9 Appetite-Controlling Hacks to Stay Full Longer

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You’ve probably heard that you should eat three square meals a day if you’re trying to lose weight and live healthy.

While that’s good in theory, some of us struggle with cravings in between meals — around 3 p.m., at night, sometimes all day long.

Don't worry, you're not alone, and we've got 9 hacks to stay fuller longer and curb in between meal slip-ups. 

1. Drink water before your meal.

Water is not only a necessary part of life, it’s also incredibly filling. Drink down an 8-ounce glass 10 minutes before your meal. Not only will it help you stay full longer after you’re finished, but it will also help you control your portions and eat the proper amount.
 

2. Eat mindfully.

People who are thin are usually mindful eaters. Rather than scarfing down their food, they slow down, enjoy every bite and typically eat less as a result. It’s a bit easier said than done, which is why we put together a beginner’s guide to mindful eating.
 

4. Keep a healthy snack close at-hand.

Most of us have busy, on-the-go lifestyles. We’re out and about, running from one errand to the next, and when that hungry feeling comes on, it makes it even tougher to resist the fast-food restaurants and snack machines. Keeping a snack on your person at all times ensures that, if you do need a snack, it will be a healthy one.

3. Cook with cinnamon and vinegar.

It sounds a little far-fetched, but cinnamon and vinegar are both ingredients that can help control your appetite. How? Vinegar lowers your glycemic index, meaning it helps you metabolize food more slowly. Cinnamon, along with adding a toasty sweetness to your food, has a similar effect, slowing down the time it takes your food to pass through your stomach.

 

6. Make a meal schedule.

Routine is a powerful ally in your weight loss. The more you make things into regular habits, the more likely you are to stay on-track. That goes with your meal-times, too. Plan on eating at the same time every day — breakfast, lunch and dinner. This will get your body’s metabolism in a steady rhythm that will stop cravings in their tracks.
 

5. Get moving.

There’s been some back-and-forth in the science world about whether exercise increases or decreases your appetite. Most experts agree, however, that a moderate amount of daily exercise (walking, for example -- which is wonderful, by the way!) will help control cravings. One more reason to do it! Exercise is especially helpful for those who think of eating when they are bored, by giving us an activity to do in place of mindless snacking.
 

8. Take a whiff of peppermint.

Wait, what? Yep, that’s right. A study from Wheeling Jesuit University found that the smell of peppermint increases alertness and decreases hunger. Why? Because hunger and smell are so closely connected, it’s believed that smelling something as potent as peppermint can ward off those pesky hunger pains a bit longer. 
 

7. Tea: Drink it.

What’s that one time of day that you’re most likely to snack? Between lunch and dinner? Before bed? In the middle of the night? Whatever it is, try drinking a cup of hot tea, instead. It will satisfy the craving and fill you up without adding excess calories.
 

9. Keep going.

Here’s the thing, the more belly fat you lose, the less hungry your body will be. People who are thin get fewer cravings because their bodies are used to eating fewer calories. Just the act of you losing weight will naturally help you not want bad food at non-optimal times.

Do you have a trick you like to use to stave off hunger? Share it in the comments below!

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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.

 

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