1. Don’t skip meals
Those who eat nothing or little throughout the day are at a high risk for the appearance of food compulsions in the evening. Therefore, eating regularly throughout the day and having full meals rather than small snacks every 2 hours helps regulate appetite. And especially remember to have a good breakfast to calm your appetite in the morning: muesli, fruit and whole grain products to start the day on the right foot.
2. Enjoy your food
The feeling of satiety only sets in after about twenty minutes. Whoever eats quickly will not realize that his stomach has been full for a long time. The blood sugar level rises dramatically, releasing too much insulin. The blood sugar level therefore decreases very quickly, which leads to new food cravings and impulses quickly after the end of the meal.
3. Get enough sleep
Sleeping at least 7 hours a night not only allows you to be in good shape during the day but also less hungry. The body does not seek to recover energy from sleep through food and a lack of sleep also reduces the production of leptin (the hormone responsible for satiety). A lack of sleep can therefore lead to food urges.
4. Don’t starve yourself
If you really feel a feeling of physical hunger, listen to your body! Instead of going for chocolate, ice cream, and crisps, try these foods instead:
- foods high in fiber (fruits, vegetables, nuts)
- high protein foods (find out how high protein foods help you lose weight here)
5. Drink enough
If it’s not hunger but just appetite and gluttony, drinking lukewarm water can help prevent certain food urges. To avoid cravings, drinking enough fluids throughout the day is a good solution. Unsweetened tea or vegetable broth can help suppress appetite.
6. Identify the causes
Often, food crises and compulsions are not caused by hunger, but by boredom or certain emotional states. Before you jump on the candy reserves, you must listen to yourself and ask yourself if you are really hungry. If the cravings arise as a result of frustration or a contradiction, then we must try to find an alternative path other than food to improve this emotional state. A walk in the fresh air can help clear your head.
7. Listen to your desires
Sometimes it can also help to just follow your whims and grant yourself that square of chocolate or cake that you crave so much. If you eat things that give you pleasure, the uncontrollable cravings will be much less present.
8. “Push back” your desires
Try this: Press down on the point between your nose and upper lip for 20 seconds with your index finger. According to studies, it stimulates the appetite center in the brain and thus curbs the urge to eat.
9. Avoid stress
Anyone who tends to eat more under stress should be aware of this and in particular take care to have a healthy life balance by avoiding excessive sources of stress. Rather than lying on the sofa with a bag of crisps, you could, for example, read a book or go out for a run to relax and clear your head. On the one hand, these activities make it possible to find a balance in the face of the stress of daily life. On the other hand, they create a distraction, so as to avoid food urges by forgetting sugar cravings for example. Nonetheless, if an urge to eat is felt, certain foods offer a good alternative to unhealthy snacks. Here you will find more tips on how to cope with stress.
