Despite your best efforts to lose weight, hunger can strike at any time. For instance, do you end up snacking your way through the mornings and afternoons?  Or find yourself still dissatisfied after you’ve cleaned your plate?

Here are 5 reasons why people get so famished – and a foolproof plan from nutritionists to keep those hunger pangs away.

For example, eating sparingly throughout the day can lead to binge behavior at night. However,  munching on small, healthy meals throughout the day will keep your hunger at bay – and your metabolism on the right track.

Look at this five reasons and see if they apply to your diet and weight-loss efforts:

•  You eat the right foods at the wrong times. Eating at different times every day can make it difficult to tune in to your body’s hunger signals. It can also throw your metabolism out of whack.

Try writing out a schedule that focuses on eating within two hours of waking up, and every three to five hours after that for the rest of the day.

•  You don’t eat the right breakfast. The right breakfast foods will affect significantly how satisfied you feel the rest of the day. For example, a breakfast bar may seem like a good choice, but its mega-dose of simple sugars will have you rummaging through the ‘fridge well before lunchtime.

Instead, build a morning meal with a healthy balance of protein and carbs – so you’re not counting the seconds ‘til noon.

•  Your diet has no flavor. If grilled chicken and steamed veggies are your mealtime staples, you’ll get bored eventually – and this is when dangerous binges can occur. Get creative in the kitchen with spices galore, quick and guiltless ways to really add great flavor. Texture is also key. Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy – to keep your taste buds on their toes. Just keep in mind that “creamy,” “crunchy” and “chewy” also can mean additional calories that your waistline doesn’t need.

•  You stockpile your calories. Do you eat so sparingly during the day that you’re famished by the time dinner rolls around? When you skip meals, it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned about the implications of what you do eat.

Try limiting the size of your evening meal so you wake up eager for breakfast. And even if you’re not hungry, eat regularly throughout the day to help avoid a diet disaster come dinnertime.

•  You drink your meals. With the increasing lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away, but these beverages can leave you feeling dissatisfied. Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is also digested more slowly than liquids.

Next time, try a slice of toast with peanut butter, or yogurt with fruit. Just as easy, and far more satisfying.

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.