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Weight Loss: Losing weight is probably one of the hardest things
most of us try to do, except maybe for those with worse addictions such
as cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs. However the fact that 60% of Americans
are overweight is a sign that this is not only a common problem, but one
that has not been solved. Face it, we have a strong primitive instinct
to overeat in order to survive during times of famine. The problem in a
country like America is that times of famine never come. Our grocery
stores tempt us with an abundance of food at relatively low cost.
So how do we solve this problem. Most say that to lose weight, one must
consume fewer calories than is needed to maintain one's current weight.
That is easier said than done. Good Home Remedies has found that one of the most
important factors in reducing the number of calories consumed is by controlling and reducing
the appetite
(the desire to eat). Appetite is a complex physical, chemical, and
psychological process, and works differently for different people. So what
Good Home Remedies provides here are a lot of tips that we found helpful for
controlling appetite, helping to reduce the urge to overeat. If you can
control your appetite and reduce the number of calories per day that you
consume you have a greater chance of losing weight. This is a daily
struggle and most of us will not win the battle every day. We found that
having an arsenal of techniques that we can use to help us with the
battle puts the odds in our favor.
The following are many tips that we have tried and collected from
friends, readers, and through our research. You may have to try many of
them before you will find those methods that work for you. And some of
them may work sometimes, but not all the time. So you may want to try
several of them, so you have alternatives. Some of the remedies will be
supplements, some will be techniques that help give you a full feeling,
avoid appetite triggers, or just help psychologically. We have
identified some of our favorites first.
1. Cold-pressed, unheated unsaturated omega-6 essential fatty acid (EFA) taken about 20 minutes to one hour before eating
can work as an appetite suppressant. We found the best sources of
omega-6 (or linoleic acid) are either in non-roasted nuts such as walnut
or brazil nuts, or in cold pressed nut or seed oils, or in supplement
form, such as in Evening Primrose Oil. Omega-6 EFAs are essential
fatty acids necessary for biological functions. Some medical research
suggests that we are getting too much omega-6 relative to omega-3
EFAs. However heat, light, and air
destroy omega-6 EFAs, and most sources of omega-6 EFAs
that we typically consume are heated before consumption. For example
many vegetables, nuts, and seeds, such as corn, soy and sunflower seeds
and oil are good sources of omega-6, and these sources are typically eaten cooked or roasted.
When these oils are used in margarine, they are often hydrogenated, which is
even worse.
And olive oil, which is often used as a salad dressing and thus is
consumed before it is heated, actually does not have any omega-6 EFAs. So buy fresh cold pressed sources of
omega 6 vegetable oils and refrigerate or eat whole raw (unroasted) nuts.
We found that
trying supplements was an easier way to figure out if this worked for
us as an appetite suppressant. We also found that these supplements not only help to control
appetite, but also help to control carbohydrate cravings.
2. Filling up on low-calorie, high-fiber fruits and vegetables can
provide a physical feeling of fullness which can quell the appetite
before a lot of high calorie foods have been consumed, which can help
inhibit the urge to overeat. Some have reported that the feeling of
fullness can trigger the brain to turn off the hunger feeling. And
getting at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day is so
important for so many areas of health that this tip can help both
health and weight loss in many ways. In addition to the physical feeling
of fullness, getting more fruits and vegetables may satisfy nutritional
needs, which may help reduce some natural cravings. Finally, it
can satisfy an emotional need to eat right. We’ve been told since we
were children to eat our vegetables, so getting in a few servings helps
to make us feel like we are doing something good for ourselves, which
can give some sense of control and help emotional issues. We found that
eating a couple of carrots and celery for example while fixing dinner
helped minimize the total volume eaten. Then during the meal, we found
if we ate a big bowl of soup or salad first, or ate our vegetables
first (and even doubled the vegetable portion), we then got to a feeling
of fullness faster and this frequently reduced the desire to overeat. Another tip
that helps with this approach is to eat slowly, so the full feeling has
a chance to get to the brain before you’ve "scarfed" down too many
calories.
To help eat your food slowly, chew your food a lot, as long as you can.
