Steps To Better Your Diet Plan Thereby Decreasing Your Appetite

During your journey toward improved health and weight loss, you will find that perhaps you might need as many options as possible to help with decreasing your appetite, especially in those early phases of the HCG diet when you start to cut down on portion sizes in order to curtail calorie intake.  However, there is no need to worry because there are many different avenues to take toward taking complete control of your urge to overeat.  Here are some steps to take to improve your dieting situation.

Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth after every meal is not just prudent hygiene, it also affects appetite—at least psychologically.  What is interesting about this practice is that once teeth are cleaned and flossed, a person, for whatever reason, might not want to “undo” the work that went into brushing.  Also, one would not want to be in a hurry to deal with “stinky breath” right after resolving that problem—even though it’s a fairly minor one.  So basically, once you brush your teeth, you get yourself into the mindset of “Ok.  I’m finished for a while since I went through all of this effort.  No more food!”  Therefore, this habit eventually conditions you to remember not to eat so soon after a meal once the mouth is thoroughly cleaned or to snack as much or as often in between.  Other incentives to remember is a much lower dentist’s bill and less money spent on gum or breath mints, which you should not be partaking of if you’re taking hcg diet drops due to the amount of sweeteners found in these items.

Drink Water

Like anything else that you ingest, water fills you up!  Better yet, you are taking in any empty calories or doing anything else that is detrimental to the weight loss process.  Of course, staying hydrated throughout the day is a healthy practice to uphold, but timing is everything if you are looking to control your appetite. If you drink three 8-ounce glasses of water thirty minutes or less before a meal, then your appetite will be effected. Chances are, you will eat smaller portions because that quantity water is going to linger for a while.  Also, drinking water during a meal or snack is highly recommended curbing appetite.  Again, you will feel fuller in less time, resulting in less calorie intake.

Exercise

Going along the same frame of thought as the previously mentioned idea of oral hygiene, a workout can help change your mind about reaching for an unnecessary extra snack or make you think before overeating at the next meal.  The rationale behind this line of thinking is that you have just accomplished a major task, and you have taken yet another step toward realizing your weight loss goal.  So why “ruin” the results of your hard work?  At the very least, you might put off eating for a while longer as you wind down after your workout.  Another additional advantage to exercising is that it prompts you to stay hydrated and replenish fluids that are lost, which in turn fill you up and decreases your appetite.

Furthermore, you will be experiencing the positive effects of increased endorphin and serotonin levels that result from exercise (even if it’s not strenuous activity).  This neurological “feel-good” effect also indirectly influences your appetite.  In other words, you are not having to resort to anything else, let alone food, for additional comfort and alleviation of stress.

Eat Several Small Meals vs. Three Large Ones

You might reconsider the traditional 3-meal-a-day routine in hopes of decreasing both appetite and calorie intake, as well as revamping metabolism and cooperating more with your schedule for taking your weight loss drops supplement.  Basically, you would break down the usual larger quantities to about 250 to 350 calories, depending on how much you need to maintain normal energy level while still losing weight.  Moreover, you would partake of said meals five or six times a day instead of three, and the best aspect of this routine is that you eventually get to a point where you’re eating only when you are actually hungry instead of relying on the clock and/or time of day to “tell” you when to eat.  It is like a total reconditioning of habit.  Your stomach gets accustomed to less food because you will have just eaten two to three hours prior.  So, technically, you’re still full and better prepared to dictate your own schedule. Make sure to read reviews with real representation by authority sites before you take any HCG drops.

Create a Distraction to Combat Temptation

What is the best way to get rid of a habit?  You replace it with another one of course—preferably with a healthier one.  For instance, if you are accustomed to getting up for that “midnight snack,” then you can try some other relaxation strategies, like “mindfulness” or deep breathing that help with getting back to sleep and staying asleep.  If you go to a gathering and have a tendency to head straight over to the buffet table, then try to alter your habit a bit by mingling a while longer or even eating a healthy snack ahead of time.  If you are a “stress-eater,” and anxiety triggers your appetite, try taking a brisk walk or some other physical activity to rid yourself of nervous energy or listen to some music to relax and redirect your thoughts elsewhere. Talking it out with a trusted friend or family would also be a great substitute for nervous bingeing.

Another important tip to remember is to reflect on and write down what sorts of stimuli or situations activate your appetite.  Once you can pinpoint the triggers, then you can

Choose Foods with Higher Protein and Fiber Content

Another way to decrease appetite is by consuming foods that naturally invoke the feeling of being full and keep you feeling satiated for a longer period in between meals.  When you start thinking in terms of less amount of food can still equal optimum nutrition, then you will change your whole outlook on meal planning.  Some great options include the following:

• Nuts and Legumes: These are high in protein, monounsaturated fats, and in some cases, fiber—all of which can you fill you up even if eating a small quantity.
• Vegetables and (most) Fruits: Aside from containing rich amounts of vitamins and minerals, these power houses of fiber will keep you satisfied on a lot less calories, especially if you go easy on the dressings and dips.
• “Watery” vegetables: This is not to encourage you to overcook your vegetables but to select those with a high water content.  For example, cucumbers, iceberg lettuce, and celery all have a tremendous amount of water and fiber, which is a perfect combination for filling you up on low calorie foods (not to mention keeping you hydrated).

Keep a Food Journal

Seeing is believing as the old adage goes, and this could not be more truthful than when you see an entire list of what you have taken in for a whole day.  Maintaining a food journal is one of the most effective ways to cut your appetite in half because you will actually get a complete picture of all foods and drinks along with how many calories each item contains.  Once you see the sum toward the end of a day, you realize that you have almost “used up” all of your calorie allowances.  On the other hand, rather than despairing over a long evening of starving due to having met your quota too early in the day, this journal can help you to pinpoint where exactly you can take a larger meal and possibly break down into two smaller ones.  Plus, you will see which foods or beverages you need to eliminate in order to keep losing pounds.

Basically, the effort it takes to control your appetite is more of a mental task, but one difference that you will notice is that you will also face and conquer other emotional or psychological hindrances to weight loss, such as stress, fear, and boredom, which often set off certain cravings or lead you to eat as a method of coping with adversity.  Thus, you will not only have taken hold of your appetite but most importantly, your overall well-being.