People try all kinds of complex and complicated diet plans to try and get their weight under control, but the reason they usually fail is pretty simple – they just get hungry. If you are going to stick to a diet, no matter what it is, you have to become comfortable with a little bit of portion control. And of course, if you are going to stick to portion control in the long term, you can’t be hungry. You have to get to the point where you aren’t eating “portion controlled” foods but rather are eating portions that are reasonable and satisfying. To tide you over until you get to that point, it helps to have some ways to control your appetite. Conquer your appetite and you will conquer your overeating battles.
There are two main approaches to controlling your appetite. One involves taking your mind off of eating altogether, and the other involves eating certain things, in a certain way, so that you still full longer. Combining the approaches is the key to achieving successful appetite control.
One thing you can do to keep your appetite in check is eat! Sure, it sounds obvious, but eating small things often will keep you blood sugar on an even keel. When you blood sugar is stable, you will feel less hungry and you will encourage your metabolism to keep burning instead of storing calories as fat for later. Shoot for eating a little something every three hours to get the maximum benefit of blood sugar control, and therefore, appetite control.
When you do snack, foods that have a lot of fiber, a lot of water, or preferably both, are ideal. These foods keep you full, and they usually do it for a minimum amount of calories. Think fiber rich fruits and veggies, which are chock full of water (and that water will also keep you hydrated, a key component in weight management).
Next, when it comes time for meals, make sure they are balanced. The best meals have a combination of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Any meal that is lacking in one of these components is destined to leave you feeling hungry later. This rule can be a good thing for dieters. For instance, dry lettuce leaves might be low in calories, but eating them alone is a big diet no-no. Add some salad dressing (fat), a little bit of chicken (protein) and some high fiber crackers, and suddenly those boring leaves becoming a meal that is diet friendly and pleasurable to eat.
If you still feel hungry after you eat, give yourself permission to eat more – after a little break. Your appetite takes about 20 minutes to get the message that you have had enough, so waiting that long before you eat some more will give you time to decode the real message. Knowing that you CAN eat some more if you are still hungry will take the pressure off, and 20 minutes later, you can evaluate how hungry you really are – chances are, you won’t want to eat.
Mind over manner is a great technique to use when controlling your appetite, but you can give your will power a boost by avoiding tricky situations completely. Unless it is time to have a snack or a meal, stay away from food. If it is not right there, you won’t eat it. Make reaching for food work, so you have to decide you really want to have it before you can eat it.
Last but not least, give yourself a break. Appetite control is hard work, and some days, you’re going to fall off the wagon. Remember that this is a process, not something you do or don’t do – take the long-term view, and you’ll have much more success in the short term.
