A Little Hunger is OK

Jacki recently shared a new study that links U.S. obesity to one primary cause -- eating too much. Makes sense to me. I've recently dropped a few pounds, and I didn't do it by moving more -- I'm eating less and reaching for more wholesome foods (love your new book, Jillian Michaels). And that means learning to be OK with a little gnawing hunger.

If America is to slim down to the body sizes of the 1970s, we're going to need to accept a bit of hunger. These moments do not require an emergency 9-1-1 call for more carbs. In fact, by sticking with my right caloric level, which upon entering my 40s is definitely under 2,000 calories most days, I've taken off a few pounds. I always eat plenty of fruit, but consistently eating lean protein and more vegetables has helped keep my hunger manageable and those M&M craves away.

Forty-year-old successful dieter Jane Doyle would agree. Currently featured over at USA Today, she went from 223 pounds to 161 by eating 1,700 to 1,900 calories a day and being OK with occasionally going to bed hungry or waking up hungry. She also joined Weight Watchers and a gym to rid herself of nasty eating habits triggered by two pregnancies. Be OK with some hunger, it's not an alarm bell for calories. Sit with it, drink a glass of water and wait for the next meal. Or at the very least, eat something green and leafy.

Can you hang with your hunger?