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When it comes to weight management, a lot of people want to know what the best appetite suppressants are. Often overlooked are the risks associated with appetite suppressants which include: elevated blood pressure & heart rate, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia and dry mouth. People aware of the risks seek natural ways to thwart their hunger pangs. The common natural recommendation is to drink more water and increase fiber intake. For most people, this doesn't do the job. So instead of going along with the "more water fiber" rhetoric, let's explore a few hormones that dictate whether or not we feel hungry versus satiated and satisfied for several hours. Ideally we want to eat a meal and feel energized for several hours instead of just a couple of hours before we crash. INSULIN is a hormone that regulates blood sugar, metabolism, how we store body fat and how quickly we age. When we eat a diet high in sugars and starchy carbs (like bread, pasta and potatoes) our insulin levels tend to go up and our hunger signals get wonky and warped. We want to keep our insulin on the low side. One easy way we can do this is by reducing our sugars/starchy carb intake and balancing our meals with plenty of healthy fats and quality proteins. The added fat, in particular, will protect against future blood sugar crashes. Following a crash people tend to OVEReat and often choose the wrong foods. This is obviously something we want to avoid. GLUCAGON is the counter-hormone to insulin. It helps us keep blood sugar stable and maintain energy levels between meals. When we eat a meal that's predominately sugar or carb - we inhibit glucagon release. So instead of snacking on one large apple you will probably feel satisfied longer if you eat half of the apple with some macadamia nuts or nut butter. PEPTIDE YY (PYY) is a hormone that is often overlooked when it comes to appetite control. It shouldn't be! It is one of our hormones that tells us when to stop eating because we've reached a state of satiety. While protein and fat release a lot of PYY, carbohydrate does not. This is why it's so easy to overeat a bag of chips. PYY isn't telling us to stop! This is also why simply increasing fiber intake (usually carbohydrate) to keep hunger at bay doesn't work for everyone. Increasing fiber might make you feel "full" in a bloated-belly kind of way. But it is unlikely to keep you feeling satisfied and even-keeled for several hours. HEALTHY FATS QUALITY PROTEIN = APPETITE CONTROL After considering how insulin, glucagon and PYY play a role in hunger signals you may have already come to the conclusion that meals emphasizing healthy fats and quality protein will keep us feeling more satisfied and energized longer than meals emphasizing carbohydrates. For example, a breakfast of a bagel and juice will: - raise your insulin levels, which will
A breakfast of an omelette w/ spinach and other veggies, and maybe a bit of cheese will: - keep insulin on the low side, which will
6 EASY TIPS FOR NATURAL APPETITE CONTROL: 1. Start the day with a meal rich in protein and fat like scrambled eggs with veggies or even leftovers from dinner the night before. 2. Instead of having a starchy carb-centered lunch like a sandwich or pasta bowl, opt for a giant salad with quality meat/fish and healthy fats from avocado, goat cheese or a homemade salad dressing of extra virgin olive oil, herbs and apple cider vinegar. 3. If you need a midday snack, keep something handy like deviled eggs, sliced avocado, a handful of macadamia nuts, jerky or a Tanka bar. Smart snacking like this will help prevent overeating come dinner time. 4. For dinner, opt for protein such as meat/fish cooked with healthy fat and veggies. 5. If you're ever in a time crunch, you can grab a spoonful of coconut cream or coconut oil to tide you over until your next meal. And lastly - 6. DON'T FEAR FAT! Fat is your friend when it comes to appetite control. It is Mother Nature's appetite suppressant. If you're concerned about calories from fat - don't be. Portion sizes tend to shrink when hunger signals are fully functioning. Plus fat doesn't make people fat. Remember: Healthy is the new HOT!Â? Author: Amira Lamb Amira Lamb, of Holistic Hottie, Inc in New York City, has over 16 years experience as a certified group exercise instructor, personal trainer and Nutrition and Holistic Lifestyle Coach. She graduated with a BA from UMASS-Amherst and has worked for esteemed companies such as: the Sports Club LA, Crunch, Equinox and New York Sports Clubs. Amira is also is a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist and maintains certifications from National Academy of Sports Medicine, American Fitness Association of America, and the CHEK Institute. View Count: 152
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