25 tricks to convince your body it’s not hungry
1. Drink Water - This is one of the most essential ways to stay healthy and stick to your diet. Not only does drinking water flush toxins from your body, it keeps you energized and makes your stomach feel full. Do not force too much water down, as that will make you feel sick. However, drinking eight glasses a day plus one before each meal will stem your hunger.
2. Chew Gum - Sugarless gum is a guilt-free way to keep your jaws busy. Many people attest that chewing gum can help you lose weight and make you feel as if you are eating food. Other benefits, such as building stronger jaw muscles and increasing concentration, are also associated with chewing gum.
3. Take a Nap - Can’t stop thinking about how hungry you are? Take a little nap and you will probably wake up feeling more energized and more satisfied. Most people don’t feel hungry first thing in the morning and that is because there is less acid in your stomach. A nap can recreate this feeling.
4. Eat Small Meals Throughout the Day - One of the best ways to not feel hungry is by constantly eating! Yes, this can actually help you lose weight. By eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of a few large meals, your metabolism stays high and your stomach always has a little food in it. Try six meals a day instead of three.
5. Fill up on Fresh Veggies - If you really need a snack, you should eat one that is guilt-free and that won’t contribute to more hunger. Non-starchy vegetables are “free foods” that you can eat all day without gaining weight. They also stick to your ribs longer than other snacks. Did you know that it takes more calories to consume a stick of celery than are actually in the celery? That is why celery is referred to as a “negative calorie” food.
6. Reduce Your Carb Intake - Carbohydrates turn to sugar and stimulate your body’s insulin, thus causing a vicious cycle of hunger. Remember, food is supposed to satiate your hunger, not increase it! Reduce your carb intake to gain control over your constant hunger.
7. Eat Lean Protein - Protein stays in your body longer than carbohydrates, so choose a lean piece of meat over a low-fat bagel. There is a reason why people were dropping serious pounds on the Atkin’s Diet. While that is an extreme diet, you can sensibly increase your lean protein intake and minimize your hunger between meals.
8. Increase Your Fiber Intake - Bulky, high-fiber foods usually fill your stomach quickly and keep you satisfied for a long time. They also require quite a bit of chewing, which psychologically triggers the feeling of satisfaction.
9. Don’t Skip Breakfast - So many people run out the door before eating a good breakfast. Likewise, misinformed people who are trying to lose weight will sometimes skip meals. Breakfast is definitely not the meal the skip, as it gives you a much-needed metabolism boost to keep you going until your next meal.
10. Eat More Eggs - Looking for a low-fat, high-protein snack to stem your hunger? Eggs will give you that in spades. If cholesterol is a concern for you, skip the egg yolks and make yourself an egg white snack.
11. Brush Your Teeth and Tongue - How great does a minty, clean mouth feel? Probably good enough to make you think twice before you eat something directly after a good tooth and tongue brushing. This is a method used by many dieters.
12. Exercise - A nice long walk or jog is certain to boost your adrenaline and kill your hunger… for a while, at least. Burning more calories will make your body hungry. However, most people are not hungry directly after exercising, so this can be a great way to pass the time between meals instead of eating.
13. Drink Vinegar - A fad diet that has come and gone involved drinking two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar before each meal. While it was proven that vinegar does not directly cause weight loss, some people feel less hungry after drinking it because it’s so unappealing.
14. Avoid Salt - Excessive amounts of salt is never good for your body and can definitely lead to dehydration. Since many people can’t recognize the difference between hunger and thirst, eating salt could make you feel as if you are hungry when you really aren’t.
15. Avoid Sugar - Foods that are high in sugar may taste delicious, but they burn through your body too quickly. Even sugary snacks that are low in fat are a bad idea, as you will just get hungry soon again and require more food.
16. Stay Busy - Many people convince themselves that they are hungry when they are actually just bored. If you find yourself eating because there is nothing else to do, put yourself to work. Keep your mind off food and your diet.
17. Avoid Food - Literally. Not only should you keep yourself busy, you might want to avoid places where you will see (and smell!) food. Don’t hang out in the kitchen and don’t meet friends at a restaurant if you aren’t planning on eating.
18. Avoid Alcohol - Not only is alcohol filled with empty calories, it can greatly increase your appetite. It is hard to tell when your body is full after you become a bit tipsy. Alcohol also relaxes that willpower of yours, which makes you even more likely to go for a second helping.
19. Eat Slower - Often times, we will eat until we are “stuffed.” You don’t want to go that far before you stop eating, which is why you should slow down when you eat. You may be surprised at how much less you will have to eat before your body feels satisfied.
20. Suck on a Peppermint - Many physical and psychological benefits have been attributed to peppermint over the years. Although it hasn’t been proven by scientists, some dieters swear that sucking on a peppermint makes their body feel full when they are a bit peckish.
21. Avoid Caffeine - Although some people use caffeine as an appetite suppressant, you will just quickly crash after the caffeine burns through your body. This is similar to how sugar makes you hungrier than before. You really don’t need anything to drink other than water while trying to lose weight.
22. Chew Ice - Chewing will trick your body into thinking it’s eating and water makes your stomach feel fuller. Therefore, chewing ice covers both diet tricks at once! Mind you, chewing ice isn’t good for sensitive teeth or those with braces.
23. Learn to Manage Stress - Mind-over-body diet tricks are hard to control if you aren’t thinking with a straight head. Therefore, you should do your best to manage your stress level. Stress will not only make you want to eat, it is a leading cause of overeating.
24. Suck in Your Gut - Your body experiences hunger when the stomach is empty. By tightening your abdominal muscles (also known as “sucking in your gut”), you will compress your stomach and temporarily mask hunger pangs. It is recommended that you always keep your stomach muscles tightened anyway, as it helps you to get your abs into shape.
25. Put Your Fork Down Between Every Bite - This is a great way to make yourself slow down while eating and it also sends signals to your brain that you are through eating each time you put the fork down. Some dieters will put the fork down between each bite and take a sip of water.
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