Appetite control, or how to deal with food addiction? How to reduce appetite to lose weight: reviews, effective methods and practical recommendations

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Professor Moise Bendayan and his colleagues plan to create a leptin-enriched pill for obese people who systematically overeat and cannot lose weight in any way: swallow it and forget about hunger. The protein leptin is produced in the stomach during meals and regulates. If the level of leptin in the blood is low, we feel hunger, if it is normal or elevated, we feel satiety.

How to learn to regulate your appetite

Unfortunately, in the foreseeable future, it is not necessary to wait for this miracle pill to appear in stores. This year it will be tested on animals. Homo sapiens, if successful, is next in line.

However, judging by, even multiple successful tests and the approval of the medical community do not at all guarantee that the next remedy for appetite will not harm health. Indeed, due to the risk of heart attacks and strokes in Europe, it was not some clandestine drug that was banned, but the popular Meridia, which many doctors recommended to patients with severe overweight.

In my opinion, it is much more effective (not to mention cheaper) to learn how to control your appetite on your own, without spending money on pills and without putting your body at risk. For this, it is necessary first of all to take into account individual characteristics We all have a different appetite, it is influenced by a lot of factors.

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Hard work of the brain increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol, glucose and insulin in the blood - these substances act like an alarm clock on appetite, nutritionist Angelo Trembley from the University of Laval found out. That's why we're so tempted to grab a bite to eat when we're tackling a tough intellectual challenge.

Solution: if you notice that your appetite increases during mental work, stock up on a low-calorie snack in advance: slices of vegetables or fruits, bread, yogurt, raisins, frozen berries.

2. Quality of sleep

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The relationship between inadequate appetite and insomnia was discovered by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles. They examined the levels of two hormones, ghrelin and leptin, in healthy people and in those who suffer from insomnia. It turned out that lack of sleep disrupts the balance between these substances and as a result, those who do not sleep well often overdo it with food and get fat.

Solution: whoever you are - an owl, a lark or a dove - set yourself the goal of improving sleep. A healthy night's rest is seven to eight hours.

3. Age

The older we are, the worse the brain cells that control appetite work. Australian neuroendocrinologist Zane Andrews found that every time you eat, these cells are attacked by free radicals. As a result, the signal to the brain that the stomach is full is interfered with and the person eats more than necessary. This is one of the reasons why older people are more likely to be obese.

Solution: limit foods rich in simple carbohydrates (pastries and sweets) - they are the most destructive to the cells that control appetite.

4. False feeling of hunger

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main reason increased appetite, as a rule, - the substitution of real hunger for psychological (desire to eat trouble). You need to be able to distinguish between them.

Solution: Irina Lopatukhina, a psychotherapist and specialist in eating disorders, recommends the following techniques.

- Put right hand on the stomach area, close your eyes for a minute and try to feel what is happening inside, whether your stomach is really “hungry”.

- Talk to your inner child”- that part of the consciousness that says “I want” and does not recognize any prohibitions. Try to convince yourself that you are full and you can eat whatever you want at any time, but only when you are really hungry.

5. Movement

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The British at Loughborough University investigated the influence various kinds sports on the main "appetizing" hormones - ghrelin and peptide YY. The first stimulates appetite, the second, on the contrary, suppresses it. It turned out that intense aerobic exercise (say, running on a treadmill) for one hour reduces the effect of ghrelin and promotes the production of the YY peptide. Strength exercises (for 90 minutes) only affect the production of ghrelin.

Solution: in the fight against unbidden appetite, use aerobic exercise, not strength.

6. Fiber and unsaturated fats

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Fiber stimulates the release of the hormone PYY3-36 in the intestines, which signals the brain that it is time to finish the meal. Thus, saturation occurs faster and lasts longer. The production of satiety hormones is also stimulated by unsaturated fatty acids - linolenic and omega-3.

Solution: focus on the main sources of fiber (vegetables and whole grains) and healthy fatty acids (red sea fish, olive and linseed oil, walnuts and pine nuts).

