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Losing weight can be challenging, and hunger is one of the most significant barriers individuals face when trying to achieve their weight-loss goals through calorie restriction. Feeling hungry can lead to frustration, decreased motivation and ultimately to giving up on a weight-loss plan altogether.

But here’s the good news: there are ways to minimize feelings of hunger when trying to lose weight. Let’s take a look at exactly why you feel hungry when losing weight and some actionable tips on controlling hunger while still making progress.

Why You Feel Hungry When Losing Weight

When you reduce your calorie intake to lose weight, your body goes through hormonal changes that can increase feelings of hunger. Ghrelin, a hormone produced in the stomach, stimulates appetite, while leptin, a hormone produced in fat cells, signals fullness. As you lose weight, your body produces more ghrelin and less leptin, leading to increased hunger and decreased satiety.

Additionally, when you consume fewer calories than your body needs, it starts to break down stored fat for energy. This process releases ketones into your bloodstream, which can also increase feelings of hunger. Furthermore, cutting calories too drastically or not eating enough can lead to a drop in blood sugar levels, causing hunger and cravings.

It’s essential to understand that hunger is a natural response to calorie restriction, and it’s not something you can completely eliminate. However, there are ways to manage and control hunger while still achieving your weight-loss goals.

How to Control Hunger for Weight Loss

1. Eat slowly and mindfully.

Eating slowly can help you feel more satisfied with less food, allowing your brain to catch up with your stomach and signal when you’re full. Mindful eating, which involves paying attention to your food and savoring each bite, can also help you eat less and feel more satisfied. By focusing on the taste, texture, and aroma of your food, you can enhance your eating experience and become more aware of your body’s signals of fullness.

2. Stay hydrated.

Drinking plenty of water can help you stay hydrated and reduce feelings of hunger. Sometimes, thirst can be mistaken for hunger, so drinking water before meals can help reduce calorie intake. Staying hydrated also helps your body function properly and can improve overall health.

You can also incorporate low-calorie beverages like herbal tea, which can help keep you hydrated and provide a warm, comforting sensation. Avoid sugary drinks like soda and juice, which can spike blood sugar levels and cause cravings and hunger shortly after drinking.

3. Get enough sleep.

Getting enough quality sleep can help regulate hormones that affect appetite and hunger. Lack of sleep can lead to increased ghrelin levels and decreased leptin levels, making it harder to feel full and satisfied after meals.

Aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night to help regulate hunger hormones and improve overall health. To improve sleep quality, try to establish a regular sleep schedule, avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime, and create a relaxing bedtime routine, such as reading a book or taking a warm bath.

4. Exercise regularly.

Exercise not only burns calories but also helps regulate appetite hormones and reduce feelings of hunger. When you exercise, your body produces hormones like GLP-1, which can help increase feelings of fullness and decrease appetite. Exercise can also reduce ghrelin levels, which can help reduce hunger and cravings.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. You can also incorporate resistance training, such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises, to help build lean muscle mass, which can increase your metabolism and burn more calories at rest.

If you’re new to exercise, start with shorter sessions and gradually increase the duration and intensity over time. Remember to also choose activities you enjoy, such as dancing or hiking, to make exercise more enjoyable and sustainable.

5. Avoid sugary and processed foods.

Sugary and processed foods are high in calories and low in nutrients, making it easy to overeat and still feel hungry. These foods are often high in added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats, which can spike blood sugar levels and cause cravings and hunger shortly after eating. Eating these foods can also lead to a cycle of blood-sugar spikes and crashes, which can leave you feeling tired, irritable, and hungry.

To avoid sugary and processed foods, focus on whole foods that are high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. These foods can help regulate blood sugar levels, promote satiety, and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly.

