10 healthy ways to control your appetite

Dealing with weight loss or maintaining a desirable weight is not an easy affair. Losing weight requires your body to make do with less calories and smaller portions of food, but how do you deal with a grumbling stomach? A hunger pang or a certain food craving makes you reach out for all those oh-so tempting snacks and it subconsciously turns into a pattern that has far reaching consequences. What if you are told that you can cheat your way out of this and put a leash on your growling appetite? Here’s a list of some surprising hacks that help you suppress the raging hunger without sabotaging your diet plan.

Drink enough water

Gulping down a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal or during one of your food cravings can do wonders. Water is proven to be an appetite suppressant and it helps you to curb your cravings and give you a feeling of fullness. It’s is a smart strategy that can be used as a part of the game plan.

Eat fibre

Inculcate a lot of fibre in your diet. Fibre gives you a feeling of satiety and moves at a slow pace in your gut. They soak up water in your stomach and expand to give you a feeling of fullness. Food with fibre like your greens take up a lot of time and effort to chew that tricks your brain that you’ve had enough. Make maximum use of fruits and vegetables in your diet as they have bare minimum calories. Opt for a salad or a fruit to curb your snacking habits.

Chew on a gum

Pop a chewing gum the next time you need to tame your growling stomach. Popping gum mirrors the same action as of eating a food item like salivating, touch of a flavour and chewing that helps you suppress your hunger. It does not help you to lose weight but helps you to consume a lot less calories. Make sure you pick out on a sugar free variant.

Have protein for breakfast

Eating a high protein meal for breakfast can literally save you from distress all day long. Proteins satiate you and keep you going for a long period of time. It is only smart to indulge on protein rich options as you are subjected to restricted calorie and carbohydrate intake. Choose options like egg whites, milk and milk products, whole cereals and pulses.

Sweat it out

Exercising not only helps you to shed weight but also helps to suppress your hunger. Exercising releases endorphins that are also known as “feel good” hormones and they aid in diminishing your appetite. Exercising also increases the amount of blood pumped out with the nutrients to your organs and also leaves you rejuvenated.

Make sure you get enough sleep

Sleep deprivation leads to innumerable health issues and problems. Sleep deprivation is also a cause for your irresistible food cravings. Not getting enough sleep makes you crave foods that are calorie dense, fueled with carbs and fatty. Yes, something as simple as sleep can prove to be a major hindrance between you and your diet goals.

Distract yourself

The thing about a hunger pang or craving is that it’s an urge that passes with time. Learn to manage this tricky phase by keeping your mind occupied and off food. Take a short walk, listen to music or catch up with a friend to distract your mind. This also helps you to figure out the difference between real hunger and the psychological drive to binge.

Avoid the stress

Stress can be a causative factor for your cravings and pangs. Our body manages stress by releasing a hormone called cortisol that makes you hungrier. People are also known to make injudicious food choices when they experience a stressful episode and emotions take over. Relax and unwind during such phases.

Be honest to yourself

We need to realize and accept that we eat not just out of hunger but also out of habit. Learn to recognise the difference between hunger and habitual eating. There is a thin line between physiological hunger and psychological hunger. Do not correlate food with your emotions. Be honest with yourself to avoid your mind tricking you into unhealthy eating.

Eat in blue coloured plate

Ever heard of colour –appetite relationship? Blue colour is known to be an appetite suppressant that helps you eat less. Colour code your cutlery to your eating napkins in blue as the colour is known to have psychological implications on the process of eating.

You may also like to read: 

• Fun ways to exercise and lose weight
• Lose belly fat with exercises by Hrithik’s trainer Kris Gethin
• Walking for weight loss
• Get fit at your workplace with these expert recommended exercises and tips
• Why is high intensity interval training better (HIIT) for weight loss?

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