Serious dieting: you either manage your appetite or you stay fat. Period. You can have the best intentions in the world, but if you constantly feel like gnawing off your hand, you're not going to get far. Then let's take a look at the most effective ways to help you deal with hunger so you can focus on more important things (like lifting, pinning and chicks).
Macronutrients Manipulation
The first and foremost way to modulate your appetite is with proper diet setup. But mind you, I'm not just talking about calories here. Goes without saying, to lose fat you're going to have to spend some time in a hypocaloric state. That's a no-brainer. What I'm referring to here though is the macronutrient breakdown of your diet: the protein, carbs, and fat. Depending on how you manipulate these, you can have a diet that keeps you full and satiated, or a diet that has you constantly watching the clock to see when your next meal is, and that screams failure.
Carbohydrates
Friend and foe. Carbs are both anabolic and anti-catabolic, but also secrete insulin which interferes with lipolysis (fat burning). There are lots of ways to manipulate carbohydrate levels in a diet. Your options range from carb cycling to zero carb; you've even got keto approaches with periodic carb-ups or re-feeds. They all work to a degree. The key lies in managing the carbs properly. Constantly fluctuating insulin levels will cause blood sugar rollercoasters. This can result in massive hunger episodes, so keeping carbohydrate levels relatively low most of the time makes the most sense from an appetite suppression standpoint. When low carb is not a viable option, consuming carbohydrates with a high fiber content (apples, oats, raspberries, brown rice, sprouted grain bread, beans, broccoli, etc.) will help slow the digestion of carbohydrate and keep you full for longer.
Protein
Of course you need to keep protein high if muscle and strength are your goals , but protein also helps modulate hunger by keeping you satiated for longer. And it's actually the most filling of the macronutrients, more so than either fat or carbohydrate. Protein also requires more energy to digest as compared to fat and carbs, so it packs a one-two punch for fat loss. The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the amount of energy it takes for your body to digest, absorb, and metabolise the food you eat. TEF makes up a part of your daily calorie expenditure (calories out), and usually represents about 10% of the caloric intake of healthy adults eating a mixed and balanced diet.
Protein should make up at least 40% of your total daily calories.
Possible Useful Adjuncts
Now that we've got the diet squared away, let's discuss some supplements that can give you an extra edge when battling hunger.
I like mixing it in with my coffee:
Macronutrients Manipulation
The first and foremost way to modulate your appetite is with proper diet setup. But mind you, I'm not just talking about calories here. Goes without saying, to lose fat you're going to have to spend some time in a hypocaloric state. That's a no-brainer. What I'm referring to here though is the macronutrient breakdown of your diet: the protein, carbs, and fat. Depending on how you manipulate these, you can have a diet that keeps you full and satiated, or a diet that has you constantly watching the clock to see when your next meal is, and that screams failure.
Carbohydrates
Friend and foe. Carbs are both anabolic and anti-catabolic, but also secrete insulin which interferes with lipolysis (fat burning). There are lots of ways to manipulate carbohydrate levels in a diet. Your options range from carb cycling to zero carb; you've even got keto approaches with periodic carb-ups or re-feeds. They all work to a degree. The key lies in managing the carbs properly. Constantly fluctuating insulin levels will cause blood sugar rollercoasters. This can result in massive hunger episodes, so keeping carbohydrate levels relatively low most of the time makes the most sense from an appetite suppression standpoint. When low carb is not a viable option, consuming carbohydrates with a high fiber content (apples, oats, raspberries, brown rice, sprouted grain bread, beans, broccoli, etc.) will help slow the digestion of carbohydrate and keep you full for longer.
Protein
Of course you need to keep protein high if muscle and strength are your goals , but protein also helps modulate hunger by keeping you satiated for longer. And it's actually the most filling of the macronutrients, more so than either fat or carbohydrate. Protein also requires more energy to digest as compared to fat and carbs, so it packs a one-two punch for fat loss. The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the amount of energy it takes for your body to digest, absorb, and metabolise the food you eat. TEF makes up a part of your daily calorie expenditure (calories out), and usually represents about 10% of the caloric intake of healthy adults eating a mixed and balanced diet.
Protein should make up at least 40% of your total daily calories.
Fats
Awwww lovely fat. For years, fat was a vilified substance that was kept to a bare minimum in the diet of the physique competitor looking to get lean. Today, dietary fat (at least certain types) is glorified for its health benefits and ability to help us lose body fat rather than gain it. When it comes to appetite suppression, dietary fat does an excellent job of slowing digestion and keeping you full. One of the reasons a ketogenic diet works is because it's so easy to follow since hunger is kept to a minimum. Without carbs trickling in, you don't have the blood sugar fluctuations that send your appetite into a rabid frenzy. Any type of fat will help suppress appetite, but from a health standpoint it would be wisest to focus on monounsaturated like olive and macadamia nut oil, omega-3s, and GLA/lauric acid/oleic acid. Saturated fat from sources like grass-fed beef and whole eggs are also good choices. Don't go nuts (pun intended) with fat though. It contains 9 calories per gram (more than twice that of carbohydrate and protein) and calories still make a difference. Getting 30% of your daily calories from fat is a good starting point. Bonus: Fats also help give your muscles a full look when carbs are low. Intramuscular triglycerides storage, gents. To recap: Focus on protein and fat first in your diet to keep appetite at bay. Protein should constitute at least 40% of your daily calories, and fat at least 30%. Carbohydrates should be used more judiciously as they can spark hunger and interfere with fat burning. Just enough to keep you sane and properly functioning.Possible Useful Adjuncts
Now that we've got the diet squared away, let's discuss some supplements that can give you an extra edge when battling hunger.
Chocamine
Imagine the health benefits of chocolate, without the sugar, extra calories, or dairy. I discovered Chocamine over 15 years years ago and have been using it pretty much daily ever since. Chocamine is the "feel good" component of chocolate, but without all the calories. It's more or less a highly processed cocoa extract, but it's different from the type of cocoa extract you'd get at a typical grocery store. Chocamine contains numerous chemical constituents that aid in fat burning, appetite suppression, increased alertness, and reduced fatigue. In my experience, Chocamine provides a smooth, long-lasting buzz, similar to a very mild amphetamine but without any harsh side effects.I like mixing it in with my coffee:
