The best way to curb your appetite…
…is to eat!
(Did you actually think I’d give you some buzzy tips on ways to eat less!?)
Your appetite and hunger are not things that need to be silenced, curbed or ignored. In fact, it’s pretty cool our bodies send us signals when it needs energy and it’s time to refuel.* Hunger cues don’t always equal a growling stomach. They can also show up as lightheadedness, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, cravings, shakiness, and “hanger.” But if you’ve been entrenched in diet culture, you’ve probably been taught to ignore, bypass or even trick your own body’s cues into eating less. But you can’t outsmart biology! No amount of fasting, water drinking or appetite repressing supplements are going to ever actually “curb” your appetite. Only food can do that!
It doesn’t feel comfortable to constantly feel hungry, and if that’s the case for you, it might be that you’re not eating enough, or you’re not eating enough of the most satisfying combinations of foods. Ideally your meals have a nice balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats and protein) to give you lasting energy. And, it’s not just food that affects appetite. A poor night of sleep, stress, and inadequate eating (such as skipping breakfast) can all make you feel like no amount of food satisfies your hunger.
Let’s reframe “curbing your appetite” to “nourishing your appetite.” Here are some tips to do so:
Make sure your meals have a balance of carbs, fat and protein. A grain bowl with tofu and broccoli with tahini dressing or veggie omelet with avocado and berries are great examples of meals that are satiating and nourishing.
Don’t skip meals! Meal skipping makes it harder to meet your nutrient needs in the remaining meals you do eat, and can lead to overeating later on as your body’s way to compensate for the lack of food.
Sleep; 7-8 hours of uninterrupted, restful sleep. Two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, regulate our appetite, and both are directly affected by how much sleep we get. When we don’t get adequate sleep, the hormone that signals hunger (ghrelin) increases and the hormone that signals satiety (leptin) decreases.
Take notice of when you feel hungry. Do you try to push off your meals? Chug coffee to mask your hunger? See what happens when you enjoy a meal with your coffee, or eat lunch when your hunger hits instead of pushing it off as long as possible. You may notice you have more energy, mental clarity, and a happily “curbed” appetite.
*Of course there are always exceptions to this. If you’re on medications that alter your body’s hunger cues, or have repressed your hunger for so long that you no longer know what it feels like to feel hungry, it can be challenging to hear your body’s signals. Working with a registered dietitian to tune into your body’s needs and inner wisdom can help!
