healthy ways to curb appetite
- Thread starter Gaze
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My boyfriend gave me a little tip when I was trying to curb my cravings for things that I shouldn't be eating. He said "SpecialEdition, if you feel hungry but you don't feel like eating any of the healthy foods that you like, then chances are you aren't actually hungry but are experiencing a craving."
I put that thought process into practice and I realized it was true. Sometimes my brain wants to think I am hungry and it was to justify eating bad things, but it's not because I actually have a physical hunger. It's my brain anticipating and indulgence and trying to rationalize it.
For myself, I try to be very careful about what I put in my body. As long as I am ensuring I eat enough protein and fat, I don't really have a need for the carbohydrates. Carbs tend to be what people deviate towards because they want the sugar or they want the "hit" they get off of it that comes with a blood sugar and insulin spike. So for myself, I am ON POINT for at minimum 7-10 days with my eating and then I allow myself something called a Carb Backload where I have a few hours that I can eat anything I want. But that must come after a heavy workout.
I don't really see a problem with an indulgence once in a while because I think it's actually good to not deprive yourself completely. There is a certain freedom that comes from knowing you have really worked hard all week and have been good, and that you can actually eat what you want for a meal and know it's not going to fuck you up. It makes it a lot easier for me to say "OKay, I REALLY want to eat X, Y and Z right now. RIGHT NOW. But I know that if I eat it right now I'll feel like shit about it, but if I wait until the meal that I have planned it for, then I know that it's within my plans, I know I have control over it, and then I can actually enjoy it without guilt."
It works wonders for me personally.
I put that thought process into practice and I realized it was true. Sometimes my brain wants to think I am hungry and it was to justify eating bad things, but it's not because I actually have a physical hunger. It's my brain anticipating and indulgence and trying to rationalize it.
For myself, I try to be very careful about what I put in my body. As long as I am ensuring I eat enough protein and fat, I don't really have a need for the carbohydrates. Carbs tend to be what people deviate towards because they want the sugar or they want the "hit" they get off of it that comes with a blood sugar and insulin spike. So for myself, I am ON POINT for at minimum 7-10 days with my eating and then I allow myself something called a Carb Backload where I have a few hours that I can eat anything I want. But that must come after a heavy workout.
I don't really see a problem with an indulgence once in a while because I think it's actually good to not deprive yourself completely. There is a certain freedom that comes from knowing you have really worked hard all week and have been good, and that you can actually eat what you want for a meal and know it's not going to fuck you up. It makes it a lot easier for me to say "OKay, I REALLY want to eat X, Y and Z right now. RIGHT NOW. But I know that if I eat it right now I'll feel like shit about it, but if I wait until the meal that I have planned it for, then I know that it's within my plans, I know I have control over it, and then I can actually enjoy it without guilt."
It works wonders for me personally.
Yeah, that's true. Sometimes, I kinda wonder why is it I'm eating when I'm supposed to be full, since I ate not too long ago. And I realize it's indulgence, it's the knowledge that I know it's there and can just go pick it up. So, I'm thinking of using substitutes for "real or heavy foods or treats" maybe an option. I agree with the less carbs diet. I've been getting a little tired of the large amount of carbs especially since I've heard carbs don't make you feel full, but increase your appetite. Sometimes, I try to drink something instead, if I feel hungry, such as fruit juice, especially apple. But of course, that's a lot of sugar.
Yes, I don't want to cut myself off from having something I enjoy entirely, because I think suppressing leads to binge eating later on.
This is also something I'm experiencing is the guilt. I hate feeling guilty after I ate something I know I shouldn't have. I feel silly and then focus on feeling bad the entire time but nothing changes. So, I'm hoping an avoidance-avoidance approach will help, meaning "if I don't want to add more weight, AND I don't to feel guilty about what I'm eating after I've indulged, then it should be easier for me to gradually stop." So, I need to find things to motivate me, things I want vs. things I don't want to help me put things in perspective and find a better balance of meals throughout the day so that I'm likely to stick to something healthier on a regular basic, an approach to eating that I can manage.
Distraction and competing appetites.
If there's something which I'm hungrier for than food, like exercise, you cant exercise for up to sixty or ninety minutes after you've eaten for instance, or if I'm preoccupied with a particular book or TV show or film, I will be less interested in eating.
