7 Sensible Ways to Decrease the Appetite

1. Water

This is the easiest and the commonest method to control your food intake. Gulp down a glass of water right before having your meal. This shall help you eat less, since your stomach will feel full due to water. Actually, people with generous appetites have the satiety centers of their brains adjusted to a level where it satisfies only when they eat too much. Hence, by drinking a glass full of water before your meal, you actually trick this satiety center which assumes that your stomach is full, and hence gets happy with little amount of food.

2. High-fiber diet

We totally understand how would ‘fiber-containing food,’ sound to those who are adapted to eating spices and sugar most of the time. But fortunately, we have many healthy brands in the market that offer sweet as well as spicy oatmeals and other fiber-loaded products that are prepared within healthy limits. Fibers are actually high in carbohydrates that make your stomach full even in low quantities. This keeps you carrying out your tasks for hours without the hunger pangs bothering you. High-fiber diet is another way of fooling your satiety center.

3. Teach the hunger pangs a lesson

Hunger pangs are way too naughty and sensitive. They demand high-calorie food all the time, and increase in frequency every time they are given attention. You can also trick these unwanted hunger pangs by dealing with them in healthy ways. Keep a pack of digestive biscuits with you all the time and have when you crave calories. You can also resort to your favorite fruits and vegetables to put your hunger pangs to sleep for hours. If you develop a healthy eating habit every time you face hunger at inappropriate hours, you will eventually notice your appetite getting suppressed without too much effort.

4. Ignore the grumbling stomach

If you are quite serious about decreasing your appetite, then you must become a little cruel with your stomach demands. Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? Well, it is quite not so difficult. All you need to do is to divert your mind every time your stomach demands food at inappropriate hours. Too much asked, isn’t it so?

Well, try this a couple of times and you might get used to it. Over time when you develop this (not so-desired) habit, you may realize that not paying attention to your grumbling stomach and carrying out other tasks instead makes you feel more healthy inside.

5. Eat early, sleep early

Make a habit of not eating after 8 p.m. in the evening, since late-night meals are actually injurious to the health. Eat something light yet tasty like boiled or grilled chicken with white rice. Make sure that the quantity is not too much. Gobble up some fruits an hour later after your meal and take care that it is not after 8 p.m. Develop a habit of going to bed early at night, since staying up late will urge your mind to toss up the items in the fridge every minute.

6. Occupy your mind

Carry out exercises, go out for a walk, read, study, play games, work more, hang out with friends, or talk to a friend to occupy your mind with things other than food. A bored and empty head can think of nothing besides eating. Avoid getting lazy and staying in bed for long hours. With a mind occupied by certain useful things, you yourself will note that you are getting healthier from the inside and your appetite isn’t bothering you anymore. You shall discover that life has a lot of great things apart from eating all the time.

7. Replace sugar and salt with spices

Finally, we have something for you which you shall love to do for decreasing your appetite. However, if you are not a spice-loving person, the tip shall still sound annoying to you. A clever way to defeat your appetite is to make more use of spices in your food instead of sugar and salts. Research says that spices such as cinnamon, as well as foods such as ginger and clove help in lowering blood sugar levels and aid in overcoming unwanted sugar cravings.

According to Canadian research, people who consumed appetizers with hot sauce prior to their meals consumed 200 calories lesser than the group who did not consume hot sauce.

So the next time you are seated in front of your table, keep dab of hot sauce ready beside your plate.