Eating mindfully has always been a challenge for the general population during holiday seasons. After all, what better time is there to indulge in your favorite food than during Christmas or Thanksgiving? However, everyone has to take into consideration the fact that your increased consumption of unhealthy food will have negative repercussions in the months to come.
To help this year, here are five ways to curb your appetite this holiday season.
Add Super Foods To Your Diet
The most popular method that many people utilize includes the consumption of appetite suppressing supplements. This includes caffeine, cayenne pepper, and avocados. Caffeine releases peptide YY that promotes a feeling of fullness. Cayenne pepper has been shown to curb appetite and avocado is a healthy fat that promotes fat burning.
Consume More Water
Increasing your water intake works to curb your appetite solely by relying on the principle that a full stomach reduces the urge to eat. Not only does water fill up the stomach at a faster rate, it also helps to determine if you are truly hungry, or if you only feel hungry because you are dehydrated . To successfully curb your appetite, consume about half of your weight in ounces every day!
Increase Consumption of Protein as Opposed to Carbohydrates and Fats
Change up your macronutrient distribution. Whether you are home or at a holiday party, opt for food that is higher in protein such as turkey and chicken because protein increases fullness and you are less likely to over consume protein as opposed to carbs or fats.
Increase Your Exercise Frequency
By elevating your exercise frequency, you can increase your metabolic rate while reducing your brain’s neuronal response to food. It is the feeling you may get when you lose your appetite immediately after a run and it can be taken advantage of during this holiday season. Exercise is also an effective stress reducer, so it has multiple benefits during the holiday season.
Get Sufficient Sleep
One of the most often overlooked methods of curbing your appetite is by getting sufficient sleep every day. Studies have revealed that a decrease in sleep could result in an increase in hunger and appetite amongst individuals by up to 24%. That is rather alarming considering most working adults are sleep deprived for a majority of the year. Not to mention, with lesser amount of conscious time in a day, you will have a smaller opportunity to succumb to your cravings.