Foods That Can Help You Feel Full

1. Lean Proteins

Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, but it can also help you feel full and satisfied. Incorporating lean protein sources into your meals can help reduce hunger and prevent overeating. Examples of lean proteins include:

• • Chicken breast
• • Fish (salmon, tuna, trout)
• • Turkey breast
• • Tofu
• • Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans)

2. Whole Grains

Whole grains are rich in fiber and other nutrients, making them a healthy choice for managing hunger. Examples of whole grains include:

• • Brown rice
• • Quinoa
• • Oatmeal
• • Whole-grain bread
• • Whole-wheat pasta

3. Healthy Fats

Incorporating healthy fats into your diet can help you feel more satisfied and reduce hunger. Healthy fats take longer to digest, which can help keep you feeling full for longer. Examples of healthy fats include:

• • Avocado
• • Nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)
• • Seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds)
• • Olive oil
• • Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)

4. Low-Calorie, High-Volume Foods

Choosing foods low in calories but high in volume can help you feel full while consuming fewer calories. Examples of low-calorie, high-volume foods include:

• • Leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula)
• • Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)
• • Carrots
• • Apples
• • Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)

Incorporating these foods into your meals can help you feel full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to a calorie-restricted diet. However, it’s important to remember that eating too much of anything — even healthy foods — can lead to weight gain. Portion control is still essential, even with these healthy foods.

Olympia Pharmaceuticals’ Weight Management Solutions

In addition to the strategies discussed above, Olympia Pharmaceuticals offers a range of weight management solutions that can help you achieve your weight-loss goals.

B-Lean IV Kit

The B-Lean IV Kit is designed to help burn fat and boost metabolism. The kit includes six doses of IVcompounds that harness the benefits of B vitamins to raise energy levels and support a healthy metabolism.

Weight-Loss Injections

Olympia Pharmaceuticals offers several injectable options for weight management, including vitamin injectables and the popular Lipo-Mino Mix blend. These injections can help reduce appetite, build muscle, and promote a healthy immune system. By injecting key vitamins and minerals directly into the bloodstream, they’re more easily absorbed by the body, meaning you’ll get the most out of your supplementation.

Olympia Weight Management Therapy Program

The Olympia Weight Management Therapy Program is physician-supervised and takes a three-pronged approach to medical weight loss, delivering medications via oral tablets, injectables, and a sublingual spray. Each of the three medications in the kit targets human growth hormone (hGH) levels. By raising hGH levels, you can boost your metabolism and lose weight without feeling hungry.

Losing weight can be challenging, especially when hunger seems to be getting in the way. However, by understanding why you feel hungry when losing weight and incorporating strategies like eating slowly, increasing protein and fiber intake, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and avoiding sugary and processed foods, you can manage hunger and achieve your goals.

If you’re struggling to lose weight without feeling hungry during your weight-loss journey, consider exploring the weight management solutions offered by Olympia Pharmaceuticals. These solutions are designed to complement a healthy diet and exercise routine, making it easier to successfully shed the pounds and feel your best yet.

With the right mindset, strategies, and support, you can overcome hunger during the process. Remember, losing weight takes time and effort, and it’s essential to be patient and persistent. So, take action today and start working toward a healthier, happier you.

Did you know that 41.9% of adults in the United States are considered obese? That’s nearly half of all adults in the nation.

If that statistic doesn’t alarm you, it should, considering obesity is associated with a range of diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, sleep apnea and various cancers. (While there are many medical options for obesity that can help you achieve your weight goals, here are a few starter tips to help you stay motivated on your journey.)

So why does it seem so difficult for millions of Americans to stay motivated on their weight-loss journeys? Well, it all begins with knowing that you won’t always be motivated. When you can’t find that drive you’re so desperately looking for, it’s essential to develop discipline in order to form and maintain healthy habits.

Discipline can be defined as choosing what you want the most over what you want now. And while you may have a solid reason to act on your desire and necessity to lose weight, that doesn’t mean you’ll always be up for a hard workout at the gym. It’s more than likely you won’t be up for it, and you will want to sit back and vegetate after a hard day’s work.

The good news is that lack of motivation is a very normal reaction to embarking on a new journey that requires hard work and discipline, especially a weight-loss journey. The bad news is that the key to staying motivated is creating new habits and routines that lead to improved self-discipline you can rely on to get the desired results.

Say Goodbye to Fleeting Motivation and Hello to Healthy New Habits

Think about it this way: many things you do on a daily basis are centered around routine, right down to your body’s circadian rhythm (your internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours).

