Feeling hungry makes it hard to keep your portion size small and snacking to a minimum, which is why many people wonder how to suppress their appetite. Athough there are many products on the market that claim to suppress the appetite, most haven''t been tested enough to detremine if they are safe for use. Fortunately, there are many easy ways to suppress your appetite without trying supplements.
Step 1
Eat regular meals and snacks. Although it might seem counterintuitive to eat more so that you want to eat less, getting the right amount of food throughout the day can help suppress your appetite. Ideally, try to have a snack or meal every 3 to 5 hours. You don't have to eat more calories, but spreading your calories out over the day helps keep you from feeling the need to snack. Eating breakfast is especially important; studies have shown that those who eat breakfast feel less hungry during the day and are less likely to binge.
Step 2
Choose filling foods. If you're constantly hungry, you might be eating the wrong foods. If you want to eat less, choose fiber-rich foods that will make you feel full in smaller amounts. Good choices include whole grains, beans and other vegetables. Because these foods fill you up, you're less likely to be hungry again a few hours after eating them.
Step 3
Get enough protein and healthy fat. Carbohydrate-heavy foods are burned more quickly by your body, which means they won't leave you feeling full as long as proteins and healthy fat, which take longer to burn. Include plenty of lean meats, snacks like nuts and edamame, fatty fish and peanut butter in your diet to suppress the desire to eat between meals.
Step 4
Drink plenty of water. Many people think they are hungry when they're actually thirsty. You can reduce the desire to snack during the day by making sure that you're drinking at least six to eight glasses of water every day and drinking a glass of water before having an unscheduled snack.
Step 5
Get plenty of sleep. Not getting enough sleep at night can increase your body's cortisol production, which stimulates your appetite throughout the day. Most adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night.
Tips and Warnings
- Some medications increase your appetite, so ask your doctor or pharmacist to let you know if increased appetite is a potential side effect of any new prescription.
- If persistent hunger is an ongoing problem, talk to your doctor. In some rare cases an insatiable appetite can signal more serious health problems.
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