Tips For Losing Weight When You Have A Big Appetite

Approximately 66 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The University of California reports that one of the chief causes of this is simply overeating. While various medications and surgical procedures can help to restrict your appetite to reduce your urge to overeat, you do not have to go to such extremes. Several non-invasive methods of meal planning and lifestyle modification naturally reduce your appetite and increase your chances of weight loss success.

Add Fiber

Dietary fiber has many health benefits, such as reduced blood cholesterol levels and improved cardiovascular health. It also helps to curb even the hungriest appetite in a weight loss-friendly way; it takes up room in your stomach and makes you feel full for an extended period of time without adding a lot of calories. Fiber-rich, low-calorie foods for breakfast include oatmeal and fruit. For lunch, try sandwiches made from whole-grain bread. Add a side of vegetables to your dinner menu.

Snack Before Meals

When you're hungry, your body releases a hormone called ghrelin that stimulates your appetite. Once you start eating, it takes time for your stomach to communicate with your brain that you're full. Jump start this communication process with a snack to curb your appetite and reduce your risk of overeating. Dr. Mehmet Oz suggests consuming a 100-calorie snack 30 minutes before your meal.

Change Your Plates

With large dinner plates, some people become tempted to put more food on them, thus increasing their potential to eat too much. You can eat all of the contents of a smaller plate and psychologically feel more satisfied without overdoing your calorie intake.

Drink Water

Drinking water before your meal adds zero calories to your daily caloric intake, but it adds volume to your stomach to help reduce your hunger pains and restrain your appetite. For the best results, drink two glasses of water before each meal. Numerous weight loss studies have pointed to the positive effect of water intake with weight loss. For example, a 2010 study in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" found that dieters who drank water before meals lost an average of five pounds more than dieters who didn't drink water before they ate.