By: Igor

As studies continue to suggest something that we’ve all known for a long time, reducing calories is the key to losing weight. But how do you choose which calories to cut? And how do you reduce your intake without feeling hungry? The answers to these questions can be found in a concept called Crowding Out.

The basic idea of Crowding Out is to make sure that you never feel hungry. Unlike most nutrition plans where one is asked to remove things or take things out of your diet, leading to feelings of deprivation and eventually giving up, one does quite the opposite. You make sure that you eat regularly and frequently. Eating more nutritious and nutrient dense foods satisfies cravings and feeds the body, leaving one satiated. Those bad feelings literally get crowded out.

You may be thinking that Crowding Out contradicts the concept of calorie counting and everything I’ve said in the past, but this is not necessarily the case. Let me make this clear: unless you consume less calories than you burn, you won’t lose weight. Now, having said that, there are many ways to reduce calories, and some are certainly better than others. By Crowding Out AND counting calories, you are not only going to lose weight, but you will also do it in the healthiest and most fulfilling way.

So what’s the best way to get started? Add fruits and vegetables to every meal. Drink lots of water. Keep a steady supply of raw almonds or walnuts, avocados, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and goji berries in your vicinity. But whatever you do, don’t forget the first and the last rule of calorie counting: log everything you eat and always be aware of how many calories you have left for the day.

Has anyone tried Crowding Out? Do you find it to be a useful concept, or do you think that adding additional goals could be counter-productive?

Read more: How To Quench Your Hunger http://caloriecount.about.com/quench-your-hunger-b274788#ixzz30OkNpMvu