Here’s why that’s critical to your weight-loss journey: You are in control of everything, especially the habits and routines that shape your life.

Forming new habits and routines will always be challenging, but know that you can do it if you break it down into micro-goals you can track along the way. Now, you may be wondering what habits you need to implement in order to stay motivated for weight loss, so let’s dive in. (Kickstart your journey with these medically assisted weight-loss options.)

Habit 1: Set a goal to complete workouts with moderate to intense physical activity 2 – 3 times per week, then adjust.

Did you know you don’t have to exercise every single day to lose weight? Your body needs rest and recovery just as much as physical activity. That being said, it’s important you incorporate moderate to intense exercise into your weekly routine.

The magic question is always, “how many times a week?” While there is no right or wrong answer, the best way to start a new (and maybe somewhat uncomfortable) habit is to start slow. Try not to push yourself into overdrive by forcing yourself to exercise every day because this can quickly cause burnout, leading you back to square one.

Instead, start slow, with a small change that feels manageable for you to fit into your everyday responsibilities. Choose a form of exercise you enjoy. This could be weight training, jumping rope, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing or any other moderate to intense form of exercise. Once you find the type of exercise you truly enjoy, work it into your weekly schedule just two or three times a week. You’ll likely become more and more self-motivated after accomplishing smaller goals you’ve set for yourself.

Now that you’ve created a plan, this is where the discipline kicks in. Push through the sluggishness and the post-work temptation to lie on the couch with a bag of chips and get your body moving. Stick with this for one month and track your progress in a notebook or your cellphone. You might just surprise yourself with how consistent you can truly be.

Your overall consistency matters most on your weight-loss journey, and sometimes, that means missing a session or two because, well, you’re human, after all. If you make it to the end of month one with perfect (or near-perfect) consistency, consider adding another day of physical activity to each week’s worth of exercise sessions to stretch yourself further. If you didn’t, that’s OK; just keep going until you begin to see yourself become more consistent with your new routine, and don’t give up if you aren’t 100% perfect 100% of the time.

This healthy habit (and the next four) can help you reach your goals and fuel your determination to keep going.

Habit 2: Track Your Current Daily Caloric Intake and Adjust

Staying motivated and disciplined for weight loss requires more than just dedicating time to exercise. You’ll also want to evaluate your current eating habits and overall diet. Be honest with yourself when evaluating what your nutrition may look like. Ask yourself:

• Is my diet balanced?
• Am I lacking more of a certain food group?
• Am I consuming too much sugar or processed foods?

Take a deep dive into your diet by analyzing your current eating habits for one week and record them on paper or in your phone. Document everything you eat in a day, then research those foods to determine their caloric value.

If you identify that you are over-consuming, consider adjusting your daily caloric intake with a slight calorie deficit. While the exact number of calories to decrease varies from person to person, tracking your current intake will at least help you determine a baseline number for where to start. Remember to start small because, just like beginning a new exercise regime, as reducing calories must be done in a slow, healthy and manageable manner.

Becoming more in tune with your nutrition is great for your overall health and will help you achieve your weight loss goals, sparking your continued motivation to keep at it.

Habit 3: Schedule time to shop for and cook quick, easy and nutritious meals.

After evaluating your eating habits, you may find that you’re in need of a major upheaval in your diet. You can aid your weight loss journey by beginning a new habit that improves the quality of the food you’re eating. Each week, schedule time to shop and cook balanced meals that are easy, budget-friendly and nutritious — yes, all three are possible!

Dedicating time to making meals yourself helps you stay in control of the ingredients you’re consuming. Many options at fast food chains or other quick-service restaurants offer meals that contain harmful additives and preservatives with refined carbohydrates, high levels of fat, salt, sugar and more. These additives have been linked to obesity and chronic disease across the nation.

Once you get into the groove of cooking your own meals, you’ll likely notice exciting changes in how you look and feel, fueling your motivation to keep the journey going.

Habit 4: Supplement your physical activity with 8,000 – 10,000 steps a day.

