How to Suppress Your Appetite Naturally in 3 Easy Steps

One of the hardest parts of dieting is resisting cravings. When not dieting, you have most likely grown accustomed to eating unlimited snacks and paying no attention to your calorie count. Once your diet is under way, however, you need to dramatically cut down your calorie intake.

Even if you are diligent with your diet rules, the constant hunger pangs can be extremely annoying and distracting. Fortunately, there are some simple tricks you can use to naturally curb your cravings and have a successful diet.

1. Drink Plenty of Water

Doctors and nutritionists agree that the most important part of an effective diet is drinking enough water every day. Dieters often believe they are hungry when they are actually just thirsty. As a result, they end up eating extra calories when they could have appeased their hunger with calorie-free water.

In a 12-week clinical trial, adult participants were split into 2 groups. The first group followed a reduced-calorie diet and drank 500 mL water before every meal, while the second group only reduced calories.

After 12 weeks, the water group lost 44% more weight than the group who just dieted. This was because the water group consumed less food during each meal [1].

2. Eat the Right Snacks

Another foolproof dieting and appetite-suppressing tip is to pick the right foods. Many foods, though low-calorie, are too light to fill you up properly. Fortunately, these foods are great at satisfying cravings and keeping your calorie intake low.

Apples

Apples are great natural appetite suppressants. Not only are they high in fiber, they also contain pectin. Pectin is a bio-polymer that helps the stomach feel full. Indeed, whole apples are clinically proven to curb cravings and increase satiety [2].

Almonds

Almonds are another great craving-curbing snack. Like apples, these nuts are clinically proven to promote weight loss [3]. In addition to helping your fullness last longer, almonds also promote heart health.

Spicy Food

Spicy foods fill you up longer than regular foods – especially cayenne pepper. One clinical trial showed that dieters who add pepper to their food consume fewer calories overall than people who do not [4].

3. Train Yourself to Eat Smaller Portions

Another important part of dieting is playing mind tricks. Believe it or not, you can fool yourself into thinking you are full.

One way to do this is to use smaller dishes. If you use large plates, a normal-sized portion looks very small. Even though you’ve eaten plenty of food, your body believes it is still hungry because the portion looked small in comparison to the dish. Thus, if you use smaller dishes but eat the same sized portions, your plate will look fuller and your body will actually feel as though you’ve eaten more food.

Another trick you can pull is to put all your snacks in smaller containers. If you eat mindlessly directly from a big bag, you will inevitably overeat and consume a ton of calories—even if it’s a healthy snack. You’ll even get full slowly because it doesn’t look like you’ve eaten very many snacks in comparison to the rest of the bag.

To prevent this, never eat straight from the bag or box. Instead, move a handful into a separate bowl, bag, or Tupperware. That way you can controlHow the calories you’re eating. Also, when you finish it off, you’ll feel as though you’ve eaten plenty and feel full.

Reach Your Target Weight Without Starving Yourself

Even though dieting can be a pain, you don’t have to deal with constant hunger. Implement these tips, and you will be able to decrease your calorie intake without feeling any cravings!

References

[1] Davy, Brenda M. “Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults.” Obesity. 2010. 18(2): 300-307. Web. 17 Jan 2013.

[2] Flood-Obbagy, Julie E. “The effect of fruit in different forms on energy intake and satiety at a meal.” Appetite. 2009. 52(2): 416-422. Web. 17 Jan 2013.

[3] Wein, M.A. “Almonds vs. complex carbohydrates in a weight reduction program.” International Journal of Obesity. 2003. 27: 1365-1372. Web. 17 Jan 2013.

[4] Ludy, Mary-John. “The effects of hedonically acceptable red pepper doses on thermogenesis and appetite.” Physiology & Behavior. 2011. 102(3-4): 251-258. Web. 17 Jan 2013.