Things you can do to curb your appetite and lose weight

Many dieters, after trying all sorts of fad diets, crazy tricks, and even starving themselves, give up trying to lose weight, in frustration when nothing seems to work. However, it is crucial to realize that there are healthy food cravings, and there are unhealthy food cravings. The first type of craving is normal, and it is triggered by certain hormones in the body which tell the brain that the body needs to refuel. The second type of craving can be classified as abnormal. This type of food craving occurs when the body is not functioning properly due to a sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy diet. Everyone must understand that in order to maintain a healthy appetite for a lifetime, the body requires regular exercise and a healthy diet. Without these key factors, weight gain occurs, metabolism slows, and key hormones then become unbalanced. While some dieters continue to hope for a magic pill, or potion, the bottom line remains that diet, and exercise are both important factors, if you are trying to lose weight.Here are some things you can do to curb your appetite and lose weight-

• Think about what you eat-A well thought-out, and planned diet, is the key to successfully losing weight. Many dieters underestimate the importance of what they eat as well as the amount that they eat.This is because eating unhealthy foods has an impact on serotonin levels, which in turn influence cravings. An imbalance of serontonin can cause feelings of depression, and sadness, which causes the body to tell the brain that it needs to feel good again. Eating foods high in simple sugars, and carbohydrates, gives the body a burst of serotonin, which then makes the body feel good again. Unfortunately, the good feeling does not last long, creating ongoing cravings, and the continual need to eat these types of foods. Everyone who is trying to eat better (whether trying to lose weight or not), should realize that there are healthy alternatives to high sugar, and carbohydrate heavy foods.These are foods that can raise serotonin levels in a healthy manner, and help maintain those levels. These foods include but are not limited to:fresh fruit, nuts, raw seeds, chicken, turkey, raw or steamed vegetables, and fish. In addition, a high fiber diet is also an excellent way to curb the appetite. Many different studies, have found that combining different types of soluble fiber in specific ratios, amplifies the volume of food consumed. This is because fiber, which cannot be absorbed by the body, causes a feeling a fullness on a lesser amount of calories. The main benefits of this process are weight loss, elimination of cravings, and improved insulin sensitivity.
• Exercise regularly-While most people understand that regular exercise is necessary for weight loss, many people do not realize that it suppresses the appetite as well. This is because the body contains the hormones Ghrelin which stimulates appetite and peptides that suppress it. Researchers have studied the role that exercise plays in the activity of these two hormones. In many studies it has been found that a treadmill workout caused Ghrelin levels to drop, and peptide levels to rise. In addition, it also found that resistance training causes Ghrelin levels to drop. This is very important news for those dieters who attempt weight loss without exercise.The bottom line is that calorie restriction causes increased levels of Ghrelin, thus making it impossible for most people to stay on a diet. A moderate aerobic workout, beginning with twenty minutes of moderate resistance training, is the ideal combination for maximum fat burning. Remember that strenuous workouts will only be effective for very fit individuals, whose bodies have the ability to remain in fat burning mode, during the workout.