Fit Fare

Having trouble shedding those last five or 10 pounds? Chances are self-control is your answer. Learning to watch portion sizes and choosing whole grains over whole chocolate bars will surely help you achieve all your weight loss goals. But we all know eating well is easier said than done. Our cravings can get the better of all of us. If you find that you eat even when you’re not hungry, or that you can’t say no to junk food, you’re not alone. A whopping 80 percent of Americans over the age 25 are battling the bulge. It seems that with each passing year, we are having a harder time saying no to large amounts of fattening foods.

Fortunately, there is something you can do to calm your cravings. The best way to win at the appetite game is to arm yourself with strategies that give you the will-power when you need it most. Here’s a list of 10 ways to master your cravings and how to control them, instead of letting them control you.

1. It’s Getting Hot in Here

Another way to control your appetite is to spice things up. Capsaicin, the substance that puts the pep in jalapeño, cayenne, and serrano peppers, suppresses hunger because flavorful foods are more satisfying. Researchers at Laval University found that participants who ate foods with red pepper saw a decrease in their appetites. Specifically, those who added peppers at breakfast ate less food at lunch; while those who had a spicy appetizer at lunch, ate fewer calories during the mid¬day meal and snacked less in the afternoon.

2. Go Nuts

Although nuts are high in calories they are still a great snack. Eaten in small amounts they can even help you lose weight. When researchers at Purdue University wanted to explain why people who eat peanuts and other nuts have lower body mass indexes, they instructed 15 individuals to eat 500 calories of peanuts a day, for 19 weeks. When nuts were substituted for other calories, participants felt fuller and reported they couldn’t eat their normal daily amount of food.

“Because of nut’s combination of fat, protein, fiber, and crunchy texture they give people a high feeling of satiety,” says Richard O. Mattes PhD, professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University. So start munching on the small treasures because they’ll fill you up and stop you from overeating. If you love snacking, try shelled peanuts, because the sheer task of shelling them slows the eating process down, giving your brain time to recognize you’re full.

3. Liquefy Your Meals

Go ahead and order an appetizer, but make it a broth-based soup. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that women who had a soup before lunch ate 26 percent fewer calories at that meal than those who didn’t have an appetizer. What’s better, the subjects in the study didn’t compensate for the midday calorie reduction at dinner.

“Soup offers a big portion with few calories and a lot of volume,” says Barbara Rolls, PhD, professor of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University and author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan.

With soup, your senses are fooled into believing you’re eating more food. Soup is usually hot, which requires you to sip it slowly. “By the time you’re ready to eat [the main course] you’re almost full,” says Suzanne Henson, an instructor and coordinator of the EatRight weight management program at the University of Alabama.

4. Bulk Up at Breakfast

You’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But what’s equally important is fueling your body with quality foods. Racing out the door with a cereal bar or a piece of toast and jelly won’t cut it. To adequately fuel your body you need fiber-rich foods - whole grain cereals, fruits, protein, and a bit of healthy fat. Only proper food combining will stave off the midmorning munchies.

Fiber, protein, and fat take longer to digest and help maintain stable blood sugar levels. “This also enables you to avoid mood swings that come with eating foods high in simple carbohydrates and sugar,” says Susan L. Burke, MS, RD, director of nutrition services at eDiets.com.

Try rolled oats with milk, protein powder, and a few nuts. Scrambled egg whites and a slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter is another smart choice. If you’d rather sleep late than eat great, grab a bran muffin on the way out the door.

5. Frequent Feeding

Take two women who both eat 1,800 calories a day. One eats only three meals. The other eats her calories in six mini-meals spaced evenly throughout the day. Which one feels more satisfied? You’ve got it - the mini-meal planner.

“When you eat every two to three hours you’re always going to have some energy and your blood glucose level will remain stable. You’ll avoid hunger pangs that lead to eating out of impulse,” says Burke.

