1. Drinking Coffee Can Help Suppress Appetite
There are many weight loss and healthy benefits of coffee. Drinking coffee can also help suppress appetite.
According to research, coffee increases the release of the hormone peptide YY(PYY) into the stomach and provides the body with a feeling of fullness after eating. (1) (2)
Scientists are of the opinion the PPY level plays an integral role in assessing how much food an individual is likely to eat. (3)
Quite strangely, there is a possibility decaffeinated coffee may lead to a higher reduction in hunger than regular coffee. The effects are believed to last up to three hours after drinking. (4)
More studies are required to determine how this works.
2. Be Aware of What You Are Eating
In most cases, the brain is perfectly aware whether you are hungry or full.
One problem occurs if you eat quickly or get distracted. It can be harder for your brain to get the message that you are full.
You can solve this problem by focusing on the foods in front of you and getting rid of any distractions—this is a key element of mindful eating.
Research has proven when an individual practices mindfulness when eating, they will derive more pleasure from the meal. This places focus on the quality of the meal rather than the quantity. This lessens the potential for binge eating. (5)
There appears to be a link to connect hunger, what the eyes can see and fullness.
In one experiment participants were offered two milkshakes that were the same. One of the milkshakes was called “620 calorie indulgence” while the other one was identified with a “120 calorie-sensible” label.
Even though both groups consumed identical calories, the levels of hunger hormones dropped more for those participants who thought they had consumed the “indulgent” drink. (6)
When an individual believes a drink has more calories than it does, it can also succeed in activating those areas of the brain that trigger the feeling of being full. (7)
Since what you see can have a direct influence on how full you feel, it can be quite beneficial to be mindful of what you eat.
3. A Bigger Fork May Be the Answer to Overeating
Using a bigger fork may make it seem like you are eating more food.
A recent study supports the premise that those who ate with bigger forks ate ten percent less food than those who used smaller forks. (8)
Researchers believe there is a possibility that when people use small forks to eat they may feel they are failing to make progress toward satisfying their hunger, so they end up eating more.
This type of effect does not occur with all utensils. For instance, the use of larger serving spoons may increase a person’s food intake by as much as 14.5 percent. (9)
4. Exercise Can Help Suppress Appetite
There is a school of thought that says exercise reduces some of the activity in regions of the brain that control food cravings. This can cause an individual to have less desire to eat. (10)
Exercise can also reduce the levels of hunger hormones while increasing an individual’s feelings of fullness. (11)
According to research, both aerobic, like Shift Shop, and resistance exercise, like some Beachbody programs, have equal abilities to influence levels of hormones and the size of the meal a person wants to eat after exercising. (12)
5. Protein to Suppress Appetite
Adding protein to the diet can help suppress appetite and consume fewer calories at your next meal. Protein can also help with fat loss. (13) (14)
A recent weight loss study compared two different breakfasts that contained the same number of calories; one consisted of eggs and the other bagels.
Those participants who consumed the eggs lost 65 percent more weight and 16 percent more body fat during eight weeks of the study. (15)
A high intake of protein may also help prevent the loss of muscle when you consume fewer calories to lose weight. (16)
To reap the benefits of protein intake it should make up approximately 20-30 percent of your total caloric intake. (17)
Products like PhD Diet Whey and Vega One help increase the amount of protein you get.
6. Solid and Liquid Calories Are Not Equal
Solid and liquid calories do not necessarily suppress appetite in the same way.
A recent review compared a solid and liquid snack, and it found that those who ate a solid snack were 38 percent less likely to overeating at the next meal. (18)
A second study showed those participants who consumed semi-solid snacks were not as hungry and had a lower appetite and greater feeling of fullness than those who consumed a liquid snack. (19)
Because solids require more chewing, this allows more time for the signal you are full to reach the brain. (20)
Another opinion by scientists is that when a person spends extra time chewing it allows the solid food to remain in touch with the taste buds for a longer period, thus promoting the feeling of being full. (21)
This could be one reason why dieters who use liquid supplements, like Plexus Slim, don’t feel less hungry.
7. Take Advantage of the Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger has many different health benefits. Some include reduced nausea, blood sugar levels, inflammation, and even muscle pain. (22) (23) (24) (25)
Recent research has uncovered another benefit of ginger: it can suppress appetite.
According to one study, when dieters dissolved two grams of ginger powder in hot water and used during breakfast participants didn’t feel as hungry after eating. (26)
Unfortunately, this study was rather small. More research on humans is needed before any final answer can be reached.
8. Choose Fiber Rich Foods
Brands like Skinny Fiber and Benefiber Healthy Shape use fiber to suppress appetite.
