The appetite can be controlled without taking drugs that alter brain chemistry. Eating water-dense fruits and vegetables such as apples, watermelons, and celery at the beginning of a meal,
perhaps even allowing a bit of time for digestion,
can help a
person feel more full while consuming fewer calories. Drink-
ing water throughout the day can also reduce hunger; in fact, a dehydrated person might mistake thirst
for hunger pangs.Drinking water also
has the added benefit of slightly
increasing the metabolism. Researchers in Berlin, Germany, found
that their subjects had a
30 percent increase in metabolism after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water. The increases occurred
within 10 minutes of drinking the water and the researchers estimate that up to 40 percent of the increase in calorie burning is from the body’s attempt to heat the water. A person who consumes an additional 1.5 liters a day for a year could burn an additional 17,400
calories, which translates to a five-pound weight loss. Yet another way to maintain a modest appetite is to eat
more, smaller meals. By eating more frequently, you will find that you feel less hungry at the next meal
even if eating smaller
portions. Eating more often also has
the added benefit of
boosting the metabolism while keeping blood sugar stabilized
to
avoid low blood sugar–induced fatigue, also known infor- mally as a “sugar crash.” When a person skips breakfast,
the body has not received fuel in quite some time and may trick the body into “thinking” food is not plentiful. As a survival mechanism, the body’s metabolism will slow down in order to preserve the calories from the previous night’s dinner. As a result, people who eat breakfast are much more likely to weigh less, according to
the National
Weight Control Registry. A dieter should always be sure to eat breakfast
to keep his or her metabolism revving and to resist the urge to indulge in bigger meals
at lunch or dinner.
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