Hunger pangs are a real concern to any weight watcher. They not only remind you of food again, that's if you've ever managed not to be thinking about food in the first place, but they can actually begin to make one feel quite sick. So what is it that causes these grumbles in your stomach and how can you handle hunger pangs?

Firstly, hunger pangs are caused by the hormone ghrelin which is released when the stomach is empty. Clearly then the answer is to keep this hormone in check so as not to feel hungry. There are actually more things than just hunger that can set off the hormone ghrelin; it can be caused by drinking alcohol, too much fatty foods or even not consuming enough calories. Don't panic though as all is not lost, there are ways to keep this hormone in check.

Having a good breakfast has been proven to help keep ghrelin from rising. As weight watchers we're all afraid to eat a substantial breakfast or for that matter a substantial meal at any time of day. To keep this hormone in check though it would be a good idea to have something like a wholewheat muffin with peanut butter accompanied by some natural plain yoghurt. Maybe try a little mango or blueberries along with your yoghurt.

It is vitally important to eat only complex carbohydrates and plenty of fibre as ghrelin and insulin are virtually intertwined. Following your meal, when insulin goes up ghrelin goes down. This is one of the main reasons why it is essential you do not consume refined carbohydrates such as white breads and pasta; these will see your blood sugar rising dramatically. Your body then releases insulin to clear your bloodstream and in response your blood sugar drops with once again that feeling of hunger returning. This is why it is important to only eat complex carbohydrates along with plenty of fibre as these tend to keep your blood sugar stable and you feeling full for longer. This results in fewer grumbling stomachs.

It has been discovered that ghrelin levels rise and fall around the same time every day. That is the reason that for weight loss it is essential to stick to regular mealtimes and definitely not even consider skipping meals, particularly breakfast. Eating on schedule reduces the hormone ghrelin from spiking. Should you intend being away from your usual place of eating when it comes to a mealtime, think ahead and carry something like a small packet of almonds to nibble on until you're in a position to consume something more substantial.

Ghrelin levels continue to remain high until the stomach gives the all clear and says you are full. This can soonest be achieved by eating high volume, high water foods such as salads, soups and all green vegetables; the beauty of this type of food is that generally it can be low in calories which is the aim of every person watching their weight.

Protein is another way to suppress ghrelin so a whey protein smoothie can become one of your best friends when deciding what to eat. The high protein whey smoothie can give that feeling of fulness for almost longer than anything else. If you're unsure, just give it a go and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. Once you have those hunger pangs under control it is so much easier to stop thinking about food.

One final word of advice would be, don't forget to exercise. No weight watching program is going to work as efficiently without a little exercise to help raise your metabolism levels. You see, as with most things in life all these things go hand in hand to enable you to finally get the body you desire.