Another benefit of fiber is its ability to ferment the bowel which then produces short-chain fatty acids. This further helps make the body feel full quicker. (29) (30)
A recent review reported that when you add fiber-rich foods such as beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils to your meal, it can suppress appetite by approximately 31 percent compared to meals that are equivalent but do not have beans. (31)
Whole grains that are rich in fiber can also be beneficial in reducing hunger and making you feel full. (32)
When you eat an additional 14 grams of fiber every day it can decrease your intake of calories by as much as 10 percent. Over a period of about four months, this could result in weight loss of 4.2 pounds. (33)
More recent reviews have observed effects that are not quite as dramatic. This may be based on the fact researchers used different types of fiber. (34) (35)
Thicker types of fiber such as pectins, guar gum and beta-glucans appear to be much more filling than other types of fiber. (36) (37) (38)
Fiber-rich foods often contain many beneficial minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and plant components. (39) (40)
Plant nutrition is something vegan diets focus on. Supplements like All Day Energy Greens are a good source of plant nutrition.
This means those who choose a diet that contains plenty of fruits, beans, nuts, vegetables, and seeds have the ability to enjoy long-term health.
9. Choose High-Protein Healthy Snacks
When you consume high-protein snacks, there’s a chance you’ll feel fuller longer because it works to suppress appetite.
For example, if you eat high-protein yogurt instead of high-fat crackers or chocolate snacks you will decrease your hunger more effectively. (41)
If you consume high-protein yogurt in the afternoon it’s possible you may consume about 100 fewer calories at dinner compared to the other types of snacks. (42) (43)
10. Sleep Can Suppress Appetite and Stop Weight Gain
Making sure you get enough quality sleep can help suppress appetite.
Studies have been conducted that show sleep deprivation can cause an increase in hunger by as much as 24 percent. It may also decrease some fullness hormones by as much as 26 percent. (44) (45)
Research has also shown that consumers who sleep fewer than seven hours nightly rate after breakfast fullness levels as 26 percent lower. (46)
Also, several studies have linked short sleep duration (less than six hours per night) with a 55 percent increase in the potential for obesity. (47) (48) (49) (50) (51)
11. Water Can Give You a Feeling of Fullness
Having a glass of water before meals can help decrease the feelings of hunger you experience before mealtime.
Drinking water can also help you feel fuller quicker after meals and increase weight loss success. (52)
Studies have shown people who drink two glasses of water as soon as they finish eating a meal tend to consume 22 percent fewer calories than those who do not drink any water. (53)
Scientists are of the opinion that approximately 17 ounces of water is enough to stretch the stomach sufficiently enough for signals of fullness to reach the brain.
Water empties from the stomach quickly, so for this method to be successful, you must consume the water fairly close to meal time.
It is possible if you start your meal with a bowl of soup as it will work the same way.
Researchers noted that when a person eats a bowl of soup right before a meal, there is a decrease in the hunger and reduction of approximately 100 calories from the meal itself. (54)
12. Add Spices to Your Meals
Ginger is not necessarily the only spice used to suppress appetite.
A recent review compared the effects of capsaicin and capsiate.
The results showed both had a positive effect and helped fight hunger. (55)
13. Eat on Smaller Plates
Reducing the size of your plates and bowls can help you lessen the amount of food you eat without you realizing it. This can help you consume fewer calories, but not feel as if you are deprived. (56)
On an interesting note is the fact this action can fool even someone who is very aware of what is being eaten.
For example, one study noted even nutrition experts tend to unconsciously serve themselves 31 percent more ice cream when they use larger bowls. (57)
Another study reported that participants who served themselves snacks from larger plates or bowls tended to consume 142 more calories than those who had snacks in smaller containers. (58)
14. Have Pictures of Foods You Love
Some researchers say you can convince yourself to eat less by simply picturing yourself eating.
Participants in one experiment imagined eating three or 33 M&Ms before they were given a bowl of the candy. Those who initially believed they were eating more M&Ms consumed an average of 60 percent less of the candy. (59)
Researchers discovered the same result when they used cheese instead of M&Ms.
Apparently, this visualization exercise tricks the mind into believing you have already consumed some of the foods you desired which significantly decreases your craving for those foods.
15. Omega-3 Fats Increase the Level of the Fullness Hormone
Omega-3 fats can increase the levels of the fitness hormone, leptin. This is especially true of the Omega-3 that is contained in fish and algae oils. (60)
A diet that is rich in Omega-3 fats may also suppress appetite after meals even when calories are restricted for weight loss. (61)
16. Eliminate Body Fat Around Your Middle for Effective Weight Loss
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is the hormone affecting energy balance and can help suppress appetite.
Experts believe higher levels of NPY increase appetite and can change the percentage of calories stored as fat. (62)
Another thing researchers have found is that body fat may increase the production of NPY. This is particularly the case of the body fat that surrounds the organs.
Losing weight around the middle may help suppress appetite and result in lower hunger levels.
Final Thoughts About Ways to Suppress Appetite
Hunger is very natural. But that doesn’t mean it has to get the best of you.
The above tips are just a few small things you can do to suppress appetite and hunger. Remember to get some sleep, add a little spice to your meals and check out fish with healthy fats to get started.
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