Overweight often starts with an uncontrollable appetite. To manage your weight, it’s helpful to control your diet and reduce your appetite. So, how can you do this? Check out these tips below.

Safe Tips to Reduce Appetite

You can reduce your appetite by managing your diet, eating certain foods, or practicing mindful eating. Here’s how:

Consume More Protein and Healthy Fats

Consuming protein and healthy fats can help you feel fuller for longer. Protein is known to reduce appetite. Aim to consume 20-30% of your daily calorie intake from protein, or 0.45-0.55 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to help control your appetite.

Foods that are rich in protein include lean meats, eggs, legumes, nuts, and soy products. For healthy fats, incorporate more nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil into your diet.

Drink Water Before Eating

Drinking a large glass of water before meals can help you feel fuller, which may lead to eating the right portion sizes and not overeating.

Research shows that drinking water before meals makes you feel more satisfied and less hungry afterward. If you’re not a fan of water, consider having a light appetizer like soup before your main meal.

Consume More Fiber

Fiber takes longer for your body to process, helping you feel full longer and keeping your stomach satisfied. High-fiber foods are a great way to suppress appetite. Some fiber-rich options include:

• Vegetables
• Beans and legumes
• Seeds
• Almonds
• Chia seeds

Exercise Regularly

Studies have shown that regular physical activity can influence appetite. Exercise reduces brain activity related to hunger, which can help curb cravings for high-calorie foods. However, this effect may not be the same for everyone, as individual metabolic rates vary.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is a practical method for controlling food portions and choices. It teaches you to differentiate between real hunger and emotional cravings. This practice involves eating slowly, paying attention to the color, smell, texture, and taste of food, and being more conscious of how food affects your feelings and body.

By practicing mindful eating, you’ll likely eat smaller portions and make healthier food choices each day.

Get Enough Sleep

Lack of sleep can make you feel hungrier and increase appetite. Insufficient sleep also raises levels of ghrelin, a hormone that drives hunger. To manage your appetite, try to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

Manage Stress

When stressed, the body releases cortisol, a hormone that can increase appetite and lead to weight gain. To reduce stress-related hunger, consider managing stress through activities like journaling, eating nutritious foods, exercising, and relaxing.

Managing your appetite effectively can have long-term health benefits. Eating healthy foods in appropriate portions helps maintain a healthy weight, and keeps your blood pressure and blood sugar levels stable, reducing your risk of chronic diseases.

If you’re struggling with appetite control, consider consulting with a nutritionist or doctor. You can also use the consultation feature on the Ai Care app, available for download on the App Store or Play Store.

Want to learn more health tips, first aid, and home remedies? Click here!