WEIGHT LOSS AND NUTRITION

How to suppress appetite?

(Last Updated On: 23 August 2018)

Eat less, move more, and you will lose weight. It is a simple rule on the way to success. But what should we do when your stomach which is used to larger portions needs food? How to curb appetite? Here are a few important tips. 

First: eat suitable products

If you want to suppress your appetite, remember to enrich your diet with:

– wholemeal corn, including porridge oats (but not instant),

– fiber-rich vegetables (particularly leaf vegetables) and fruits (apples, grapefruits),

– potatoes (yes! But boiled or baked – thanks to their chemical composition they prevent sudden hunger),

– lean meat and dairy products for breakfast

– it has been proved that eating a portion of protein from lean products in the breakfast curbs appetite for the entire day,

– small portions of nuts (including protein, fats and fiber which make you feel full for a long time),

– vegetable oils – do not resign from fats because they can help you suppress appetite. Control portions of fats you eat – use teaspoons to measure the amount, avoid “rough” portions,

– linseed – add it to yoghurt or salad – thanks to this you can maintain the sugar level in blood, and consequently curb hunger,

– bitter chocolate with more than 70% of cocoa – its intensity will cause you to eat little, as opposed to milk or white chocolate.

When you get down to your meal, eat it slowly, chew each piece properly and sniff it. Make sure your meal is served aesthetically. If you engage all your senses, your brain will receive sooner and remember longer information about meal , and your hunger will be gone. Do not stand or walk when you eat, do not eat when you are in a rush, when you watch TV, work at the computer and use phone. Try to use smaller plates, thanks to this your portions will be smaller, yet seeming large. When fighting against appetite, you should use “tricks” to cheat on your brain.

 Second: drink healthily

Drink water. Many people say it because it is an important and simple way of suppressing appetite. If you drink water before, during and after meals, your stomach will be full. When you feel hungry, grab a glass of water. You can add a lemon, mint leaves or a slice of cucumber. We sometimes mistake thirst with hunger, for this reason you should remember about taking large amounts of liquids every day, particularly in the summer. Aside from water, drink green tea, herbal infusions and vegetable juices (not fruit juices). If you feel like drinking alcohol, pick a glass or two glasses of red wine which can help you feel full. Do not forget about soups – they are a perfect alternative to a full meal. Eat low-calorie soups, for example with chicken – thanks to this meat you will feel full for a longer time, and chicken soup will fill your stomach.

 Third: change habits

Get enough sleep – it has been proved that sleepy people are more willing to have high-calorie meals to perform daily tasks. To avoid this situation, sleep at least 8 hours a day. Relaxing and avoiding stressful situations also helps you curb hunger. Many people resort to eating when they feel tensed, angry or sad. Then we feel like eating sweets which improve our mood for some time. We not always are able to avoid negative events and emotions, and we need to remember that these are emotions rather than hunger, and the best way of fighting it is a talk with a kind person. Beware of eating out of boredom! Many people grab food even though they are not hungry. In everyday life, but particularly when we are on a diet, it is advisable to plan each day to make sure there is no room for boredom.

Fourth: move

Intensive cardio exercises, especially at various frequency (maximum effort combined with short breaks), reduce the level of ghrelin (aminoacid) produced in the stomach and responsible for hunger, which effectively curbs appetite for about 2 hours after workout.

Fifth: be patient and wait

Introducing the aforementioned changes in your life may take a short while or be time-consuming, depending on our attitude and consistent actions. It is advisable however to be patient as each new habit requires time. The reward is curbed appetite, slim figure and better mood.

A registered medical dietitian. She has been dealing with dietetics for many years and expanding her knowledge through participation in dietetics-related conferences and training as well as reading scientific press. She helps children and adults to overcome their dietary difficulties, such as overweight and underweight, and get rid of bad eating habits. She also lectures on dietetics and proper supplementation. Thanks to the work in one of the largest dietetics companies in England, she learned the importance of suitable motivation and support in the process of changing eating habits. She gets much satisfaction when she can encourage people to lead healthy lifestyle. She knows well that everyone has own specific needs, and therefore she diagnoses all her patients on a case-by-case basis.