Appetite & Weight Loss

Controlling your appetite is one factor in encouraging weight loss. You may not like eating less because your body (or brain) still feels hungry or is unsatisfied. Several options exist to decrease your appetite, such as increasing the amount of fiber in your diet and staying hydrated. Decreasing your appetite can lead to weight loss.

Basics

Appetite is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as "when you want to eat food," which occurs when you are hungry. However, in a society of plentiful opportunities for food, ideas of hunger and fullness are much different than what the body perceives it to be. Our culture's definition of "full" is literally a stomach full of food. But your body is often full before this point and your appetite satiated before your stomach bulges.

Brain

When you begin to eat, your stomach sends signal to your brain saying that nutrients are being absorbed. Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a hormone that operates to suppress your appetite. It is released when your small intestine is stretched with food to signal your brain that you are satiated and to stop eating. Unfortunately, this signal is not transmitted as quickly as you may eat and when the brain gets the message, you may have already overeaten. Eating slowly can aid in weight loss because it allows time for your food to reach your small intestine, which allows for CCK to be released.

Fiber

Soluble fiber in an important appetite suppressor and may lead to weight loss. It swells up, like a sponge, to thicken food and make you feel fuller. It also helps to delay the stomach of emptying its contents to the small intestine, which prolongs the feeling of fullness. Feeling fuller longer may lead to weight loss because you may eat less. Secondly, high-fiber foods are often nutrient-dense. Eating mostly high-nutrient foods means you eat fewer calories.

Weight Loss Surgeries

Gastric bypass surgeries, stomach stapling and gastric balloons work by producing a full feeling sooner. By filling the stomach with a balloon, or decreasing the size of the stomach with stapling or a gastric bypass, food quickly enters the upper small intestine (duodenum) and the stretching of the duodenum releases CCK. The brain registers the CCK and sends the signal to stop eating, therefore decreasing appetite.

Other Actors

In general, a low-carbohydrate, high-fat and protein diet can reduce your appetite. Exercise suppresses appetite. Decreasing your sodium intake can also decrease appetite. High sodium can throw off your cells' equilibrium and cause dehydration. Unfortunately, dehydration can be misconstrued as hunger and you may overeat. Staying hydrated can help suppress appetite. If you are not hungry because you're exercising and fully hydrated, you are less likely to eat and may lose weight.