How To Lose Weight And Stop Eating

A nutrition blogger posts easy food swaps that prove you don't have to stop eating to lose weight — and the internet loves it

Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. Twitter LinkedIn icon LinkedIn Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link

Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. Amanda Meixner is all about small swaps that make a big difference. Amanda Meixner/Instagram

Foods You Should Never Eat If You're Trying To Lose Weight

Meixner is the mastermind behind @meowmix, an Instagram account that raises awareness about healthy eating through simple meal prep and smart food swaps.

INSIDER spoke to Meixner about all things food, health, and fitness. Keep scrolling to read about how she makes healthy eating more approachable.

After struggling with an eating disorder in high school, Meixner was inspired to learn how to lose weight in a healthy way.

Want To Lose Weight? Stop Eating At Night, Really.

Over the years, Meixner has optimized her strategy. For those who want to get into meal prep, Meixner's first tip is always to shop with a grocery list.

She said people often harbor two common misconceptions when it comes to eating healthy: that it's boring, and that you have to starve yourself to lose weight.

Ingredients that aren't good for your body, like high-fructose corn syrup and canola oil, are often hidden in processed foods, according to Meixner.

Why Am I Not Losing Weight In A Calorie Deficit?

Because natural foods like fruits and veggies are often less calorie-dense than processed foods, you can actually eat more if you eat clean.

However, Meixner cautioned that eating for your body is crucial. Just because you're eating healthy doesn't mean you can eat an unlimited amount.

Meixner said people who are eating healthy but not losing weight might not be eating the right portion size. The difference between a small and large handful of nuts, for example, is significant.

Ozempic For Weight Loss: What Foods To Eat And Avoid

It's especially important to keep this in mind when eating fats, proteins, and carbs, since these contain more calories, Meixner told INSIDER.

When you come from a lifetime of poor habits and maybe being told to eat your plate when you're not hungry, of course you're so out of touch with how much you should be eating, Meixner said.

Have what you want when you want, but don't feel forced to have a treat just to have it. Have it because you want it, Meixner said.

Health: If You Stop Eating Will You Lose Weight Fast? Is It Safe?

According to Meixner, it's this guilt that can lead to bingeing and eating a whole box of cookies instead of just indulging in one when you're craving it.

Meixner is just as passionate about fitness as she is about nutrition. She works out six days a week and focuses mostly on weight training and high-intensity interval training.

According to Meixner, the benefits of weight lifting extend outside of the gym. She said it could lower your risk for developing osteoporosis and increase your metabolism.

How Intermittent Fasting Helps With Weight Loss

All in all, Meixner keeps her approach to being healthy as fun as possible. You don't have to do the broccoli, chicken, and rice at every meal to lose weight, she said.Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: “I want to lose weight, but I can’t stop eating.” If your hand is up, no judgment here — because you’re definitely not alone.

So, what gives? The why behind this common complaint might surprise you. In most cases, if you can’t stop eating when you’re trying to lose weight, it’s because your hunger is emotional or psychological rather than physical. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to get yourself back in tune with your body, so you can stop eating when you’re full — and shed those unwanted pounds.

If you have trouble controlling your eating, it’s a good indication that you’re noshing from a place of emotion rather than true, physical hunger.

Dr Rangan Chatterjee: To Slim Down, Stop Eating Your Feelings

What’s the difference, exactly? Physical hunger is characterized by an empty feeling in the stomach and maybe some accompanying growling or rumbling to signal that the stomach’s empty. “It’s caused by a complex hormonal pathway between your brain and your gastrointestinal tract, ” explains Jaime Harper, MD, a board-certified obesity medicine specialist based in Indianapolis.

Physical hunger tends to come on slowly, and as it grows more intense, you’ll usually feel open to eating a wide variety of foods — anything to make the hunger go away. If you’re 

 hungry, you might also start to feel irritable or weak, says Candice Seti, PsyD, CNC, a weight-loss therapist and clinical nutritionist in San Diego.

Lose Fat And Weight! Stop Eating Junk Food,in 5 Minutes A Day, Brand New,sealed

Emotional “hunger” tends to come on suddenly, usually in response to an unpleasant feeling like stress, boredom, anxiety or loneliness. “Your body isn’t actually hungry. It’s looking for a surge of the feel-good hormone dopamine, which you can get from eating certain foods, ” Dr. Harper says. Namely? Processed carbs. “They tend to cause a greater release of dopamine, which is why most people crave them, ” she explains.

Emotional hunger is usually the culprit when you get hit with a craving for comfort food like pizza, cookies or chocolate — but the idea of eating healthier fare isn’t very appealing.

Experts agree that many of us have become disconnected from our true hunger signals. Near-constant access to crave-worthy snacks (looking at you, doughnuts in the break room) makes it easy for us to indulge in emotionally charged cravings anytime the mood strikes. Over time, that can make it harder to figure out whether you’re actually hungry on a physical level.

The #1 Habit You Should Break To Lose Weight, According To A Dietitian

“The hormones your brain releases to aid in digestion also promote feelings of relaxation, ” says Hannah Koschak, RD, a registered dietitian in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. “The more you eat emotionally and get that quick high, the more you get hit with cravings.”

Although it takes practice, especially if you’ve been eating emotionally for years, you can reconnect with your body and tune in to your own hunger cues and signals by adopting something called mindful eating.

Mindfulness is a general term for bringing your awareness and attention to the present moment, instead of letting your brain wander off into distractions. Mindful eating brings this concept to food by helping you to become aware of your body’s sensations and your thoughts surrounding food — both before you decide to eat and while you’re eating.

Losing Weight: Basic Concepts.

When you eat mindfully, you check in with your body before you start noshing to decide whether you’re truly hungry. If you opt to eat, you enjoy your food until you notice that your body is satisfied. The point is to give your body what it really needs and savor your food without worrying about limiting or restricting yourself, according to experts at The Center for Mindful Eating. And it can make a big difference: People who engage in mindful eating tend to eat less, choose healthier foods and feel more appreciative of the food they have, according to an August study in 

And though weight loss isn’t always the main goal, being more mindful just might help you drop some pounds by reducing food cravings, according to a March 2018 review in