No matter how you manage to lose weight or maintain a lower weight, you have to come to grips with the problem of learning to live with hunger. Why is it so difficult for humans (and all other mammals for that matter) to cope with hunger?

Hunger is a deep, primitive drive that is near the core of our survival instincts. Hunger is related to mood, energy, sleep patterns, and about every other aspect of brain function. Hunger is so deeply tied to how our brain works that we are fooling ourselves if we ever think we can begin to exert much control over hunger.

So, if hunger is so difficult to control, what can we do? 

The first step to the problem of hunger is reduce the amount of hunger that we experience in the first place...less hunger, more weight loss. You probably already know some of these hunger-fighters, but review them often:

 1) Eat breakfast every day (low carb choices preferably)

 2) Eat at least every 3 hours (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks)

 3) Eat at least 25 grams of fiber daily (best 30 minutes before meals)

 4) Sleep a minimum of 6-1/2 hours every night. If you don't, you probably will not be able to lose weight.

 5) Get aerobic exercise of at least 30 minutes daily (60+ is best).

 6) Reduce stress wherever and whenever possible.