I'm using a new strategy this time than just reducing calories and increasing exercise (I'm doing that too), but I realized I need to do something about my insatiable hunger after pregnancy. It's coming from insulin resistance. My A1C is creeping up and Im just hungry ALL the time. So I looked into natural ways to correct hunger cues and insulin resistance, and here's what I learned - the order you eat food can be used to train the body to better use it's energy and to trigger natural GLP1 release, and increasing viscous fiber helps with feeling full longer and triggering that same GLP1 response.
So I'm eating my protein first, then a viscous fiber (chia seeds, flax seeds, steel cut oats or even just good ole metamucil), THEN any carbs. Reducing snacking between meals. And drinking loads more water. And so far, I've reduced the calories I feel that I need by about 500/day because I'm fuller. It makes calorie reduction so much simpler.