This not only helps to consume your food more slowly, letting the
feeling of fullness get to your brain, but it is also very good for your
digestion.
3. We found that trying to avoid known trigger foods goes a long way to
keeping appetite at bay. For some of us there are certain types of food
that stimulates the appetite. In fact, we have found that once consuming
some of these foods, some of us may not be able to turn off the appetite
no matter how much or what we eat, almost like the first drink for an
alcoholic. Food triggers are different for different people, and some
people don’t have them, but we found that some of the most common food
triggers are sugar and other carbohydrates, especially refined carbs
like bread, chips, and sugary drinks like coke.
Since most processed foods in the grocery stores have sugar or refined carbs,
this can severely limit the choice of foods that you have in your home. However
for some of us, the craving that goes along with a trigger food is so
strong that it is almost impossible to withstand. So we have found that
avoiding those foods and banning them from the house was very effective,
until we achieved some of our desired weight loss or found other
techniques that helped us combat our cravings for the trigger foods.
4. Keeping some low-calorie (and non-triggering) favorites on hand is important for those
days when we feel extra hungry or have less control over the appetite. Foods
that are low calorie, have some comfort quality, and don’t seem to stimulate
appetite, are great to have around for those times when we lose resolve, are
tired, or cannot calm a stimulated appetite. Foods such as
low-fat, low-calorie: hot chocolate, popcorn, soup, fruit, veggies, or
prepared frozen entrees, are great to resort to when we have lost our
willpower. The fact that many of these favorites are in small portions
help to provide a stopping point. Sometimes these choices don’t make a
dent in the hunger and we still end up over-doing it, but they are a
good first line of defense. Note it is important to be careful that none
of these favorites you keep in stock have strong appetite triggers in
them. For example, some of us might be content to eat one bag of popcorn
and won’t eat multiple bags. But there are some low-calorie deserts that
we could eat 10 in a row, and still be hungry for more. So stock those
that you know don't trigger more
cravings. So at the end of
the meal, if you still feel hungry, and you go back to the kitchen
looking for something else to eat, reach for one of these treats. Often
just one serving (or 2 or 3) will do the trick, and keep on track or at
least from overdoing it too much.
5. Several activities can boost serotonin levels in the brain that can
help with feeling good and may help reduce appetite. Activities such as
exercise can boost serotonin levels in your brain that will calm anxiety
and stimulate good feelings. Other feel-good activities besides
exercise, include things like gardening, laughing, being with friends,
and doing something you love. Exercise itself has so many good benefits,
not the least of which is improving cardiovascular health, but it also
helps to make us feel like we are doing something good for ourselves,
helping to give some sense of control, which helps with emotional
issues. This tip is also for those of us who use high-calorie comfort
foods to reduce stress. It is possible that just focusing on yourself,
taking a long hot bath or watching a favorite TV show will be enough to
control stress, sooth frayed nerves, stimulate endorphin production, or
calm an out-of-control appetite.
6. Substituting fat-free (or low-fat), low-calorie versions for many of
common foods helps to reduce daily calorie intake and help in weight
loss. Many dairy products come in low fat or fat free versions,
including milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Many meats such as ground
beef, chicken, and even processed meats like hot dogs come in leaner
varieties, clearly labeled on the package. Sometimes the fat in these
foods does help with flavor, however sometimes it is not missed. And
studies have shown that protein is even more satiating than fat, so
low-fat varieties of high-protein foods are good for reducing appetite.
However, a point of caution, many low-fat foods have substituted sugar
and other carbohydrates for the fat, which can stimulate appetite for
some. There are many prepared foods that have reduced fat and reduced
calories. Some even have reduced sugar or are sugar free. We found it
good to replace our staples with these low-fat, low-calorie versions
when the taste was not bad.
7. Trying to keep blood sugar levels even
through the day can help some folks keep appetite in check. Some foods stimulate
a rapid rise in blood sugar, which for some people stimulates a release
of insulin which removes sugar from the blood, leading to plunging blood
sugar level (hypoglycemia). Low blood sugar can stimulate the appetite.
