The success of any weight loss diet depends on two things – a calorie deficit and appetite control. Cutting too much or too much calorie intake will make you feel hungry more clearly. Appetite control difficulties can be encountered by people who have made a moderate calorie deficit and have balanced their diet according to BJU. This is because they are used to eating more food than they are eating now. There are several ways to control hunger while losing weight: pills, natural methods and a well-planned diet, but first things first.
Appetite control pills
A whole line of drugs for controlling hunger is presented on the pharmacy market. Each is based on its own mechanism of action. The most popular names: Reduxin, Lindaxa, Meridia, Goldline, Turboslim Appetite control, Garcinia, MCC.
Reduksin, Lindaxa, Meridia, Goldline contain sibutramine prohibited for free sale. It acts on the appetite centers in the brain – it captures norepinephrine and serotonin, reducing hunger and allowing you to feel full for a long time. When the drug is discontinued, the increased appetite returns. The reason for the prohibition of sibutramine was side effects in the form of disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract, exacerbation of mental disorders. To date, the substance has not been sufficiently studied, and the intake of the above drugs should take place under the strict supervision of a physician.
Turboslim Appetite control – in the composition of the preparation, the extract of hoodia gordonia, suppressing the feeling of hunger. This plant contains a molecule P57 – a steroid glycoside, which affects the hypothalamus many times more actively than glucose, suppressing appetite. The first human trial found that taking hoodia can help reduce the calorie intake, but there is not enough evidence (calorifier). Firstly, only seven people participated in the study, which is negligible by scientific standards, and secondly, there is no scientific evidence on the side effects of using gordonia hoodia extract. This gives the manufacturer the right to say that the drug has no side effects, but in reality they simply have not been investigated yet.
Garcinia – contains garcinia cambogia extract, kelp, ficus, vitamins C and B6, chromium, magnesium. Garcinia cambogia is known for containing hydroxycitric acid, which maintains sufficient blood glucose to feel full for a long time. Chromium picolinate enhances its effect. Chromium, magnesium, vitamins B6 and C really improve metabolic processes in the body, and ficus and kelp are aimed at maintaining the functions of the thyroid gland. The manufacturer is silent that garcinia cambogia is a stimulant of the nervous system, which can cause addiction, insomnia, psychoemotional disorders.
MCC – the active substance of the drug is microcellulose (dietary fiber). Once in the stomach, it swells in it, which gives a long-term feeling of fullness. To do this, you need to drink 6-10 tablets per dose and drink them with plenty of water. MCC also acts as a sorbent, inhibiting the absorption of dietary fat. You don’t need to be a biochemist to understand that MCC is a powdered form of plant cell walls, that is, an indigestible fiber.
Fiber likewise swells in the stomach and makes you feel full when taken with plenty of water. It interferes with the absorption of some dietary fats, improves the digestive tract and helps to reduce weight, but it costs ten times less. All vegetables, grains and fruits contain fiber, so nutritionists recommend putting complex carbohydrates and vegetables at the heart of the diet.
Natural methods of appetite control
As discussed above, self-control is an important part of appetite control. In Eat Less, Gillian Riley details the differences between physiological and psychological hunger and provides a technique to cope with the appetite of Times and Plans. The point is to designate for yourself the next meal after a meal – to describe in detail its composition, volume and time when you are going to eat it. It remains to hold out until this time and not break off while eating.
Gillian suggests listening to your feelings, and perhaps refusing food if it turns out that you are not hungry. This exercise helps to change eating behavior and develop a habit of not overeating. The question arises, how can you hold out without putting a single crumb in your mouth?
- Drinking water – feeling thirsty is similar to feeling hungry, sometimes it is enough to drink 1-2 glasses of water to understand that you are not hungry.
- Busy yourself with something – when you are busy with an exciting business, you think less about food, do not experience psychological hunger, and you can agree with yourself. Work on the quality of life – food cravings will go away by themselves.
- Exercise – this can be any short bodyweight workout. It is known that adequate physical activity dulls hunger for a while.
- Drink coffee – caffeine without added sugar and milk not only blocks hunger, but also increases calorie expenditure up to 100 kcal per day. Coffee should be drunk carefully, and it is contraindicated for people with hypertension and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Hunger control is not a state or sudden awareness, but a plan, regular actions, and the ability to listen to your feelings.
Food hunger control
The composition of the diet can influence appetite. The main components of food for hunger control are: proteins, fiber, fats.
Fiber creates volume in your stomach, helping you feel fuller longer, but you won’t be full of salad. Healthy fats should be added to it – vegetable oil, nuts or avocados. Fat slows down the digestion of food, which increases satiety. Be mindful of fats – it’s easy to go over your daily calorie intake with them. When it comes to protein, there is research showing that high protein intake can help control appetite while losing weight. For men, this is 2-3 g per kilogram of weight, and for women, 1,8-2,2 g per kilogram of weight (but not more than 200 grams for people with severe excess weight). Overweight people should be considered dry weight, i.e. excluding fat percentage.
Controlling food cravings will help the correct distribution of calories throughout the day. Choose a convenient number of meals and listen to how you feel (calorizator). Think about when you are hungry and hungry for food. Set your largest meal during this time. For example, if you do not feel hungry in the morning and cannot control yourself in the evening, make a light breakfast and a hearty dinner. You will lose weight while you fit into a calorie deficit and BJU.
Appetite control pills may be effective, but they are not fully understood. Taking them is a big risk, and after the drug is canceled, everything will come back. The appetite will rise again, since there was no conscious control over it. So whether you take the pills or not, the real work on yourself is to work on your habits and your diet.