tips on suppressing appetite?

sammiewammie444

im usually a big snacker, so now that im on a diet all i can think about is food.
any tips on suppressing my appetite? i know drinking a glass of water is supposed to help, but i cant always take down a glass of water in one go, and it doesnt exactly take my sweet tooth away
do appetite suppressants work or are they useless?

JaydedMiss

Huge part of its in your brain i find. Just keep busy, Maybe drink low/no calorie juice crystals with your water for sweetness? Snack on something like carrots and grapes always worked for me. Was really the crunch i craved. Took a bit of work but you really just gotta stick to it and your brain will change with your body.

goingtobefit2015

I don't think diet pills are a permanent solution, once you quit taking them the weight usually comes back on. I know from experience! I would limit my sweets to few and far between but follow a plant based diet. With the added fiber you will experience fullness and eventually you won't have "cravings".

jennifer_417

I like a cup if hot tea when I'm craving something sweet but don't have the calories.

KerrieMac10

I second the cup of tea!!

cheryldumais

A few things worked for me. One is high fibre foods and the second is exercise. Going for a walk I found often would curb my appetite. I also noticed that if I ate a healthy meal with adequate protein I was less snacky later on. Watch the carbs as they tend to make you want more.

rosebarnalice

First, learn to identify the difference between "hunger" (your body needing food because it's low on energy supply . . ) and "craving" (your brain telling you that some thing is going to make you feel good right now.)

If your main issue is "hunger", try upping your protein and high-fiber foods like whole fruits and veggies so that you feel fuller longer.

If your main issue is "craving",
* budget in a treat every day into your calorie goals and then when you have it, really ENJOY it
* experiment with smaller treats that takes your brain to its happy place for fewer calories (a small piece of really really good extra-dark chocolate instead of a whole bag of M&Ms? A shot-glass size piece of really really rich cheesecake instead of half a bag of cookies?)
* be mindful of WHEN your cravings occur, and consider if maybe some non-food item or activity would hit that spot. Is it when you're tired? bored? stressed? elated? Maybe you don't need food at all-- maybe you need to do three jumping jacks or take a one-minute deep breathing break; or break out the crayons for 5 minutes instead of heading for the snack jar!

sammiewammie444

i only like tea with lots of sugar in! i think ill get the sugar substitute that has 1 calorie per spoon and give it a go

ninerbuff

sammiewammie444 wrote: »

im usually a big snacker, so now that im on a diet all i can think about is food.
any tips on suppressing my appetite? i know drinking a glass of water is supposed to help, but i cant always take down a glass of water in one go, and it doesnt exactly take my sweet tooth away
do appetite suppressants work or are they useless?

Change your behavior. Think about it, you gained weight because of big snacking. So do "little" snacking instead.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

sammiewammie444

although tbh im not a big hot drink person. i probably have about 3 cups of tea a year! it also gives me a bit of a stomach ache and i dont know why

devilwhiterose

I eat every couple hours. I also try and eat foods higher in protein as that is what keeps me full. Greek yogurts, string cheese. Also, light calorie snacks. Not the prepacked junk. I'm talking bags of carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes... Things you can eat a ton of but not get hit hard in the calorie dept.

lightenup2016

Regular and decaf black tea give me a tummy ache, too. I've switched to herbal teas and problem solved!

everher

I would say find what works for you.

Some people have six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three bigger meals because they find it's easier for them to stay on track that way. Some people plan for and have a morning and afternoon snack everyday.

I found that with me I was often confusing thirst for hunger. I sip on water now constantly throughout the day and that has helped. I also will allow myself a snack if I really am hungry. I try not to go too long between meals and make sure at every meal I am having a good bit of protein to make me feel full longer.

ETA: I also realized sometimes when I thought I was hungry I was just bored. I have found keeping busy helps with that.

Beploveshomer

I want to eat constantly. The only thing that helps is a big glass of water with fiber powder in it (1 heaping tsp.) and then I chew a piece of sugar free gum, that switches off the craving somehow because I feel like I had a sweet and then I'm bloated and not hungry from the fiber.
P.s start slow on the fiber because you will get serious gas.

farrell16

sammiewammie444 wrote: »

im usually a big snacker, so now that im on a diet all i can think about is food.
any tips on suppressing my appetite? i know drinking a glass of water is supposed to help, but i cant always take down a glass of water in one go, and it doesnt exactly take my sweet tooth away
do appetite suppressants work or are they useless?

A lot of the appetite suppressants like Glucomannan are just fibre pills, water will certainly help but I'd recommend increasing the amount of fibre and protein in your diet as they will help you feel satiated much longer. Sure takign fibre by pill would have a similar effect but just pick up a nice fibre source and add it to your diet... will be much more economical for you.

LivingtheLeanDream

sipping water and cups of tea helps.
Have you chosen too aggressive a calorie deficit? perhaps you could eat a bit more and be content losing at a slightly slower rate?

Commander_Keen

sammiewammie444 wrote: »

im usually a big snacker, so now that im on a diet all i can think about is food.
any tips on suppressing my appetite? i know drinking a glass of water is supposed to help, but i cant always take down a glass of water in one go, and it doesnt exactly take my sweet tooth away
do appetite suppressants work or are they useless?

You can try the following --
More protein
More Fiber
Caffeine
Eat a cup or two of veggies or fruit
Protein Shake

megbugs

I always need to eliminate sugar, alcohol and carbs when my cravings get out of control. I'm not the greatest with moderation so when I find myself craving sugar daily and I start to feel more highs and lows throughout the day, I go back to whole 30 or cutting back on sugar (reading all labels).

wizzybeth

sammiewammie444 wrote: »

although tbh im not a big hot drink person. i probably have about 3 cups of tea a year! it also gives me a bit of a stomach ache and i dont know why

Then drink water. The idea is to distract your brain from thinking your stomach needs food when it doesn't.

xxlno

I always tell myself if I am really hungry I can have a can of tuna in water....anytime! It doesn't take long or many cans of tuna for me to figure I'm really not that hungry

Sharon909

Tea works for me late at night but if you don't like tea then don't force yourself. You definetly have to rethink how you snack.
-Find substitutes, like pretzels instead of chips and count them
-add fruit or veggies to everything to fill you up
-find a way to make a healthy snack feel more decadent, like apple slices dipped in sf/ff caramel pudding, or carrot sticks with Laughing Cow light cheese wedges

SingRunTing

Play around with your macros to make sure you feel fuller for longer (see the comments above for suggestions).

However, you're more likely just reacting from habit rather than true hunger. Keep yourself busy. Distraction is one of the ways that I keep myself from snacking when I know I'm not actually hungry.

sammiewammie444

SingRunTing wrote: »

Play around with your macros to make sure you feel fuller for longer (see the comments above for suggestions).

However, you're more likely just reacting from habit rather than true hunger. Keep yourself busy. Distraction is one of the ways that I keep myself from snacking when I know I'm not actually hungry.

yes most of the time it is just because im used to eating. if i fancied something i would have it even if i wasnt hungry. i tend to find that nothing distracts me. i could be watching my favourite film or tv show and still crave food. its just something im really struggling to change

suruda

I tend to be a snacker too....especially when home all day. I will take an apple or pear and cut it into really thin slices and leave it in a bowl on the counter. Then when I feel like snacking, I'll just grab a slice or two and enjoy. It will usually last me all day. Snap peas are my other go to snack.

lilithsrose

Hot tea or coffee helps me a bit.

I'd suggest also trying some dissolvable fiber (like metamucil) in water. They make plain, orange, and berry now. There might even be other flavors. The fiber seems to help a bit.

asilmegan34

I used to be majorly addicted to sweets, especially in the afternoons because I have a work cafeteria with nutty bars, oatmeal creme pies, etc.. I found that only made me crave more of it and led to me binge eating.

I drink teas that have vanilla and spices in them. I don't need sweeteners or anything with it. Also, munching on carrots satisfies my sweet tooth and curbs appetite for awhile. Also, I get these Sweet and Salty trail mix packages from Aldi. 210 calories but it feels like a treat. Good luck. I promise that the cravings get better over time, and even after 3 days of not indulging in sweets, my cravings really decreased.

SingRunTing

sammiewammie444 wrote: »

SingRunTing wrote: »

Play around with your macros to make sure you feel fuller for longer (see the comments above for suggestions).

However, you're more likely just reacting from habit rather than true hunger. Keep yourself busy. Distraction is one of the ways that I keep myself from snacking when I know I'm not actually hungry.

yes most of the time it is just because im used to eating. if i fancied something i would have it even if i wasnt hungry. i tend to find that nothing distracts me. i could be watching my favourite film or tv show and still crave food. its just something im really struggling to change

Sitting on the couch just makes me want to eat more.

Try something different. Go for a walk, go shopping, reorganize a closet, take up a hobby like sewing or painting, something that isn't just mindless like watching a show or a movie is what helps.

sammiewammie444

thanks for the help guys i will try what you have suggested

asilmegan34

Also wanted to add, if I intake a lot of carbs I end up craving it and cravings sweets. I'm not on a low carb diet but I try to keep my carbs around 100-125 g

Kelseria28

Here are a couple of recipes for when I want something sweet. They are low-cal and yummy.

Chocolate Mousse (kind of like a frosty): 1 frozen banana, 1 tsp of cocoa powder, and a splash of milk. Blend that up and it is delish.

Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake: 1 tbsp of whole wheat flour, 1 tbsp of white sugar, 1 tbsp of cocoa powder, 1/8 tsp of baking soda, 1/8 tsp of salt, and 1 tbsp of 2% milk. Mix up the dry and then add the milk. Microwave for 2 minutes more or less. Only 142 cals.

You could probably sub in chocolate protein powder to make you full for longer.

44to44

I found that I had to go hungry for a couple of weeks until my stomach got used to eating less - then it got a whole lot easier. (I was eating plenty, but my body was used to eating too much). Also fibre. Lots and lots of fibre.