It’s not enough just to eat frequently though, your mini-meals have to be balanced. “Eating a combination of foods is very important, especially when trying to lose weight,” explains Henson. Snacking on just carbohydrates will increase insulin levels that lead to hunger. Each meal should have complex carbohydrates, protein, and a little fat. A stir-fry with chicken, vegetables, and a few almonds is a perfect example.

If eating six small balanced meals doesn’t fit into your lifestyle, try three meals with one or two snacks instead. Or, make one or two of your meals a protein shake. An apple with peanut butter or yogurt and a few nuts are both satisfying snacks.

6. Get Active

Contrary to popular belief, exercise doesn’t increase your appetite. “Intense exercise, like running or a spinning class, will actually suppress hunger following your workout,” says Lisa Mosing, MS, RD FADA, advisor to fitnessheaven.com. Exercise also increases your metabolism, so when you do eat afterwards, you’ll burn the calories faster.

“Physical activity can increase satiety and promote hunger regulatory systems to work more efficiently,” says Rolls. “There is some evidence, especially in overweight people, that increasing physical activity also helps prevent eating that’s not based on hunger.” So the next time you’re full, but would love to devour a plate of chocolate chip cookies, try taking a 20-minute brisk walk instead. It will take your mind off your need to nibble and you’ll be less likely to want food when you get home.

7. Slow and Steady

“Eat slowly to give your body time to realize it’s full,” says Carey Clifford, MS, RD, vice president of weight loss services at Nutricise. “It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register fullness.” Eating too fast will lead to eating too much.

Try slowing yourself down by setting the mood with soft, slow music. Listening to classical music is similar to using chopsticks ¬ both slow down the pace of your eating. But if you blast fast-paced tunes while you’re at the table, your fork will try to keep up with the beat and you’re likely to eat even faster than usual.

8. Hunger Versus Appetite
What’s ruling your stomach - hunger or appetite? Hunger is a purely physiological response - your body is telling you it needs to be refueled. Appetite or the desire to eat is subjective and more easily influenced. Like when you want a chocolate bar after seeing it on a commercial, or you drive by a Krispy Kreme and immediately “need” a donut, your mind is playing tricks on your digestive system. “When people see food in a commercial and immediately respond by eating something, there’s an issue other than hunger at play,” explains Linda Spangle, MA, RN, author of Life Is Hard, Food Is Easy: The 5-Step Plan to Overcome Emotion. Eating and Lose Weight on Any Diet.” A lot of times with television, it’s boredom.”

Once you’re aware of the mind games that food images can play, they’re easier to control. Next time you want to eat in between meals, ask yourself what’s going on. Spangle suggests keeping a food journal to better enable yourself to identify appetite triggers. Once you recognize your weak spots, use distraction techniques. grab a drink of water when the urge to munch hits, or grab the phone and call a friend.

9. Just Say Yes
While most of the time you can control your appetite and cravings, sometimes it seems impossible to keep your urges at bay. So go ahead, treat yourself - but do so in moderation. Stop after one cookie, half a candy bar, or small package of fries. And don’t make substitutions. You can’t fool your taste buds. “If you’re craving a cookie, have a cookie,” says Mosing. If you have a muffin instead, you’ll still want the cookie. Your craving will live on and chances are you’ll still eat the cookie. Satisfy yourself the first time around by having what you want.

10. Crack the Color Code
Color plays a role in eating because different shades evoke a variety of emotional responses. Think about the decor of your favorite fast food joints. There’s a theme. Red, green, and yellow tend to dominate everything, from McDonald’s to KFC. It’s not a coincidence. “Consumers respond to red and yellow hues,” explains Mosing. Warm colors enhance your mood and appetite by making you feel comfortable. They also make food appear more appetizing. “When food has a blue tint it doesn’t look as appealing and you’re less likely to eat much of it,” says Mosing. Cool colors like blue, black, and purple tend to suppress appetite, since they aren’t usually found in nature - it’s an innate response to avoid such colors. Who would want to eat blue lasagna?

While you can’t change the interior of your favorite restaurants, you can have some color control when it comes to your diet and your at-home environment. Opt for cool colored plates, put a blue light bulb in your fridge or use a black or blue table cloth on your table.