How to curb increased appetite and lose weight: 17 rules

It would seem that losing excess weight and staying slim is simple. Nutritionists and trainers give hundreds of tips, the essence of which boils down to one thing - you need to move more and eat less. And if observance of the first commandment usually does not raise questions, then with the second everything is a little more complicated.

Increased appetite is a problem that most people who lose weight face. Most often, these are women who have tried various diets, proper nutrition and calorie counting, but invariably broke down and returned to their usual diet. The reason for this is the feeling of hunger that constantly haunts them. It becomes more and more difficult to control your appetite, and even the achieved result in the form of lost kilograms is no longer motivating. However, it is still possible to lose weight without feeling hungry. You need to follow some rules that will help reduce your appetite. Thanks to them, the process of losing weight will bring only positive emotions, and annoying breakdowns will remain a thing of the past.

Rule 1. Get rid of unnecessary things

The desire to eat something will be much more frequent if you know that your favorite ice cream is in the refrigerator and chocolates in the cabinet. You should get rid of temptations without regret (but only without eating all the sweets in the house the day before starting the diet). Simply throw away unwanted foods and replace them with healthy ones. No need for extra temptations! There should be only a minimum amount of food in the refrigerator - even in the event of a sudden attack of hunger, you will not get enough of the “forbidden” food. You should not justify yourself by the fact that, besides you, other family members live in the house. Getting rid of food waste will benefit both adults and children. Sweets for children can be replaced with healthy analogues, and the husband, if desired, can enjoy cookies outside the home. Ideally, you need to enlist the support of loved ones and switch to healthier eating as a family.

The main secrets of getting rid of hunger without food

Paradox: in order not to be hostage to a constant feeling of hunger, you need to eat right , and we will teach you how to do this:

If you eat food while listening to music or TV, more will “fit” into you - scientifically proven; Conclusion - eat in silence.
Don't snack on the go or while standing - eat while sitting.
Eat from “toy” dishes - with a tiny fork from a small plate.
Spread your meals out over 20 minutes, chewing your food thoroughly. It is after 20 minutes that your brain will give you a signal that you are no longer hungry.
Avoid food temptations: do not keep sweets and other “junk food” on hand.
Before going to bed, be sure to take a walk - this will help reduce your appetite.
Sleep more: according to statistics, a well-rested person eats much less than a person who does not get enough sleep.
Eat little by little, but on a schedule - this way your body will stop spontaneously feeling hungry, and you will begin to control your appetite.
Avoid hot sauces and seasonings - your appetite's best friends.
If you really want to eat, eat foods high in fiber.

Rule 2. Don't starve

The most common reason for breaking a diet is too strict restrictions. A very large calorie deficit will really help you lose weight quickly, but it is impossible to stick to such a diet for a long time. After a few weeks of a low-calorie diet, you may find yourself devouring an entire pizza or cold borscht straight from the pan alone. Frequent attempts to lose weight in this way over time lead to eating disorders - anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia. Even if a person manages to maintain a diet with a large calorie deficit for a long time, he will have to face another problem. Over time, his metabolism will slow down so much that despite the meager diet, weight loss will stop. He falls into a “diet trap” - the weight will quickly return when trying to slightly increase caloric intake. Even if you have excellent willpower, do not use low-calorie diets. The calorie deficit should be small, and ideally it should be created through physical activity (sports, walking).

How to reduce appetite to lose weight using folk remedies

Time-tested recipes are the safest method for weight loss. Folk remedies have virtually no contraindications and have a beneficial effect on all structures of the body. However, when choosing a particular recipe for weight loss or reducing the craving for overeating, it is important to take into account the risk of developing an allergic reaction and other undesirable consequences associated with the specific effects of the composition.

This is especially true for herbs that reduce appetite. Some of them, in addition to eliminating the feeling of hunger, cause a jump in blood pressure, which negatively affects the condition of patients with hypertension. In addition, people with pathologies of the digestive tract and liver should exercise caution when taking herbs and their preparations for weight loss. Reducing appetite using folk remedies can be carried out:

Ginger tea. Add a slice of aromatic root to the finished drink and soak for 10 minutes. Drink ginger tea twice a day.
Infusion of parsley. Brew 20–25 g of dry plant with 250 ml of boiling water, let stand for 20 minutes. Drink the infusion 1 tbsp. l. three times a day.
Epsom salt. Every morning, consume 1 tsp. folk remedy, washed down with water.
Strong tea. Brew dry raw materials in boiling milk to make a strong drink. Take the product in the morning on an empty stomach.
Flaxseed. Every morning eat 1 tsp. this product. Swelling in the stomach, the seed will suppress appetite.
Laminaria (seaweed). Take 20–30 g of the product three times a day with water.

