Mastering Appetite Control

• 1- Practise mindful eating: Try to eliminate distractions and focus on the foods that you have in front. This helps you to keep the focus on food quality rather than quantity, reducing hunger. Mindful eating includes opting for low-calorie foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains. Eating a large volume of these low-calorie foods can help a person to burn more calories than they consume, helping you to lose weight.
• 2- Eat enough protein- and fiber-enriched foods: Eating more proteins increase the feeling of fullness, which makes you eat less during your next meal, helping you to lose weight (fat). On the other hand, fiber-rich foods help to stretch the stomach and release fullness hormones. If eating snacks is already a part of your daily routine, you better choose high-protein rather than high-fat snacks. High-protein snacks increase the feeling of fullness while decreasing the total calorie intake during the next meal.
• 3- Eat Omega- fatty acids: Omega-rich fatty acids, particularly those found in fish and algae oils, help to increase the levels of the fullness hormone leptin. A diet rich in omega- fatty acids may also increase fullness after eating, helping the process of weight loss.
• 4- Drink enough sugar-free liquids: Water can definitely help you to decrease hunger and increase the feeling of fullness after you eat while helping weight loss. If you are a coffee lover, coffee can certainly help you both, the feeling of fullness plus weight loss due to its well-known lipolytic effect. It is also known for many other health benefits and boosting sports performance.
• 5- Eat dark chocolate: Highly-enriched dark chocolates are also thought to help to decrease the appetite and diminishing cravings. Scientists also believe that dark chocolate can help slow digestion, which indeed increases the feelings of fullness.

• 6- Spicy foods:  Studies have shown that the capsaicin found in some spices such as hot and sweet peppers, peppers may help to decrease hunger and increase the feeling of fullness. And, interestingly, these compounds might also increase the number of calories burned after a meal. 
• 7- Controlling meal portions: Tricking your mind to unconsciously reduce meal portions or the size of your dishes can help you to reduce your meal intake. This trick will definitely help you to unconsciously consume less food without even realizing it. And, importantly, this little trick has been shown to fool even the most hungry eater.
• 8- Control stress level: A high level of stress is known to raise the levels of cortisol, which is thought to increase food cravings. Reducing your stress level may not only help you to control appetite and hunger, but also reduce your risk of gaining weight, obesity, and depression.
• 9- Do not miss your beauty sleep: Getting enough quality sleep can also help you to reduce hunger and promote weight loss.
• 10- And of course, exercise regularly: Studies show that exercise reduces the activation of brain regions linked to food cravings, reducing eat behavior). It also reduces the hunger hormone levels, while increasing the feelings of fullness, while promoting weight loss due to dramatic calorie burning. 

Take home message

Mastering the art of controlling appetite/hunger is the most important part of any weight loss program. The tips I have mentioned here are very easy-to-do tricks that can help you to control and reduce your appetite and hunger in between meals. If none of the above works for you, perhaps you should consider the possibility of talking to a healthcare specialist to try other more sophisticated options.

First Edition: Oct 2021