Diet Tips On Resisting Seconds

Consuming excess calories interferes with your weight-loss goals, and overeating can also affect your cholesterol levels. Your body stores excess calories in the form of triglycerides, a type of cholesterol. Eating protein can help you feel full longer, and several other tips may help curb your appetite so you are not tempted to eat seconds.

Blue Plates

The color blue can decrease your appetite, according to neuroscientist Michele Noonan. Noonan explains that blue is an unappetizing color because blue food rarely occurs in nature. Another theory is that the color blue is soothing and stimulates beta brain waves, which reduce your appetite. Eating your meals on blue plates may help you resist the urge to go for seconds.

Grapefruit

Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate glucose levels. Elevated insulin levels can stimulate hunger. Insulin is also responsible for storing glucose as fat or energy. Grapefruit contains substances that may help lower insulin levels after meals, according to Fred A. Stutman, in his book "100 Best Weight-Loss Tips." Stutman explains that eating half a grapefruit with your meals may help curb your appetite.

Smell

Proponents such as neurologist Alan Hirsch, director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, speculate that food odors can help reduce your appetite, resulting in consumption of fewer calories. Hirsch developed a weight-loss product that when sprinkled on your food is designed to trick your brain into signaling you to feel full faster. Hirsch maintains that the food odors in his specially designed "Tastants" can help you eat less and lose weight.

Eat Slowly

Your meals should last about 30 minutes, according to Stutman. Eating too fast may not give your brain enough time to signal your stomach to feel full. Avoid eating when you are in a rush or are preoccupied with television. Stutman recommends chewing your food thoroughly and eating at a slow pace to give your brain time to catch up. You are less likely to go for seconds if you pace your eating. Eating quickly can result in overconsumption, Stutman says.