Rule 3. Don't neglect vitamins and supplements

Spend your money and buy quality medications - even with a balanced diet, most of us are deficient in vitamins and minerals. Sometimes increased appetite and the desire to eat a certain product can be associated precisely with a lack of iron, zinc, silicon, and so on. Pay attention to special supplements that help reduce appetite. Thus, chromium picolinate helps stabilize blood sugar, helps to more effectively lose weight and keep appetite under control. Many people note that after several days of taking it, their cravings for junk food, especially sweets, have significantly decreased. Grape seed oil, fish oil, casein protein, and so on have a similar effect. Thanks to special supplements, dietary restrictions will be tolerated even easier.

How to satisfy hunger without food: the most effective ways

In order to deceive hunger and not leave it a single chance to seduce ourselves, we will use the most effective methods that are available to each of us. Choose according to your taste and capabilities:

Drinking therapy (water, coffee, tea, cocktails to reduce appetite).
Suppressing appetite using drugs from the pharmacy.
Sport as a weapon in the fight against hunger.
Breathing exercises for false appetite.
Aromatherapy is an excellent help in the fight against hunger.
Handy and home remedies that “drive away” appetite.

We will talk about each of these magical methods in more detail below.

Rule 4. Water, water and more water

It’s trite, but a lack of water really leads to an increase in appetite and consumption of more food. Water reduces hunger by filling the stomach. In addition, it helps improve metabolic processes and remove decay products. The feeling of hunger is often confused with thirst: after drinking a glass of water, it turns out that you really didn’t want to eat. It has been scientifically proven that by increasing the consumption of clean water, a person reduces weight by several kilograms per year, even without changing anything in his usual diet. There is no need to force yourself for the 3-4 liters of water per day recommended by some experts - the norms are individual for everyone. Drink a glass of water every time you feel hungry - if after 15-20 minutes you still want to eat, you can start eating.

How to satisfy hunger without food: detailed instructions

First, find out if you are really hungry? Drink a glass of lukewarm water: if you still feel hungry after 10-15 minutes, you may really need a snack.
Analyze your condition: maybe your appetite has increased due to stress? Try not to eat the cake, but, for example, take valerian, maybe the feeling of hunger will disappear by itself.
Do breathing exercises and self-massage as described above.
Perform simple physical exercises - pump your abs, jump rope, perform a plank or wave exercise. For 30-60 minutes the feeling of hunger will go away.
Take a hot bath, preferably in combination with aromatherapy - arm yourself with an aroma lamp or use foam with the scent of vanilla, citrus, banana or lavender.

Remember, nothing increases your appetite more than idleness. Load yourself with work to the maximum, distribute your time so that there is no time left not just for food, but even for thinking about it.

Rule 5. Eat more protein

Protein-rich foods take a long time to digest, contain few calories and help reduce appetite. They should be included in every meal, and dinner should be rich in protein in particular. At least a third of the diet should consist of these products: Meat. In addition to the well-known chicken breast, turkey and rabbit fillets, as well as beef and veal, contain a lot of protein and little fat. Seafood. Fish, squid, crabs contain about 20% proteins, which are easily digestible. Dairy products. Cottage cheese, kefir, natural yogurt, cheese. Choose dairy products without sugar or other additives that whet your appetite. Eggs. A cheap source of quickly digestible protein. Legumes. Beans, chickpeas, lentils, peanuts. Soy. An alternative for people who do not consume meat, eggs or milk. Nuts. The leaders in protein content are almonds, walnuts and pistachios. Some cereals. The most satisfying protein products are of animal origin. By regularly including meat, fish and eggs in your diet, you can reduce your appetite and stop overeating.

Herbs to reduce appetite

In the fight against excess weight, it is recommended to use infusions and teas based on medicinal plants. At the same time, herbs that reduce appetite can have a coating effect on the walls of the stomach, thereby preventing the production of digestive juice, or create the effect of fullness (satiety) by increasing its own volume. Some plants reduce the absorption of carbohydrates and fats and help eliminate waste and toxins. The following herbs help curb your appetite:

Fennel. 1 tsp. Place the dry plant in a glass of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. Drink 200-300 ml of fennel infusion per day.
Sagebrush. The herb, which suppresses appetite, is poured with 250 ml of boiling water, and then infused for 15 minutes, after which 20 ml is taken three times a day before meals.
Nettle. 1 tbsp. l. Brew the dried plant with 250 ml of hot water and leave for 15 minutes. Use 1 tbsp. l. three times a day.

