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Jumpstart Your Fitness: Outwitting your appetite
Posted on Mar 17th 2008 6:00AM by Rigel CelesteFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss
God created appetites as a way to make sure we wouldn't forget to eat and starve to death, but somehow over the years it's turned into almost the opposite -- instead of helping us live our appetites are contributing to one of the biggest killers of our generation: obesity. Although many work to retrain appetites and are successful, many people (me included) fight it on a pretty much daily basis -- I'm not so much training myself not to be hungry for certain things as I'm training myself to recognize when that hunger is legitimate and when it's not.
But sometimes it gets the better of me.
My appetite is downright evil sometimes, so finding ways to "cut it off at the pass" is something I'm definitely interested in. And what luck! Here are 10 ways to do just that:
Outwit your appetite by:
Having protein for breakfast
People who eat protein for breakfast are less hungry later on and, on average, end up eating 267 fewer calories each day.
Making indulging inconvenient
Put tempting foods, snacks, and sodas in an inconvenient place, like a fridge in the basement or garage. Chances are at least some of the time you'll be too lazy to seek it out and instead will make healthier choices from what's handy in the kitchen.
Fighting hunger pangs with sleep
People who don't get enough sleep are hungrier than those who do because of hormonal fluctuations that trigger appetite.
Using aromatherapy
Brain scans show that the reactions of scent through the nose and flavor in the mouth are much the same in your mind -- so when you're having a craving try putting on your favorite cologne instead of eating.
Eating in bright light
People eat less under brightly lit conditions than they do in dim or dark areas. In restaurants sit near a window or under a light, and at home keep your table bright and cheerful.
Never seeing a heaping plate
Seeing a big plate of food will make you want a big plate of food, so serve yourself appropriate servings at home and when eating out have the waitress pack up half of your meal for leftovers before she ever brings the plate out to you.
Taking a seat
Make a point to sit down not only for meals but snacks too. Use a plate and utensils and you'll eat fewer calories throughout the day.
Starting with soup
Starting a meal with a light soup can cut as many as 20% of the calories from your meal by filling you up faster.
Limiting choices
More choices means more cravings. Buy packages that don't have an assortment of colors or flavors, and try not to keep too many unhealthy options/too much tempting variety in the house at once.
Talking
Although sometimes people eat more in social settings you can use friends to your advantage by doing a lot of talking while you eat. If you're talking you'll eat slower, both giving your brain a chance to register that you're full and then letting you call it quits when everybody else is done (whether or not your plate is empty yet).
Having protein for breakfast
People who eat protein for breakfast are less hungry later on and, on average, end up eating 267 fewer calories each day.
Making indulging inconvenient
Put tempting foods, snacks, and sodas in an inconvenient place, like a fridge in the basement or garage. Chances are at least some of the time you'll be too lazy to seek it out and instead will make healthier choices from what's handy in the kitchen.
Fighting hunger pangs with sleep
People who don't get enough sleep are hungrier than those who do because of hormonal fluctuations that trigger appetite.
Using aromatherapy
Brain scans show that the reactions of scent through the nose and flavor in the mouth are much the same in your mind -- so when you're having a craving try putting on your favorite cologne instead of eating.
Eating in bright light
People eat less under brightly lit conditions than they do in dim or dark areas. In restaurants sit near a window or under a light, and at home keep your table bright and cheerful.
Never seeing a heaping plate
Seeing a big plate of food will make you want a big plate of food, so serve yourself appropriate servings at home and when eating out have the waitress pack up half of your meal for leftovers before she ever brings the plate out to you.
Taking a seat
Make a point to sit down not only for meals but snacks too. Use a plate and utensils and you'll eat fewer calories throughout the day.
Starting with soup
Starting a meal with a light soup can cut as many as 20% of the calories from your meal by filling you up faster.
Limiting choices
More choices means more cravings. Buy packages that don't have an assortment of colors or flavors, and try not to keep too many unhealthy options/too much tempting variety in the house at once.
Talking
Although sometimes people eat more in social settings you can use friends to your advantage by doing a lot of talking while you eat. If you're talking you'll eat slower, both giving your brain a chance to register that you're full and then letting you call it quits when everybody else is done (whether or not your plate is empty yet).
