2 Easy Tweaks to Create Balanced Eating (and Tone Down Cravings)

Step 2 of 3 foundational pillars to eating well. Ever wonder why some meals last but another almost seems like it makes you hungrier? Let's investigate.

(Looking for step 1? Your Best Diet is Right Here.)

When one of my boys eats KD¹ (yup. We are human over here), he has no trouble finishing off a box. If you have a teenage boy, you are not surprised.

It’s a ‘meal’ they will make on their own. Quick. Easy. And fills them in the moment. But…they are back opening the fridge in an hour or two. It just doesn’t last long.

However, if I throw a can of tuna and some frozen peas in there, one box goes well beyond one kid.

It’s heartier. But let’s go beyond that and ask why the protein and vegetables make it go that much further. It is not just the increase in volume.

The answer is the key to keeping us satisfied longer after we leave the table. And will help us manage our cravings and portions. And if we are being honest, we mommas are also okay with less traffic in the kitchen.

Why do some foods stay with us longer than others?

I’ll try not to dive too deep into biochemistry but if we know a foundational reason we get hungry, it helps us know how to prevent cravings in the first place.

As mentioned in the post, How Food Cravings Overwhelm and 5ish way to Conquer Them,

Willpower is an unreliable strategy to manage cravings.

Take me for example when making dinner when I am hungry. It results in one of two things:

A constant nibble of a little of this or that OR

My snarly voice bubbling over.

My dear husband has come to me with food in outstretched hands (no doubt keeping his distance) stating one word: “Eat.”

Getting past my hangry-ness requires nourishment, not willpower. And a tad bit better planning on my part could avoid my family scurrying away with eyes a little wide.

Some nutrients digest quickly. Some take a little time, and some are complex so need lots of time to be digested.

The longer they take to digest, the longer we are satisfied or have ‘satiety’. Makes sense.

But eating just the satiety nutrients doesn’t work either. Stay with me.

When we are hungry, our body wants carbs. If we eat just refined carbs, hunger is satisfied but not for long.

If we eat a variety of foods in one sitting, we get a mixture of nutrients that digest quickly to take the edge off the hunger, and nutrients that take more time to digest and sustain us longer.

Even better, the more complex nutrients slow down the processing time of the fast digesters.

In the best-case scenario, we eat some of each nutrient at mealtime. Our hunger is satisfied but the meal has longevity.

Let’s come back to the KD² and my lazy casserole. The white noodles are digested fairly quickly by themselves. The protein or tuna take much longer.

The fiber found in the peas slows down digestion in general. Fiber is another complex nutrient.

Lastly, healthy fats (there’s a loaded statement, that deserves its own post) tops the list of keeping us full the longest. Healthy fats take hours to digest. If using soft non-hydrogenated margarine in your mac and cheese, it adds to the satiety.

A can of tuna and some frozen peas have changed a ‘meal’ with little food value into something more substantial.

And by the way, if you are getting an idea for dinner, I just throw the peas in the boiling pasta water when they are a minute from done. Strain them all together, and add the tuna along with the pasta and peas to the cheese sauce.

In summary, these are the satiety nutrients that make carbs last and keep you satisfied:

• healthy fats (fats that are liquid at room temperature are the healthiest)

• fiber

• protein

Easy to say. But how can we do this today?

Once regular mealtimes are routine (don’t miss step 1 in Your Best Diet is Right Here. It’s an essential first step), balancing your meals is the next foundational pillar to eating well and preventing cravings.

But we do not eat nutrients, we eat food. Let’s bring it home.

Our national food guides have this in mind. The plate method of eating shows us how to balance variety so we eat the nutrition we need but also balance nutrients that provide longevity:

Protein

Milk

Whole grains

Vegetables

Fruit

Find the US version here

Find the CDN version here

Find the AUS version here

Balancing food groups = balancing fill-you-up nutrients.

The more whole foods we choose to eat in these food groups, the more we have the filling nutrients built right in.

2 Easy Tweaks to Create Balanced Eating (and Tone Down Cravings)

1) Look at what food groups you have already

2) Add what food groups are missing

Simply add-on rather than take away.

Start with where you are and build from there. Balancing food groups balances nutrients that satisfy. We come into the evening hours fed rather than deprived. And cravings are weakened.

Here’s how it can work:

Cereal and milk for breakfast?

Add on: sliced bananas and sprinkle ground almonds on top.

Bonus: choose a high-fiber cereal.

Salad with chicken for lunch?

Add on: a slice of whole-grain bread and a glass of milk

Beans and rice for dinner?

Add on: a sprinkle of cheese, some raw carrots on the side, and an apple

In summary, we want to balance our meals to:

- Eat the essential nutrients we would otherwise miss

- Stay satisfied longer

- Decrease the biological drive for cravings

Experiment with balanced meals.

See if cravings are fewer and less intense.

Notice if meals last longer.

And please, give yourself permission to nourish yourself, not just others.

Would you share how it goes and encourage another?

We are cheering one another along as we bring Peace to the table, and Rest to our spirit with words of nourishment for body and soul.

A gentle reminder,

God wants you to know: I see you, I hear you, I love you.

Jane

P.S. What to do about snacks? Because those who know me, know I don’t leave home without snacks packed in my purse. That is another foundational healthy eating post. Stay tuned.

1. KD is Canadian for Kraft Mac and Cheese. I looked it up and found that there isn’t enough actual cheese to meet legislation here to use the word “cheese” in its name. So, it’s branded as Kraft Dinner. ‘Affectionately’ known as KD. Who knew?

2. Ditto :)