How to Curb an Appetite

Ever noticed that when you're dieting you seem hungry all the time, even at times when you normally would feel fine, having eaten the exact same foods that day? It's like your brain plays tricks on you just to watch you squirm. Try some of these tactics to curb your appetite and ward off your brain's negative thoughts once and for all.

Instructions

1

Bottoms up! We all know we're supposed to drink at least 64 oz. of water every day. Broken down, that's 4 big glasses of water, so if you drink one with every meal that only leaves you with one to spare. When your stomach starts to growl, grab a bottle of water. Often times our brains confuse thirst for hunger so if we give our body a chance to set our brain straight, we can save ourselves some major calories.

2

Keep busy. Don't you love the feeling of being on the go all morning and then realizing at 1:00 that you forgot to eat lunch and never even felt hungry? Lunch tastes a little better knowing you earned it and weren't sitting at your desk watching the minutes tick by on your computer screen. Or worse-sitting at your desk with a candy bar in your mouth, knowing you're going to regret your desperate decision. So run errands, clean the house and keep your mind occupied.

3

Hit the gym. A moderately-challenging workout can help curb your appetite enough to get you to your next meal time. It will also make you more aware of what you are eating during that next meal so you are less likely to eat back all the calories you just burned. Keep in mind, however, that working out too rigorously can drain your energy and cause fatigue, which can lead to injury.

4

Eat small meals throughout the day. Try eating every three to four hours so you keep your metabolism going and your blood sugar from dropping too low. Sometimes knowing that you are "allowed" to eat so frequently is enough to satisfy your brain and keep you calm until your next meal.

5

Give your food time to digest. Wait at least 20 minutes before taking a second helping. This is how long it takes for our stomach to connect with our brain and send the message that it's full. Waiting those 20 minutes will help you gauge whether you truly are still hungry and prevent you from overeating.

6

Brush your teeth and hit the sack. These are perhaps the easiest to incorporate in your daily routine. If you brush your teeth and go to bed, you're checking out for the night and therefore preventing night-time snacking, which can be detrimental to a diet. Plus, cookies don't taste quite as good after just brushing your teeth!