Some
of us cannot stick to three meals a day. It’s never complete without in between
snacks and after meal desserts. So many to eat, so little time. The result is
not a satisfied tummy but instead, an extra layer of fat and an added notch on
that dreadful weighing scale. Curbing your appetite could be a great
complimentary action while you are taking your favorite slimming pills.
Don’t
worry, the blame is not all yours. Your appetite might be the culprit. Appetite
is the desire to eat or the feeling of being hungry. What is the source of this
hunger? Is there some sort of a trigger? People suffering from depression tend
to eat more to lessen their grief calling the consumed goods as comfort food.
Another factor is out of boredom—the couch is nearby, the remote is within your
reach and a ready-to-eat snack is easily accessible in your kitchen.
For
those seeking scientific enlightenment, it could be the hormone called ghrelin that
is responsible for your refrigerator raiding. It is a hormone produced in the
stomach that sends signals to your brain that the body needs to eat and the
reason of accumulation of body fat. So how can we control this appetite? Is
appetite controllable? The good news is yes, and there are many creative ways
to pacify an impending appetite.
Drink
Water
Drinking
water before meal makes you feel fuller. Watch out because you might feel
bloated if not done in moderation. As recommended, drink only two 200 ml
glasses of water before eating.
Eat
Breakfast
Breakfast
is the most important meal of the day. Yet some of us neglect it because it
takes time to prepare a decent one. So in the midday we feel instantaneously famished
and having an urge to grab a couple of donuts or a quarter pound of burger. On
the other hand, if you ate your breakfast, you will fuller for the rest of the
day and have the energy until lunchtime.
Go
High with Protein
Fish,
chicken breast, cheese, tofu, beans, yogurt, milk, soymilk and eggs are good
source of protein. High protein rich foods take slower to digest and needs a
lot of energy to burn unlike fats and carbohydrates. Your stomach feels fuller
and hours will pass until your ghrelin hormones activate again.
Delegate
What You Eat
There
is no established rule that a human being can only have three meals a day, as
it is only a way of life. That was before but today, as far as dieting is
concern, modifying the three-part meal is necessary if you need to lose weight.
Try to reduce it by eating five to seven smaller meals with a three-hour interval.
Dividing your meal can give your stomach more time to digest.
Spice
Up Your Food
Not
all of us are fan of spicy foods. Unless you want to lose some weight, start
practicing and adjust your taste buds for this hot treat. Spicy foods
specifically sprinkled with peppers or chili has a compound called capsaicin
that speeds up metabolism. It can also suppress your appetite.
Coffee
or Tea, anyone?
Coffee
and tea have notable health benefits such as it improves memory and a great
source of antioxidant, respectively. These usually served hot beverages have caffeine,
an appetite suppressant. Drink in moderation and keep it unsweetened.
Feast
with Your Eyes
Literally,
look at the enticing and mouth-watering pictures of dishes online like those
posted in Instagram and Pinterest boards. Based on a research conducted at
Brigham Young University, staring at images of food can decrease your appetite
as if you’ve eaten already. Although, it has varying effects because I know
someone who gets more hungry and acts on the hunger from staring at food.
A
Dash of Cinnamon
A
popular spice used for cooking and baking that originally came from Asia.
Sprinkle it on your favorite dishes or drinks. It does not only enhance the
taste, it can also help you to lose weight. Cinnamon reduces cholesterol level,
speeds up metabolism, and aids to regulate blood sugar.
Be
Color Coordinated
As
weird as it suggests, color may affect your diet or appetite. When you’re on a
diet surround yourself with blue, this color acts as an appetite suppressant.
Try blue placemats, blue plates, blue tablecloths or even a blue light bulb in
your refrigerator. On the contrary, avoid red, orange and yellow colors as
these have the opposite effect.
Exercise!
All
your efforts will be useless if you fail to do this one. Diet and exercise go
hand in hand. Exercise helps you burn more calories and control weight gain.
Sources:
