Protein

Protein has the capacity to satiate hunger very effectively. I'm not an expert on the subject, but being the health-conscious freak that I am, I have discovered two tasty ways of enjoying trail mix ... and without the urge to binge out and eat the entire 1300-calorie bag!

A serving of any trail mix is around one-quarter (1/4) cup. That's not a lot in terms of volume, but trail mix usually contains nuts (mine has soy nuts) and dried fruit. My advice is to steer clear of the mixes that contain chocolate candies ... they only spike sugar levels and make you want to EAT MORE, and then ... oh, no! You look around and realise you've eaten the entire bag!  Nuts and dried fruit contain concentrated amounts of calories and nutrients, so the good news is, unlike chocolate candies, you won't be consuming empty calories by eating a small, controlled portion of them.

That being said, try putting a serving of your favourite (non-candy) version of trail mix into your yogurt for a healthy afternoon or morning snack. This can also be eaten as your breakfast meal. Also, try taking two eggs and beat them thoroughly, add a couple tablespoons milk, some Truvia to taste, cinnamon and other spices of choice, and the trail mix ... and then bake it like a souffle in the oven. This is HEAVENLY and soooooo good for you!

I had it this morning for breakfast, then 3 hours later, got hungry again. But don't rely on what happened to me. Unless your body is underweight or at your ideal weight, you should feel full for a significant amount of time after consuming a high-protein meal. The problem with me is that since I'm at my ideal weight, my hunger hormones are out-of-whack at the moment. I'm hungry when I should be full, and full when my sugar levels drop off. It can also be the other way round - insatiably hungry and shaking when my sugar levels drop, or not hungry between meals. It's a cycle that repeats quite predicably. One day, I'm in control of my hunger, the next, it's got me.