When it comes to restrictive dieting for fat loss, you either are able to manage your appetite or you will stay fat. There’s really no way around that, no matter what you may have read. With that being said, let’s go over some of the most effective ways to aid you with hunger so you can stick to your diet:
- Macronutrients manipulation
The first and foremost way to modulate appetite is with proper diet planning, and this goes way beyond simply counting calories. Of course, in order to lose fat, you still need to be in a hypocaloric state, but different macronutrient proportions and timing will spike different hormonal responses (insulin, ghrelin and leptin for example), which can make the difference between a tolerable or unsustainable diet, even if the calories remain the same.
- Supplements
Green tea is a great way to suppress appetite, not to mention its antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic benefits. Stimulants in general provide mild to moderate hunger suppression (caffeine, yohimbine, ephedrine, clenbuterol, nicotine, for example), although their use should be done very carefully specially if you have cases of heart disease in the family.
- Sugar-free foods and drinks
Although it is debatable whether or not you should be using artificial sweeteners routinely, a large portion of sugar-free gelatin or a cold carbonated drink not only may satisfy your sweet tooth but will also help fill your stomach, which in turn stimulates hormonal responses to signal your brain that you are “full”. Flavored and sweetened whey protein powder can also be used to make tasty deserts packed with proteins and little to no carbs and fats.
- Get busy
Listen to a podcast, start a new hobby (or go with your old ones), call a friend, do that project around the house that you’ve been meaning to do for years, you name it. Just keep your mind busy and food away from your mouth. You’ll find out soon enough that most hunger cravings go away in 10-15min if you just do something else and let the time pass.
- Drink a lot of liquids
Plenty of times, our bodies and brains confuse hunger for thirst (if, of course, we’re talking about compulsive/psychological hunger and not physiological hunger from calorie deprivation). In this case, a cup of water, black coffee or a sugar-free tea of your liking might do the trick and allow you to not eat when you’re not meant to.
