Hunger pangs can be a nightmare. Getting to grips with an out of control appetite is one of the most unpleasant and frustrating parts of the weight loss process but it’s a problem all dieters have to face.
Hunger is also one of the main reasons so many diets fail.
Some, diet supplements that suppress appetite can help and, if you discount prescription medication, all of the best diet supplements are powered by natural ingredients. However, although diet pills offer a portable and convenient way to control hunger.
There are other ways to naturally suppress your appetite and we thought it may help our readers if we shared our top 5.
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1. Drink More Water
Drinking more water can be a very good way to naturally suppress your appetite and it can work for you in a couple of ways.
First and foremost, we humans are not perfect and scientists have proved dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. This makes it very easy to overeat and gain weight due to the inability to differentiate hunger from thirst.
The easy solution is to begin drinking more water throughout the day and those who are prone to snack should be looking at replacing their snacks with a glass of water.
Drinking extra water will help ensure the body is kept hydrated. The presence of water in the stomach also has a filling effect and, unlike snacks, it does not contain any calories.
Another good way to use water to suppress your appetite is to drink a glass or two just before eating your main meals. It will take the edge off your appetite and help you to feel satisfied by smaller portions of food.
This is an old trick, dieters have been doing it for years, and it’s a natural weight loss method that’s stood the test of time.
2. Eat Plenty of Protein
Increasing your protein intake is also a good way to naturally suppress your appetite.
This is a fact that has been known for a long time, but the reason behind the hunger controlling ability of protein has always been a mystery.
However, research conducted at the Imperial College in London may provide the answer. In 2002, endocrinologist Stephen Bloom and his colleagues carried out a study on mice and humans that involved injections of a tiny protein fragment called peptide YY3-36 (PYY3-36), which appears to reduce hunger in response to a high protein diet.
Four years later, endocrinologist Rachel Batterham, who was involved in the original research, conducted a similar study at University College in London and the resulting data showed the volunteers on a high-protein diet felt significantly less hungry than those on the other diets (high carb + high fat) for up to 3 hours after the meal.
So it would appear the hunger suppressing ability of protein may be due to PYY3-36.
3. Add More Fibre to Your Diet
Foods that contain plenty of natural fibre (roughage) are great for providing a nice, full feeling in the stomach and adding more fibre to your diet is never a bad idea because it helps provide a healthy digestive system and is also known to reduce the risk of colonic cancer.
Due to the fact that it takes the digestive organs longer to process fibre, the body is given extra time to register the fact that food has been eaten and the extended presence of fibre in the stomach and intestines helps ensure the feeling of satiety lasts for a number of hours.
Research shows foods that are high in fibre can also be good for lowering insulin levels.
This is an ability that is generally considered to be most noteworthy for its possible value in the control of diabetes, but insulin also affects the appetite and sudden sugar cravings are often the result of elevated insulin levels.
4. Eat Slowly
Many people have a tendency to eat too fast. This could be the result the hectic lifestyles that have become the norm for so many people these days but, whatever the reason, eating too fast is not good because it can result in overeating and weight gain.
All of us are at the mercy of our hormones and the reason people eventually stop feeling hungry after a meal is due to a hormonal response.
Unfortunately, it takes around 20-30 minutes, sometimes longer, for the gut hormones to kick-in and relay a signal to the brain informing it the stomach is full.
By eating slowly, you will help ensure you don’t overindulge in the period before your digestive organs trigger a response to the food you are providing them with.
5. Eat Regularly
Another good way to naturally suppress your appetite and avoid the frustration of hunger is to adopt an attitude of “little, but often” and begin eating small meals throughout the day, separated by a gap of two to three hours, and stick to the routine religiously without any skipping of meals.
When the stomach is given frequent supplies of food, hunger is less likely to be triggered.
This technique also helps balance blood sugar and insulin levels and may provide increased energy throughout the day.
However, it’s important that the system is used as part of a calorie-controlled diet, so the portions must be kept small and consist of healthy food.
The average man needs 2500 calories per day to maintain his existing weight.
The average woman needs just 2000 calories per day and men and women who wish to lose weight by calorie-controlled dieting will need to ensure they eat less calories than they need each day.
This is necessary to cause the body to experience the calorie shortage that is needed to necessitate the need for fat burning.
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