Diet Tips to Curb Appetite

Overview

Your appetite is affected by hunger, thirst, and satiety (feeling full). It is important to make sure that your eating plan addresses all three components when dieting. A successful eating plan should leave you feeling hungry for your next meal but not starving. You should consume enough calories enabling you to sleep through the night without waking due to hunger. Give your body what it needs nutritionally and satisfy your appetite. You will be able to diet longer, reach your weight loss goal, and maintain it.

Low density calorie vegetables
Do Not Skip Meals

How often you eat is just as important as what you eat. Ideally, three small main meals should be eaten with two snacks consumed in between while never allowing more than 4 hours to pass without eating except when resting. Skipping meals causes the body to enter a starvation phase which only slows down your metabolism. Your body needs a steady supply of energy throughout the day to keep your metabolism revved up.

Combine Foods to Decrease Hunger

Eating proteins, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats at every meal/snack causes a steady release of insulin in the body. This is accomplished by consuming meal/snacks that are composed of 40 percent low calorie carbohydrates, and 30 percent of both lean proteins and fats. Too much insulin produced after a meal high in carbohydrates causes you to become prematurely hungry. Adding lean proteins and healthy fats slow down the insulin effect of carbohydrates.
The Satiety Component

Eating too many flavors in your meal can over stimulate the appetite centers in the brain. You will not feel full until you have consumed enough food to satisfy that appetite center. By limiting flavors and adding low density calories foods like fruits and leafy vegetables you will be adding bulk to your meal. This bulk will cause you to chew longer, feel fuller, and satisfy that appetite center.
Drinking Water

Thirst is sometimes misinterpreted as hunger. Drinking 80 ounces of water over an entire day ensures you are adequately hydrated and allows the liver and kidney to do their jobs in eliminating the fat from your body. If you exercise you will need to drink additional ounces to compensate for the loss of water due to sweating. Always ask yourself if you are hungry or thirsty before reaching for food.

Overview