Weight Loss With A Normal Appetite

Appetite control is one of the most challenging and frustrating aspects of trying to lose weight. Appetite varies from person to person, so what you consider "normal" may be quite different someone else. For instance, according to Louis J. Aronne, author of "The Skinny: On Losing Weight Without Being Hungry," the brain signals that deliver hunger and fullness to the brain "work exquisitely" in naturally skinny people. However, other people have a condition he calls fullness resistance.

Definition

Appetite refers to your desire to eat. According to the website NetWellness, appetite is a complex process in which your senses, hormones, brain signals, nerves and proteins in the gut play a role. You are more likely to be sensitive to your desire to eat than to the signals that tell you you're full.

Considerations

According to a study published in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism," the levels of appetite hormones in your body before you start dieting can predict whether you gain back weight after dieting. If you have fullness resistance, you may have fewer receptors that can alert the brain that you're full, causing you to eat more than you should.

Appetite Changes

Appetite is not static; several factors can increase or decrease it. For instance, when you do not get enough sleep, your body does not produce enough of the appetite-suppressing hormone, leptin. On the other hand, levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite, increase. Illness, stress, and some foods and supplements can also change your appetite.

Food Choices

If you believe that you have a "normal" appetite, but you're not getting the weight-loss results you want, consider changing the types of food you eat. The biggest obesity culprits include saturated and trans fats, which are found in foods such as meat, dairy products, junk food and prepackaged foods. Increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and fish you consume. Select low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat.

Exercise

Appetite and diet aren't the only considerations when it comes to losing weight. Regular exercise can help you burn calories faster. Also, strength-training exercises increase muscle mass, which revs up your metabolism. Furthermore, a 2008 study conducted by the American Physiological Society showed that exercise reduces hunger-triggering hormones.