Collection of herbs

The herbal complex will help not only moderate appetite, but also improve the functioning of the intestines and kidneys. Herbal infusions remove excess fluid and promote detoxification of the body. Plant complexes, as a rule, include two or more components. The impact of each is different. Nevertheless, the complex effect of the composition helps to moderate appetite and normalize digestion. The following fees are considered effective:

Herbal mixture for those with a sweet tooth. Take blueberry and nettle leaves in equal quantities (100 g each), add dried corn “mustaches” (50 g). 1 tbsp. l. Brew the mixture with 250 ml of water, bring to a boil. Take the folk remedy 100 ml three times a day, 30 minutes after meals.
Collection for severe hunger. Prepare a mixture of corn silk (100 g), cherry stalks (100 g) and strawberry leaves (50 g). 1 tsp. Brew the mixture with a glass of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes. Take a folk remedy for hunger, 200 ml once a day, half an hour before meals.
Multicomponent collection. Take 4 tbsp. l. lingonberry leaves and horsetail. Then add 2 tbsp. l. St. John's wort leaves, strawberries, rose hips, milk thistle seeds. 1 tbsp. l. Brew the dry mixture with a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Take the resulting composition 4 times per 50 ml four times a day.
Fragrant collection. Take equal parts of yarrow, chamomile, rowan berries, peppermint, lingonberry and currant leaves. Brew the herbal mixture in a thermos and leave for 4 hours. Drink ½ glass before meals.

Rule 6. Avoid boredom

Oddly enough, we often eat simply out of boredom. When doing interesting things, people are less likely to think about food. They usually overeat not at work, not in a cafe, but at home, sitting in front of the TV. Therefore, the main recipe is to be busy. Find a new hobby, spend more time outside, get a pet. It is more difficult for those who do not work or work remotely. When the refrigerator is constantly available, meals “out of boredom” become more frequent. In this case, you can “deceive” yourself with green tea without sugar, black coffee, and cold water. As a last resort, eat healthy foods that contain a lot of protein and fill you up for a long time (dried meat, protein bars, cottage cheese).

Small plates and cutlery

The brain is quite easy to trick if you use small plates and cutlery. A small plate full of food is perceived as a portion sufficient to satiate, in contrast to a large plate that is only half filled. In addition, there is a great temptation to fill a large plate, while you physically cannot fit as much food on a small one. Scientists from Cornell and Groningen universities found that people usually fill their dishes 70%, regardless of their size.

Similarly with cutlery - the brain erases the differences between 10 small and large spoons, for example, ice cream; the quantity is important to it, not the volume. Small appliances will help you avoid overeating. Another nice fact is that most people can easily eat 20% more or less than their usual serving and not even notice it. Small plates and utensils will help you use this feature of the body.

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Rule 8. Allow yourself weaknesses

If you can’t imagine life without sweets, pizza or sausage, then you shouldn’t completely exclude them from your diet - strict restrictions will eventually lead to a breakdown and eating the whole cake alone. Allow yourself your favorite foods once a week in small quantities (at one meal). This technique will serve as psychological relief and will make it easier to stick to the diet. Junk foods can make up up to 10 percent of your daily diet, and that's not a small amount. But most of the food should remain healthy - vegetables, fish, poultry, greens, and so on.

Decoctions

Such drinks to reduce appetite can be prepared from vegetables, grains, fruits, and seeds. Decoctions work selectively by affecting certain systems and organs. They improve the functioning of the intestines and liver, suppress appetite, causing a feeling of fullness from consuming a small amount of food. Traditional medicine recommends fighting the craving for overeating with decoctions:

Wheat bran. Pour 200 g of product with a liter of boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes. Then strain. Drink the cooled decoction 100 ml three times a day.
Flaxseed. 1 tbsp. l. the main ingredient, pour 150 ml of boiling water, bring the composition to a boil. Then remove the broth from the heat and shake for 10 minutes. Take a folk remedy for losing weight and reducing cravings for overeating, 150-170 ml three times a day before meals.
Rosehip. Place a tablespoon of fruit in hot water (250 ml) and boil for 15 minutes. Leave the drink for a day. Use rosehip decoction to reduce cravings for overeating, ½ glass 3-4 times a day.

Rule 9. Increase physical activity

Even if you are a completely unathletic person and are not yet ready to go to the gym, a little physical activity will have a positive effect on your weight loss. Go for a long walk with your dog, climb the stairs to the 5th floor, do the simplest exercise, dance to your favorite music. Increasing physical activity will help: burn tens and hundreds of additional calories; reduce appetite; feel healthier, slimmer and more confident. After playing sports, you are unlikely to overeat - you will simply feel sorry for the energy and time spent on training. The body will thank you - you will become slimmer and more graceful, your skin will tighten faster, and cellulite will disappear.

Rule 10. Avoid fast carbohydrates

Eating a large amount of foods containing fast carbohydrates leads to an increase in hunger, and subsequently to weight gain. They quickly enter the bloodstream and sharply raise sugar levels. Fast carbohydrates are found in the following foods: baked goods (bread, pies, etc.); confectionery products (sweets, waffles, chocolate bars); drinks (fruit juices, some alcohol, compotes); soft wheat pasta; potato; many fruits and dried fruits. All of the above foods do not have to be excluded from the diet. They can be eaten for breakfast, in small quantities. In this case, you should give preference to fruits (which contain fiber, vitamins and minerals) and dark chocolate. Slow carbohydrates fill you up for a long time and are low in calories. Products that contain them can be consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Unsweetened vegetables (zucchini, all types of cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, eggplant) can be eaten in large quantities without damaging your figure.

Read food labels

The researchers conducted the experiment: AJ Crum, WR Corbin, KD Brownell, P. Salovey. Mind over milkshakes: mindsets, not just nutrients, determine ghrelin response / Health psychology: official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, during which participants were offered a cocktail. At the same time, one group was told that the calorie content of the drink was 620 kcal, and the second - 140 kcal. Both of them drank a glass and had their blood tested for the hunger hormone ghrelin. Then the scientists gave real calorie labels (380 kcal) to read, and after 60-90 minutes the participants repeated the procedure. It turned out that the level of ghrelin changed depending on the person’s awareness of the greater or lesser calorie content of the product.

Rule 11. Don't forget about fats

In pursuit of a beautiful figure, some completely eliminate fats, which are very high in calories. You can’t do this: fats are necessary for the body. They make food tastier and prolong the feeling of fullness. But not all fats are equally healthy: you should prefer foods rich in omega-3: boiled eggs, in the form of an omelet; avocado, coconut; nuts - walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans (a handful per day); fatty fish - salmon, pink salmon, tuna, mackerel; peanut; pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds; olive, sesame and ghee oil; dairy products. But products containing “harmful” fats (margarine) should be kept to a minimum. These include fast food, chips, convenience foods, store-bought cakes and other baked goods.

How the process works

The content of the article

Information about insufficient glucose levels reaches the brain, which controls the release of neuropeptides responsible for the need for food and metabolic rate.

Hormones of the intestinal tract play an important role in regulating appetite. They are released through the walls of the small intestine.

For example:

cholecystokinin gives a feeling of satiety;
insulin produced in the pancreas is responsible for the metabolism of glucose and also stimulates the secretion of leptin by adipose tissue, which suppresses excess cravings for food;
during fasting, the concentration of gremlin increases;
Serotonin and dopamine, the so-called happiness hormones, produced in the brain suppress the desire to snack, especially sweets.

Problems begin when metabolic processes begin to be disrupted.

Rule 14. Don't refuse, but replace

By replacing some foods, you can significantly reduce the caloric content of your diet. In this case, you won’t even notice the substitution - psychologically it’s much easier than giving up or cutting back on goodies. Sugar in tea, coffee and desserts is perfectly replaced by stevia or erythritol; instead of wheat flour for baking, you can buy flaxseed, almond, and buckwheat. If you can’t give up carbonated drinks completely, choose ones that don’t contain calories. You can make mayonnaise, cake and even sausage yourself using healthy and low-calorie ingredients.

Eat slowly

The brain receives a signal with a delay that your stomach is already full and you are full, so try to prolong the pleasure and eat slowly. You shouldn’t pounce on food and absorb it at cosmic speed, as you are more likely to overeat - in such cases, the brain simply does not have the ability to signal satiety in a timely manner. It is better to take food in small pieces and chew them thoroughly before starting the next one.

Eating more slowly will also help to take breaks - put down your fork or spoon to drink water or just stretch. In addition, you should listen to your body and do not sit at the table if you are not hungry.