Govern well thy appetite, lest Sin
Surprise thee, and her black attendant, Death.~John Milton
A raging appetite can ruin any weight loss plan, and keep you from losing weight indefinitely. That is why appetite control is an essential skill you must acquire before embarking on any weight loss journey.
The best way to control your appetite, strangely enough, is by eating. Not by eating lots of junk food. By eating the right foods you can control even the most stubborn appetite. And the best part, all these appetite control foods are also diet foods. They will also help you lose weight.
The best foods you can eat to keep in check your appetite are fiber rich foods like: dark green leafy vegetables, peas, spinach, broccoli, beans, avocado, berries, dried fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds… Each time you feel your appetite getting out of control eat some high fiber foods. Before eating the main course, eat as appetizers high fiber foods. This way you will avoid overeating, and eating lots of fattening foods.
By including more high fiber foods in your meals you will also get hungry less often. Your digestive system take a little longer to digest dietary fibers. This means that you will feel full for extended periods of time, reducing your total daily food intake. This can only help you lose weight.
Make sure you drink plenty of water and keep your body hydrated. More often than not, when we are hungry we are actually thirsty. By giving your body all the fluids it needs you will be able to control your appetite a lot better.
If you are often cough off guard between meals by your appetite there are two thing you can do:
1) Eat a healthy snack. Fruits and veggies are perfect low cal snacks that will keep your hunger at bay long enough so you can make it till your next meal.
2) Eat bigger meals. If you can’t take snacks around with you, include those snacks in your meals. Each time you eat make sure you overeat just a little. Eat more healthy food during your meals and you won’t be tempted to snack on unhealthy foods between your meals.
The last appetite control tip that I have to share with you is truly powerful, but you will have to work a little to be able to use it. Eat your food slowly. The slower you can eat your food the better. It takes roughly 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you had your fill. If you gobble down all the food in front of you in 5 minutes, your brain won’t get the stop message in time.
It takes some practice and patience to acquire this healthy eating habit. It won’t come natural to you. By consciously trying to eat slower, you will feel a little odd at first, but in time you will get used to eating your food slowly. Then eating your food fast will seem strange. I am still working on this healthy eating habit. I used to be a chow machine, eating super fast. Now I believe I have a normal eating speed, which can be lowered a little more. Wish me luck.
July 14, 2010
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