Walking might just be the most underrated form of exercise that can elevate your weight-loss journey and overall health to new heights. According to FitBit, completing an extra 10,000 steps daily typically burns about 2,000 to 3,500 extra calories each week. Not only this, but it also decreases your risk of death by 50 to 70%.

This one speaks for itself with those types of statistics — so aim to supplement your weekly exercise routine with 8,000 steps. It’s OK to start small and increase your step goal as you hit consistent benchmarks.

Need help tracking your steps? Your phone may have come with a health app that includes a step counter. If not, head to the app store on your phone and search for a step counter. There’s no shortage of free apps you can use for this.

The more steps you get in the habit of getting in per day, the easier it will get and the more you’ll be inspired to push yourself to the next level.

Habit 5: Track your progress!

This one is easily the most important of them all! Before implementing any of the above habits, don’t forget to track your progress toward your goals.

Whether it’s through pictures, the scale, how your clothes are fitting, notes on your phone, a fitness journal or all of the above, remember to use this historical data to continue making new goals, pivot existing goals, and most importantly, pat yourself on the back for the hard work you’re putting in on your weight-loss journey!

Lose Weight With the Guidance of a Medical Professional

If you’re struggling to lose weight and become healthy but need assistance, medically supervised weight loss may be the solution for you. At Olympia Pharmacy, we offer weight-management programs that include supplements and medications designed to support your diet and exercise efforts.

Begin your journey today by learning more about our weight management solutions.

For millions of Americans, weight loss can be a very daunting, seemingly impossible task. It requires a complete shift in eating habits, exercise regimens, water intake and more. It’s no easy feat, and it’s typically the ones who have ongoing support who have the most success in their weight-loss journey.

Obesity in the U.S. Today

Obesity in the U.S. has become a significant health concern over the past few decades. According to the CDC, the prevalence of obesity in adult Americans has risen from 30.5% in 1999 – 2000 to 42.4% in 2017 – 2018.

It can negatively impact day-to-day life in many ways (including fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing problems, joint and back pain, low self-esteem and more) and is a major contributor to deadly illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and several forms of cancer.  

What Is Medically Assisted Weight Loss?

As many patients struggle (and often fail) to lose weight on their own, many physicians have developed a helpful solution to offer obese patients: medically assisted weight-loss programs. These programs are designed to help patients overcome their weight-loss challenges, typically combining a diet plan, exercise routine, prescribed medication(s) and medical supervision to help promote healthy weight loss based on their individual needs.

Medically supervised weight-loss programs provide patients with the resources needed to lose weight and maintain it, as well as sustain a healthier lifestyle. Many patients who have taken advantage of these programs have experienced an improved quality of life and are now at a much lower risk for obesity-related illnesses — many of which can be life-threatening.

Who Is a Candidate for Medically Assisted Weight Loss?

The candidates for medically assisted weight loss usually include anyone who:

• — Has a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30
• — Has a BMI greater than 27 and has a serious medical problem related to obesity, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
• — Hasn’t been able to successfully lose weight through diet and exercise on their own

For anyone interested in undergoing bariatric surgery (also referred to as “weight loss surgery”), it’s important to know that some insurances actually require patients to enroll in a medically supervised weight-loss program prior to surgery to ensure the patient is serious about making a change in their lifestyle long-term.

What Does a Medically Assisted Weight-Loss Program Monitor?

The best medically assisted weight loss programs monitor things like:

• — Caloric intake
• — Water intake
• — Exercise routine
• — Blood pressure 
• — Sugar levels
• — Heart rate
• — Reactions to medication
• — Psychological state of mind
• — Emotional state of mind

Some programs also offer referrals to bariatric psychologists, nutritionists and other medical professionals to help support successful weight loss.

