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.

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