Is your appetite causing your gain weight? Is your craving for food making it difficult for you to stick to your diet? Are you not losing weight even after exercising regularly?
This is a problem which many of us face---a large appetite or excessive cravings for certain foods. Appetite control is a major concern when you are trying to lose weight. Some measures which can help you to control you appetite include;
Divide and Conquer Your Appetite
Eat 5-6 small meals at regular intervals rather than three large meals. This will prevent you from becoming overly hungry and overeating. Like you can divide your lunch and eat a part for lunch and the remaining part may be eaten as an early afternoon snack.
Fill Up on Fiber
Eat foods which are rich in fiber like vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods. Fiber slows digestion and makes you feel full for longer. Avoid processed foods as these lack fiber, and many vitamins and minerals. Processed foods are digested quickly, provide the same number of calories and increase your risk of obesity and diabetes.
Be a Kid at Heart (or, at the Table)
Remember as a child we left what we did not like and ate only till we were no longer hungry. So follow the same now-- you really need not finish all that is there in your plate and eat till you are no longer hungry than till you feel full.
Eat Enough at Mealtimes
Eat well at mealtimes so that you do not feel hungry after sometime. This will keep a check on how much you eat and prevent snacking on unhealthy junk.
Eat "Slow"foods
When you are hungry eat foods that need to be chewed well as it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive the "signal" that you have eaten and are full. This will prevent overeating.
Eat breakfast
Breakfast is considered to be an important meal. A healthy breakfast provides you with energy to function well. If you are on a diet and aim to lose weight do not skip breakfast. When you skip breakfast you will tend to over eat unhealthy snacks during the day.
Appetite Control Foods
Certain foods (like apple, green leafy vegetables, oatmeal, food rich in proteins and fiber, soup vegetable drink, whey powder, flaxseed and walnut) can reduce your cravings for unhealthy and high calorie foods. Try and include these foods in your diet.
Try to follow these tips to control your appetite. Appetite control is important if you want to lose weight and be healthy. Besides appetite control it is very important to avoid foods rich in refined carbohydrates and processed foods. For healthy living besides eating healthy, try to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and get enough sleep and rest.