If you stumbled across this article than you are most likely interested in suppressing your appetite. This would suggest that you are on a diet and looking to lose weight. Let me preface this post by saying that you rarely need to suppress your appetite. This fact may shock you but if you think about it logically, the secret to weight loss is to increase you metabolism, the rate your body uses food for energy. When you look at it this way, being hungry is a good thing! As long as you are eating the correct foods at the correct time of day!
There are times where appetite suppression will aid your weight loss efforts. For example, the evening is a popular time for diets to be derailed. You’ve eaten well all day, you’re tired and your defenses are down. Besides, it’s just one brownie… wrong! If you are going to cheat on your diet the evening is the absolute worst time to do so. While you sleep your body enters a hibernation mode where the energy from the foods you eat are transformed into energy reserves for later. These energy reserves can also be called… body fat!
When your night time cravings roll in try these three simple tips and tricks to stay on the fast track to diet success!
1. TIP: Start your day off right- with protein!
If you are wondering how eating protein for breakfast can possibly relate to your midnight ice cream binge the answer is “quite a lot”. When losing weight you want your body to eat up its current fat stores. If you eat protein in the morning your craving for fatty foods will decrease. Protein also increases your metabolism and acts as a regulator for your appetite.
TRICK: Keep egg whites and finely chopped green peppers and spinach in your fridge. In the AM heat up a small pan, pour in a serving of of egg whites, sprinkle on the vegetables, fold over and you have an omelet! Serve with a small piece of whole grain toast with a tablespoon or organic peanut butter.
2. TIP: Load up on grapefruit!
In one study, individuals who added half a grapefruit to each meal lost 3.6 pound in three months, on average. This is may not seem shocking but consider this: all they changed was adding a grapefruit! Imagine the difference it could make on your healthy weight loss diet.
TRICK: Have half a grapefruit for your snacks with a small amount of lean protein. Try adding in 15 raw almonds.
3. TIP: Take a whiff!
It sounds absurd, but it works. Smelling food plays a trick on your brain, making it believe you’ve eaten. A study recently found that individuals that smelt the scent of peppermint in two hour increments ate 2700 less calories per week than they usually did. That is more than a pound a week, just from smelling a delicious scent.
TRICK: Vanilla and peppermint can make a great diet buddy! Keep an aroma therapy bottle in your purse or briefcase and take a whiff when the urge strikes. Peppermint can also be a great stress soother.