People who are hypoglycemic or diabetic are especially sensitive to this
effect. Foods that stimulate a rapid rise in blood sugar are high-glycemic
foods, which generally include refined sugar and carbohydrates (carbs).
Repeatedly eating high-glycemic foods can cause a roller-coaster of high
and low blood sugar as the pancreas releases insulin to lower blood
sugar, after high glycemic foods have raised blood sugar. A general
approach to avoiding this roller coaster is to eat foods that produce a
slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar; these are known as low-glycemic foods.
Rather than trying to figure out the glycemic index or load of each
food, there are a few general principles that can help maintain even
blood sugar levels. Avoiding refined sugar and carbohydrate foods is the
most important principle for avoiding high-glycemic foods. The following
are other tips to help keep blood sugar levels even throughout the day:
-
Eat protein with every meal. Combining protein and fat with carbs can
help reduce the impact of carbs on blood sugar, helping to reduce hunger.
-
Eat small mini-meals throughout the day. This will help keep your blood
sugar from falling too low, by providing an intermediate boost. To avoid a
spike in the blood sugar, it is important to include protein in the
mini-meals or eat very low-glycemic foods, such as nuts, seeds, beans,
vegetables and some fruits like apples, oranges and plums.
-
Cinnamon sprinkled on food
or taken as a supplement has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar.
-
Using the ground stevia leaf, stevia extract, and/or stevioside, a
low-calorie sweetener, in place of sugar, may have the ability to balance
and lower blood sugar levels.
-
Chromium picolinate as a supplement has been shown to help stabilize
blood sugar. Small doses taken throughout the day can work for some people.
People with diabetes or hypoglycemia should consult with their doctor before
adding this to their regimen.
-
Other supplements that are
currently being studied for their effectiveness in lowering blood sugar
include Alpha Lipoic Acid and Ginseng.
8. Studies show that getting enough sleep is important to losing weight.
A
study that tracked 7,000 women showed that women who slept 7 hours per night
weigh less than those who slept 5 or less hours per night, according to
research performed at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.
Other studies have indicated that sleep restriction can increase hormones
that effect appetite, causing greater hunger.
9. There are several appetite suppressing supplements that may work for some
people at least some of the time. We found that it is nice to have some
other weapons to fall back on, when we feel we are going to have a
particularly rough time with hunger, during a stressful period or for those
times when we lose control. There are
several natural supplements available that can help some people in a pinch.
Note we found that these supplements were not a cure-all, they work
differently for different people, and they did not seem to work all the
time. Our favorite appetite reducing supplement was garcinia cambogia
extract. Other natural appetite suppressing supplements include:
1. Cider Vinegar
2. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
3. Whey protein powder
4. Pinolenic acid extracted from Korean pine nuts
5. Hoodia Gordonii (Note there is a lot of buzz on the Internet explaining
that hoodia is a protected plant and is thus limited in supply. Many brands
contain little hoodia, and genuine hoodia can be very expensive).
6. Caralluma Fimbriata has been reported on the Internet to be similar to
hoodia, but it is not a protected plant and more abundant. The price of
caralluma is cheaper than hoodia, however it is less known, does not have
much history of modern testing and use, and it’s hard to find genuine
caralluma supplements.
10. We found it helped to
be kind to ourselves and forgive ourselves for those times when we lose
control. As any overweight person knows, most days are not very
successful in achieving our goals for slimming down or just eating less. We
found that being hard on ourselves did not help, in fact self-berating just
added to misery and the seeking of more high-calorie comfort foods. Trying
to be light about it, and thinking that we could begin again the next day
helped our state of mind and sometimes would contain some of the damage. While
losing weight is the goal, the day
to day struggle is with control. The next day just provides an opportunity
to investigate new tricks to help attain control. If you look at it like a
grand experiment, with each day a blank slate to try new approaches, it
makes the process less torturous and more interesting. Considering that half
the battle is psychological, that provides a great challenge for all of us
to learn about ourselves and learn to live with and forgive our flaws. |