Types of Medically Assisted Weight Loss Programs 

There are a variety of different programs designed around medically supervised weight loss that can be minimally invasive (diet and exercise) to highly invasive (surgery). New programs and medications are always being developed, so the exact method may vary depending on what the patient and their physician both feel is the best approach to meet the patient’s goals and needs. Here are a few of the most common techniques used in medically assisted weight loss:

Meal-Replacement Plans

This medically supervised weight-loss option uses a combination of pre-packaged meal replacements and counseling to help assist with weight loss. They are usually set up in phases for patients to grow accustomed to the changes and also typically include educational materials to help patients as they go back to preparing their own meals again. According to Obesity News Today, some programs that fall in this category include OPTIFAST, Health Management Resources (HMR), Advanced Health System (AHS), New Direction (Robard Corporation) and Medi-fast.

Surgical Weight Loss

Over the past few decades, surgical weight loss (or “bariatic surgery”) has become an increasingly popular option for some qualified obese and morbidly obese patients. 

Bariatric surgery is a type of operation that’s designed to assist with weight loss by making surgical adjustments to the digestive system. Some bariatric surgeries decrease the size of the stomach to shrink the amount of space for food and drink at one time, whereas others alter the small intestine, which absorbs calories and nutrients from the foods and drinks a person consumes.

This method is definitely one of the more extreme forms of weight loss and is usually geared for obese individuals who need to lose a lot of weight to reverse or cope with health problems like sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes or other similar health problems. One thing to keep in mind is that some bariatric surgeons require patients to lose a certain amount of weight prior to surgery to minimize or mitigate complications from anesthesia, as morbidly obese patients are at increased risk for complications.

Weight-Loss Vitamin Injectables

For many, a meal-replacement plan may not be enough and surgical weight loss may be too extreme for what’s needed to lose weight. That’s where vitamin injections can be a good approach.

In addition to a diet and exercise plan, vitamin injections may be used in medically assisted weight loss to help reduce appetite, build muscle and promote a healthy immune system. 

B12 and other fat-burning injections may help individuals lose weight while still maintaining energy. These fat-burning medications are often referred to as lipotropic injections.

These injections are a great way to send nutrients directly into the bloodstream, ensuring 100% absorption of active ingredients. With vitamin injectables from Olympia, patients can rest assured they’re getting the exact dosage of nutrients prescribed by their physician. 

You can learn more about all of these options in our guide to medically supervised weight loss.

Get Started with Medically Assisted Weight Loss at Olympia

At Olympia Pharmacy, we offer a wide variety of compounded medications specially formulated to help you reach your weight-loss goals. Whether you’re a patient looking to lose weight yourself or a physician looking for a weight-loss program to offer patients, Olympia can help you get started. Contact a weight-loss specialist today to learn more.

Contact a Weight-Loss Specialist

If you or someone you know is struggling with obesity, it can be overwhelming to know where to turn or how to get started. The good news is that obesity is a medical condition with a range of treatment options based on a patient’s individual needs.

If you’re wondering, “What are some treatment options for obesity?” — here’s a look at what obesity is and some of the approaches that may support you on your weight-loss journey.

Obesity: Defined

Obesity is classified as a person having a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher and is diagnosed only by a healthcare professional. It’s a curable disease that has multiple forms of treatment options, depending on the health needs of the patient. There are many serious obesity-related illnesses to be aware of, including:

• — Diabetes
• — Gallbladder disease
• — Heart disease
• — High blood pressure
• — High cholesterol
• — Osteoarthritis
• — Depression
• — Sleep apnea
• — Heartburn
• — Stroke
• — Cancer

Obese vs. Overweight

If an individual has a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9, they’re considered overweight. This can be a major health concern. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean the individual is obese (as that BMI starts at 30.0). Overweight individuals should be aware that their current weight can lead to more weight gain as well as other health problems, including obesity, if not addressed.

Severe obesity (or morbid obesity) is classified as someone who weighs more than 100 pounds over their healthy body weight for their height and their BMI is greater than 40. These individuals have the greatest risk for serious health problems and should seek the advice of a medical professional for help.

Causes of Obesity

Obesity is not caused solely from overeating — there are many different causes of this disease that vary greatly from person to person. These causes can include a high-fat diet, a sedentary lifestyle, genetics, a health condition, an injury that limits mobility, the use of certain medications that cause weight gain, environmental factors, sleep deprivation and more.

What Are Some Treatment Options for Obesity?

1: A Diet That’s Designed for Your Body Type

Advantages:

The first approach to losing weight that many people start with is a strict diet plan. By reducing caloric intake, eliminating certain foods that are high in fats/sugars/additives, and starting a high-fiber/low-fat diet, obese individuals can start to experience healthy weight loss.

Disadvantages:

For some, this may be the main treatment option needed to see results. However, for many, it’s not enough. Plus, many people cannot sustain their diet plan long-term and end up binge eating as a result. Or, there may be other factors that are contributing to the person’s weight gain and dieting may not be enough to offset those.

There are also risks associated with “crash dieting” (an attempt at losing weight very quickly, often using extreme, unhealthy measures) to be mindful of, including new health problems, vitamin deficiencies and failure to keep off weight long-term. Fad diets like keto or Atkins may end up depriving dieters of essentials vitamins, which can lead to having to buy supplements to accommodate.

Always consult with a licensed healthcare provider to determine if this treatment is appropriate for you.

2: Increased Physical Activity

Advantages:

As many of us know, the more active we are, the more calories we’re able to burn. According to the CDC, 60 – 90 minutes of moderately intense activity is recommended most days of the week for exercising. The advantage of increased physical activity is that you’re helping increase the rate at which you burn the excess calories being stored in your body. Getting exercise through things like walking, gardening, swimming, climbing stairs, etc. are going to help you see better results than remaining sedentary most of the day.

Disadvantages:

On its own, this can be a very time-consuming process — especially if the individual’s diet hasn’t been altered. To lose just one pound of fat, 3,500 calories must be burned. Another disadvantage to only relying on physical activity to combat obesity is that anyone who isn’t used to exercising regularly is at a higher risk for injury or other health risks. Strenuous activities should always be consulted with a physician before performing.

Always consult with a licensed healthcare provider to determine if this treatment is appropriate for you.

3: Surgery

Advantages:

Depending on the needs of the patient, surgery for weight loss can involve removing part of a person’s stomach (making it smaller) or it can bypass part of the digestive system. Having a surgical procedure can help not only with weight loss but also with reducing other health risks like diabetes, high blood pressure and other obesity-related illnesses.

Disadvantages:

This option is highly invasive — it is, after all, surgery. There are always negative side effects that could be associated with surgery, including lengthy recovery times, unanticipated expenses, complications, etc. Plus, although this option may be necessary and helpful for some severely obese individuals, it’s important to note that some insurances will require patients to enroll in a medically supervised weight-loss program prior to scheduling surgery to ensure the patient is taking an active part in making a long-term change in their lifestyle.

Always consult with a licensed healthcare provider to determine if this treatment is appropriate for you.

4: Medically Supervised Weight Loss

Advantages:

At Olympia, we believe medically assisted weight loss is the best option. Why? It combines several treatment option types listed above (done correctly) to form one powerful weapon against obesity — replacing weight-loss medication with specially formulated vitamin injectables or oral supplements that are designed to help reduce appetite, build muscle and promote a healthy immune system.

When a balanced diet and a manageable exercise plan are paired with vitamin injectables that can help patients healthily drop weight, the potential for significant weight loss opens up. You can learn more in our medically supervised weight loss guide or contact us today to learn more about a medically supervised weight-loss plan that’s right for you.

Disadvantages:

If medical supervision is performed by a professional physician, there shouldn’t be any disadvantages associated with this form of treatment option. This is because the physician plays an active role in the monitoring and adjusting of treatment options based on how the patient is responding to it. A reputable healthcare provider will select a medical weight loss program based on your goals.

Always consult with a licensed healthcare provider to determine if this treatment is appropriate for you.

Finding the Right Treatment Option for You

Each body is different and has its own unique needs. The best thing to do is review and further research your options, and then consult with a physician on what treatment option might be best for you.

At Olympia Pharmacy, we offer a range of compounded medications that are designed to help you reach your weight-loss goals. Whether you’re a patient seeking treatment options yourself or a physician in search of a trusted weight-loss program to offer your patients, Olympia can help. Learn more about your options by contacting a weight-loss specialist today.

Contact a Weight-Loss Specialist