight?

It doesn't have to be. The problem with waiting until you are feeling hungry is that low blood sugar makes even disciplined people struggle with the concept of healthy eating. Basically, the next thing in front of them is going to be eaten.

We all know this scenario. Even though our dinner will be ready in 30 minutes we raid the fridge before the meal (and eat that too) adding perhaps another 400 calories to our evening meal.

This may seem no big deal but it is when you consider healthy weight loss could be 200 - 250 calories a day. That simple measure could see you lose 2lb of fat a week.

That's why you need to think and plan how you manage your hunger and food intake. This is just as important as what you do or don't eat.

Healthy eating and regular exercise is the best recipe for success rather than making yourself hungry.

There are other coaches who suggest that feeling hungry is to be expected when slimming down. It is important to be calorie deficient to lose weight. But you shouldn't get to the stage of being ravenous and certainly not hungry all the time.

Marlene Rice has helped clients lose weight with Herbalife protein shakes and related products for over ten years. If you want to achieve your weight loss goal she is one of the best in the business.

Guest post: Jason Coote