• drink more fluids;
• take a multivitamin or provide yourself with a balanced diet;
• obligatory observance of the diet;
• ensure yourself a good rest, get enough sleep.

Very simple rules, agree. If you really want to lose weight and the problem is that you eat a lot, then first try drinking a glass of water about half an hour before eating. This easy procedure will allow you to eat less at a meal, and quite often it turns out that the feeling of hunger generally disappears for a while. This happens because we do not always correctly understand the signals of the brain - the body needs water, and we think that it needs food.

It also very often happens that taking multivitamin complexes helps curb appetite. Why is that? The fact is that our body itself knows what vitamins and minerals it needs and, as it were, tells us - eat this. But even here we do not always correctly interpret such signals. Therefore, it is worth thinking about choosing a multivitamin complex or creating your own menu in such a way as to get all the vitamins and minerals we need in the right amount.

Rest is very important for the body. If you feel tired, then the body by default uses food as a source of energy. Build a daily routine in such a way as to sleep for 8 hours, then you will notice that the feeling of hunger visits you much less frequently. Thus, healthy sleep and proper rest help control appetite.

Keep your appetite under control

There are some other interesting ways to control appetite. If you are busy with something, the appetite does not make itself felt very often. Do you think you eat a lot? Do something - watch a movie, do some cleaning, squat after all! Speaking of training. Moderate physical exercise extremely positive effect on the body. After a light workout, there will be no feeling of hunger, as the body will be busy recovering from the load, and not “thoughts” about food.

Teach yourself to eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. Firstly, you will facilitate the work of the stomach, because well-chewed food is easier to digest. Secondly, it is no secret that information about the fullness of the stomach reaches the brain a little later than we eat.

Is it difficult control appetite? No. Especially if you really want to lose weight. By adding regular physical activity, you will get an excellent result - overweight and the extra centimeters will disappear without a trace. The main thing is not to be deceived by the result and continue to follow the intended course!

Feeling hungry is natural for our body. Until it begins to dictate its terms. The consequences are sad - overeating and choosing not the most healthy food. But learning to control appetite is quite within our power.

“Man, as a biological species, needs two things to survive: to consume enough food to keep the body working, and to find a mate to continue the species. Behavior aimed at satisfying these two basic needs is characteristic of each of us, regardless of the temperament, habits and beliefs, ”saysStephen O'Rehilly, professor of clinical biochemistry and medicine at the University of Cambridge.

It is important to know that a number of factors influence the feeling of hunger. Having studied them, we will understand what our eating behavior and learn how to control it.

What affects the feeling of hunger

• Genetics

The appearance of a desire to eat or, conversely, to finish a meal depends on the person, or rather, on his unique genetic set. “Some people experience a pronounced feeling of fullness, and this quality helps them not to overeat and stay slim,” says Dr.Jane Wardle, Professor of Clinical Psychology at University College London.

"Usually, fat people are so only because their brain works a little differently, causing a constant feeling of hunger. It is not so easy for them to brush off their increased appetite, ”adds Professor O’Reichilly.

So, appetite directly depends on genetics and is laid down in childhood. One study found that twins placed in different foster families, by the age of 30, body weight was identical, despite the fact that the families where they grew up had different food traditions and habits. Today, scientists explain this by the presence or absence of a genetic defect (deficiency of the melanocortin-4 receptor gene). It is this gene that is responsible for eating behavior and maintaining body weight, and its deficiency prevents the brain from recognizing satiety signals. Experts are investigating this problem and are looking for ways to remedy the situation.

• Psychosomatics

“Food choices are directly related to our emotions and satisfaction,” Dr.A.Ahmed, gastroenterologist at Bupa Cromwell Hospital in London. This means that we often buy certain products not because we consider them useful or satisfying, but for the sake of getting pleasure.

That is, eating behavior is directly related to emotions. So, when we are worried, impulses come from the brain that make us either forget about food or overeat. Well, who did not try to eat negative emotions Or improve your mood with food?!

• Balanced Diet

The feeling of fullness depends not only on the amount of food eaten, but also on what exactly we eat. Therefore, it is important that the diet is as balanced as possible. There are no universal products that can give the body everything the right vitamins and nutrients. In addition, a poor diet can provoke overeating, as the body will try to compensate for the lack of nutrients.

• Inclusion in the process

People eat more when they are not concentrating on food, such as watching TV or having an active conversation. Because, being distracted, a person is not able to recognize the satiety signal in time, which means that he eats more than he needs. At such moments, he may simply not feel the aroma and taste of food.

“The rate of saturation is directly related to the senses,” explainsBridget Benelam, Specialist of the British Nutrition Foundation. - Studies of the brain have shown that the part of it that is activated during meals is less active in obese people. That's why they need more food than a slender person to satisfy their hunger."

On this topic:

How to "tame" the feeling of hunger

Even a person with a genetic predisposition to constant feeling hunger can "reprogram" the brain, learn to eat less and stop constantly chewing. You just need to tune in in advance that it is not easy and not fast. It will take several weeks for the brain to get used to the new behavior and begin to give correct commands body.

• To begin with, learn to consciously approach the choice of products.
• Minimize distractions at your desk: don't watch TV, don't read social media, don't eat while you work.
• Do not provoke yourself - put on the plate exactly as much as you need to eat, and immediately remove the remaining food from sight. So you will avoid the temptation to eat another spoonful, which means overeating.

Could not resist and ate too much? Do not worry! Super effective will help you get back in shape!

What to eat to feel full

So that overeating is no longer your problem, we offer you a list of the most satiating foods.

• Foods rich in water

"One of the most simple ways to satisfy the feeling of hunger for a long time - there are low-calorie foods that quickly fill the stomach. says Dr. Bridget Benelam. “These are foods with a high water content - soups and vegetables, which, while satisfying hunger, do not pose any danger to the figure.”

• Foods with a low glycemic index

Their consumption will help maintain a stable level of insulin in the body, which controls the metabolism of the hormone. Its deficiency is fraught with excess weight. Foods with a high GI quickly give up their energy to the body, and the feeling of satiety comes soon, but disappears just as quickly. And foods with low GI contain fiber, are digested slowly, after which you do not feel full immediately, but you keep it for a long time.

• Protein products

Protein food promotes the production of satiety hormone and helps to avoid overeating. It takes much more time and calories to digest proteins than it does to digest carbohydrates. This means that you will not want to eat for a longer time and will not harm your figure.

Now everything is clear: to justify systematic overeating and unhealthy eating habits"Unsuccessful" genetics you will no longer succeed. It is wiser to learn how to have a constructive dialogue with your body and find solutions that will bring benefits and satisfaction from positive results!

Statistics prove that strict diets are useless, and sometimes even harmful. With their help, 75% of those who want to lose extra pounds achieve results. But after some time they recover again, gaining more than the original weight. What to do? Leading experts in the field of nutrition say: in order to lose excess weight You don't need to limit yourself to anything. It is enough to learn how to correctly recognize and interpret the signals of the body. To do this, it is important to remember once and for all that hunger is different. This means that the methods of saturation should be different. So how do you learn to control your appetite?

VISUAL HUNGER

The eclair in the candy store literally screams: “Eat me!” Looking at a cookbook makes you salivate. This is the hunger of the eyes. “The sight of food provokes the release of hormones and insulin,” comments psychotherapist and nutritionist Gerard Apfeldorfer. “They whet your appetite.” How to control your appetite:

• Try to shift your attention and “eat” something else with your eyes, such as a great landscape or a good photo. Perhaps this will be enough and the hunger will disappear.
• Set the table and beautifully arrange food on plates, even if you have lunch or dinner alone.
• Before you start eating, carefully examine the contents of the plate, and not your iPad or iPhone.

olfactory hunger

Man distinguishes ten thousand smells and often enjoys the aroma of food as much as its taste. Brioche, roast or steak… One fragrance can whet your appetite. To satisfy this hunger, you need:

• Inhale the aromas of the food on the plate, just as we do with a glass of wine.
• While eating, concentrate on smells - inhale, inhale, inhale.
• Regularly arrange an aromatherapy session with your favorite notes - vanilla, almond, cocoa - and observe what emotions they give rise to.

PHYSIOLOGICAL HUNGER

Rumbling in the stomach, loss of strength, mild headache, irritability indicate that the time has come to replenish the supply of energy. For this you need:

• Learn to distinguish between the hunger of the stomach (its symptoms are described above) and the habit of eating three times a day.
• Do not confuse hunger with anxiety: it can also cause mild cramps in the stomach area.
• Eat slowly, paying attention to the signals that the body gives us.
• Stop in the middle of a meal to assess your strength. Remember that, unlike children, adults have the right not to eat everything that is on the plate.

TASTE HUNGER

It corresponds to the desire to feel some particular texture (mousse, jelly, etc.) on the tongue. What is pleasant and what is not is determined by genetics, family and culture. Taste buds make us eat more than we need, just for the sake of pleasure. To appease them, correctly:

• To try the same product in different consistencies, as is customary in Japanese cuisine. For example, alternate raw fish with boiled, grilled or battered.
• Eat varied. No wonder the chefs of the most famous restaurants go out of their way to invent something unusual.

CELL HUNGER

Do you want honey during a cold? Chicken noodles after the flu? Chips in the summer park? These desires can both express the needs of the organism in certain nutrients and trace elements, and be just a whim. To learn to feel whether these are really the true aspirations of our body, it is useful to practice a little:

• When looking at a bag of chips, ask yourself, "Am I sure this will make me happier?" And until you get an answer, don't clog your stomach.
• Always drink a glass of water before meals: thirst can be easily mistaken for hunger.

HUNGER OF THE MIND

“I must eat at least five types of fresh vegetables a day”, “dairy products are unhealthy”, etc. Such imposed rules violate harmonious relationship with food. If you eat “according to instructions” all the time, a breakdown is inevitable. It is better not to divide dishes into healthy and harmful, but to try, for example, one day to satiate the body with some unnecessary product. So, the psychotherapist Gerard Apfeldorfer offers to get rid of painful attachment to the sweet, eating for several days, for example, only chocolate. But it's cruel. It is better to just eat it little by little, not forgetting to look at, smell and savor every bite. And also carefully listen to the signals of the stomach in order to stop in time. Having ceased to be forbidden, any product loses its halo of attraction.

EMOTIONAL HUNGER

This is about him the story of the Madeleine cake, told by Marcel Proust. We associate childhood memories with specific foods or dishes. We eat them not for taste, but to feel comfort, love and warmth again. Emotions are transferred to food, and this has nothing to do with hunger. The same thing happens when we try to cheer up with the help of a treat, disperse boredom, brighten up loneliness, drown out anxiety, etc. How to deal with this?

• If you want to restore peace of mind, console yourself with a small portion, enjoying every crumb.
• Call before eating close person listen to your favorite music fragrant bath. Perhaps the hunger will subside.

FOOD WITH AND WITHOUT REGULATIONS

Do not rush to eat slowly - it means to eat less. It takes the body 15 to 30 minutes to “digest” information about satiety. The delay is caused by the fact that enzymes (proteins that are involved in signaling the onset of satiety from the stomach to the brain) are produced only some time after the start of the meal. How to slow it down? Drink water, chew food 15–20 times, hold a fork in your left hand (for left-handed people - in your right hand), put cutlery on the table from time to time.

Determine the correct amount. On the Japanese islands of Okinawa, which are famous for their large number of centenarians, it is customary to satisfy hunger by only 80%. In the West, things are different: people eat more and more, and the portions increase according to their growing appetites. How can you eat less? Use small plates, cut food into thin slices, fill your menu with a variety of flavors to saturate with quality, not quantity.

Keep silent. To be fully aware of what we eat and what sensations we experience, it is worth remembering the principle "when I eat, I am deaf and dumb." If possible, have lunch and dinner in a quiet environment, without TV, radio, Internet, books and newspapers. No, you won't get bored with so many things to do (see Take your time)! If you eat at big company and decide to tell a story, put the cutlery on the table and do not take it until you finish the story.

Be kind to yourself. According to Jan Chosen Bais, in each of us a perfectionist and a critic coexist. Sometimes we need them, but sometimes they get in the way. inner harmony. To drown out unkind voices, look at yourself with the same kind, accepting look that you look at your loved ones.

Control your impulses. Write down in three columns your comforting products that help restore peace of mind, products that you simply cannot live without, and those that, on the contrary, you do not like. It is necessary to become aware of your eating habits in order to put things in order in feelings and menus. A sober look at the situation helps to more successfully resist the desire to "eat something" in order to achieve inner harmony.

What methods can you use to ease your dieting pains or just make your diet more rational and balanced? Try to learn to control your own appetite.

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1. Increase your fiber intake

Fiber is a hard-to-digest part of food that absorbs water as it passes through gastrointestinal tract. It is fiber that gives a feeling of high-quality saturation, so lean on fibrous vegetables and fruits. Doctors recommend consuming 15 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories. By consistently eating these foods, you can control your hunger pangs.

2. Add Vinegar and Cinnamon to Your Diet

Forget sugar; there are many other spices that will make your food healthier and tastier. Acetic acid, for example, slows down the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine, so the stomach stays full longer. In addition, vinegar successfully lowers the glycemic index and adds a pleasant sour taste to roasted vegetables and salad dressings without a large number calories. You can add cinnamon even to coffee, even to cocktails. Like vinegar, it slows down the speed at which food passes from the stomach to the intestines.

3. Drink water, not liquid calories

Drink a glass of water 20 minutes before meals to fill your stomach. If you want to replace water with more palatable juices, you should know that they do not provide satiety, and their rapid digestion causes insulin surges. IN last resort, you can add to drinking water lemon, strawberry or cucumber.

4. Eat slowly

You probably know this rule from childhood, but often you safely forget about it. When you chew food slowly, the stomach sends a signal to the brain, and it reacts in time to satiety. When swallowing food quickly, the brain does not have time to react, or rather, it reacts a little later, and you no doubt risk overeating.

5. Eat small meals

Another sensible and healthy way reduce appetite - this is eating small portions of snacks between meals. For example, if you eat 3 times a day; morning, afternoon and evening, you can add two more snacks: one between breakfast and lunch, and the second between lunch and dinner. For many people, healthy snacks help control appetite instantly. These snacks should be protein, fiber and fat, and the calorie content should vary from 100 to 200 calories.

6. Include Lean Protein in Every Meal

Protein is a hunger killer, and fish and poultry are great sources of protein. They suppress appetite better than any other macronutrient. Replacing multiple sources of carbohydrates and adding protein to meals (15% to 30%) helps to lose weight and moderate appetite.

7. Reduce alcohol consumption to a minimum

Consume it exclusively in small doses, as alcohol can distort the perception of hunger or, conversely, satiety. In addition, it stimulates appetite, leading to even more food intake, and, accordingly, adds more calories.

8. Control the conditioned response to stress

Stress makes you feel hungry, but it's not just hunger. The body wants to get more energy, and it knows that sweet and fatty food give him that energy. The way we deal with stressful situations, greatly affects our weight. Try to fight them without the help of cakes and pastries, for example, go for walks or practice breathing exercises.

9. Control Your Appetite With Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, and chocolate, and it suppresses appetite. Less than 300 mg is generally considered a safe amount. One cup of coffee contains 80 to 200 mg, so watch how much coffee you drink. More than 500-600 mg per day may cause side effects such as restlessness, irritability, insomnia, nervousness, indigestion, and rapid heartbeat.

10. Avoid Sugar and Sweeteners

Sugar provokes appetite and hunger, which can lead to overeating. When we consume foods high in it (corn flakes, White bread, sweets), blood sugar rises rapidly and then falls almost instantly. This imbalance makes us feel hungry. It is best to switch to carbohydrate sources such as apple, pear, black bread or oatmeal to balance blood sugar levels and keep appetite under control.