Are you always hungry?

Are you constantly thinking about food? Struggling with cravings?

Here are some tips to help you control your appetite:

Eat more plants: Vegetables and fruits contain fibre that swells in the intestine and slows the digestive process… making you feel satisfied. They also have a higher proportion of water, which increases the volume of food you eat while keeping the calorie content of your meal lower.

Eat more high-SI (satiety index) foods – these foods have a natural appetite-suppressant effect:

  • Apples
  • Almonds
  • Oily fish
  • Flaxseeds
  • Coffee / caffeine
  • Ginger
  • Chillies / cayenne pepper
  • Avocado
  • Eggs
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Dark/bitter chocolate
  • Wasabi
  • Green tea
  • Vegetable juice
  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Cinnamon
  • Skim milk
  • Whey protein
  • Rye

Increase the proportion of lean protein in your diet. Try to include protein in your breakfast. Of all the food groups, protein takes the longest to digest and requires the most energy for the digestion process to take place.

Drink enough water to keep well-hydrated. Sometimes we misinterpret thirst and think we are hungry. If you crave a snack… have a glass of water, or a cup of tea or coffee and see whether that satisfies you before diving into that packet of crisps.

Avoid eating high-carbohydrate or sugary foods when hungry: Rather eat protein-rich nutritious foods. Snack on vegetables, fruits, nuts and protein foods.

Eat hunger-reducing appetisers before your main meal – caffeine/spicy foods/protein. Avoid bread!

Cut your food into smaller pieces: This gives the illusion that you are eating more, and you take a bit more time to eat, which allows the satiety signals to reach your brain. 

Use a smaller plate: Your eyes have an important role in appetite regulation.

Chew! Chewing your food thoroughly means that you take longer to finish your meal and your brain gets the message that you have eaten well and enough. You also extract more nutrition from your food if you chew well, which will reduce cravings later.

Check out my Nutrition Basics course for more healthy eating tips:  https://www.udemy.com/course/health-and-vitality-bootcamp-nutrition-basics

Posted in Healthy Nutrition

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