Is hunger getting the best of you? Follow these easy tips to feel fuller for longer.
ALSO SEE: How To Lose Weight Without Dieting
Make almonds your go-to snack
Almonds contain some fat, which has a satiating effect. By boosting the enjoyment you get from eating, fat may help to switch off hunger signals temporarily. This means you’re less likely to have cravings.
Tip: Eat a handful, slowly, every day. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that chewing almonds 25 to 40 times before swallowing increased satiety even more.
ALSO SEE: Are Nuts Actually Good For You?
Drink water
Water fills you up for zero calories. A study that was published in the journal Obesity found that drinking water before a meal helped slimmers lose an extra 4lb over 12 weeks when they drank 500ml of water with a meal.
Tip: Drink 2 x 200ml glasses of water before each meal.
Get up and go
Feel like eating a steak after the gym? Thought not. Exercise boosts leptin, the appetite suppressing hormone.
Tip: Any exercise, such as brisk walking, that gets you slightly out of breath will do the trick.
Treat yourself to early nights
A lack of shut-eye plays havoc with appetite hormones, which explains those carb cravings when you’re sleep-deprived.
Tip: Get eight hours. Scientists found that people who slept less than eight hours a night weighed more than those who slept more.
ALSO SEE: How To Get A Great Night’s Sleep
Get over egg-cited
Eggs are a filling breakfast and have been found to reduce the number of calories eaten at lunchtime and shave 400 calories off the average daily intake. The secret? They’re a rich source of protein, which takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and helps stave off mid-morning hunger pangs.
Tip: Have two eggs with a low-GI carbohydrate (rye, wholegrain or wholemeal pitta bread).
ALSO SEE: Six Steps To Mindful Eating
Hail the apple as your new super-food
Full of fibre and water, apples are fantastically filling relative to their calorific value. When digested, apples produce the hormone GLP-, which sends full signals to the brain. You’ll reap other health benefits, too, as apples are packed with vitamins.
Tip: Eat an apple 15 minutes before dinner. The key antioxidant quercetin sits just under the skin, so don’t peel apples before eating. But dried apples are packed with calories.
Chop the chillies
Capscaicin, the compound that gives chilli pepper its kick, boosts heat generation by the body, known as diet-induced thermogenesis. This is when the body burns calories rather than storing them. Research suggests that capsaicin might also have an appetite-suppressing effect.
TRY THIS: Prawn Tacos with Chilli and Salsa Recipe
Make friends with your bacteria
Prebiotic yoghurt drinks feed the healthy bacteria in the gut. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that taking a daily prebiotic caused an average weight loss of close to a kilogram over 12 weeks.
Tip: Drink a 100ml prebiotic a day.
DISCLAIMER: Before starting any diet, you should speak to your doctor. You must not rely on the information on this website/newsletter as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.