I don't even eat fruit because the fructose is just bad news. For me, I eat about 1600-2000 calories a day. Just depends. Now that my body runs off ketones instead of carbs my appetite is 100% within my control. Today is a "carb" day for me, though. I am slow cooking a big roast with some potatoes, carrots and onions, all of which are carb heavy. I bought a really high quality vanilla ice cream and I am putting it on top of a brownie I will be baking. That should get me a lot of carbs and also my indulgence. Because I've been spot on all week, this will replete my muscle gylcogen and I can get back in the gym and hit it hard. It will also be satisfying knowing that I made an amazing dinner and got to top it off with a pretty decadent dessert. I look back on my week and think "do I regret NOT eating what I wanted all week? NO!"
This is huge problem to me. When I cut the sugar and carbs out, I won't be craving so much anymore. Also if I've done lot of exercising, I don't want to ''ruin'' that by eating something crap, lol.
A good way is to have small meals throughout the day instead of 3 really big ones 
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I naturally just don't have a big appetite most of the time (except during that time of the month). I eat small dishes and snacks throughout the day, lunch being my biggest meal.
.I naturally just don't have a big appetite most of the time (except during that time of the month). I eat small dishes and snacks throughout the day, lunch being my biggest meal.
Find something else to do and don't keep stuff you want to eat. You simply have to build up the willpower at some point. It is all too easy to say "I don't want to cut this out entirely because then I will binge!" because in a way you're giving yourself permission to binge by predicting you will do so.
I feel that at some point you simply have to be determined.
Personally I literally stopped buying junk years ago. Just stopped almost entirely. I don't buy packaged snacks and rarely eat them when they get into my house from other people. I don't eat sweet desserts except maybe a couple times a year.
I've become so used to not eating junk that I actually don't like it. Cake for example makes me feel sick. I don't like ice cream most of the time. I some times keep horehound candy and I rarely have one in a day. I'm so used to not overeating that on the off chance I manage to do it, maybe from stress or something, I remember instantly why I don't do that - because it feels crappy once you realize it.
I feel that at some point you simply have to be determined.
Personally I literally stopped buying junk years ago. Just stopped almost entirely. I don't buy packaged snacks and rarely eat them when they get into my house from other people. I don't eat sweet desserts except maybe a couple times a year.
I've become so used to not eating junk that I actually don't like it. Cake for example makes me feel sick. I don't like ice cream most of the time. I some times keep horehound candy and I rarely have one in a day. I'm so used to not overeating that on the off chance I manage to do it, maybe from stress or something, I remember instantly why I don't do that - because it feels crappy once you realize it.
I don't really see appetite itself as the problem. The issue is more with the kinds of foods I want. I do get cravings for sugars/carbs because I, like most people, am addicted to them.
The easiest way to curve carb cravings is to eat some fruit. Sure fruit has fructose or whatever, but it has fiber, and it is way healthier than the alternatives.
I also get cravings for sushi. A plate of sashimi isn't really a problem health-wise, but it is a problem wallet-wise.
The easiest way to curve carb cravings is to eat some fruit. Sure fruit has fructose or whatever, but it has fiber, and it is way healthier than the alternatives.
I also get cravings for sushi. A plate of sashimi isn't really a problem health-wise, but it is a problem wallet-wise.
I brush my teeth and mouthwash after every meal and whenever I catch myself craving something I shouldn't. It buys me the time to stop and think if this is something that will benefit me or if this is something that I'm after because it tastes good. The listerine pocket strips also help in a pinch, but they're not nearly as effective as the after-taste of good ol' Crest to ruin any food you happen to eat in the next 20 minutes or so.
Drinking a buttload of tea and water to fill up my stomach also helps.
I also tend to crave less bad foods when I'm exercising heavily. Not only is it a combination of my vanity and my reluctance to sabotage my efforts now that I know exactly how many minutes on the treadmill that one cookie will cost me, but it's also because the exercise elevates my mood and sense of self-control, which helps regulate my cravomgs on an entirely subconscious level.
Drinking a buttload of tea and water to fill up my stomach also helps.
I also tend to crave less bad foods when I'm exercising heavily. Not only is it a combination of my vanity and my reluctance to sabotage my efforts now that I know exactly how many minutes on the treadmill that one cookie will cost me, but it's also because the exercise elevates my mood and sense of self-control, which helps regulate my cravomgs on an entirely subconscious level.
Three cups of honey, (especially manuka honey) in hot water or three thick, sweet cups of chocolate per day does the trick for me.
Keeps my sweet tooth satisfied and fills me up so I don't even contemplate snacking. Honey and chocolate seem to be natural laxatives too x
Keeps my sweet tooth satisfied and fills me up so I don't even contemplate snacking. Honey and chocolate seem to be natural laxatives too x
