5 Strategies to Naturally Reduce Your Appetite

To successfully lose weight, you have to make changes to your diet, which includes reducing your portion sizes and choosing nutrient-dense foods over ones with empty calories. 

But even with the best of intentions, it can often feel impossible to limit how much you eat and avoid your favorite foods without still feeling ravenous throughout the day. And a lot of that can be because your body is used to your typical calorie intake, making a successful weight loss journey seem out of reach.

At Butterfly MedSpa and Wellness in Spring and The Woodlands, Texas, Dr. Ben Cilento and our expert team understand how difficult it can be to change your diet to lose weight — especially when your appetite has other ideas. 

While there are lots of appetite suppressants on the market, we’re here to highlight some natural ways to curb your stomach rumblings and discuss how we can help support those strategies with our medical weight loss services. 

1. Choose foods that fill you up

The type of food you eat matters almost as much as the amount of food you eat. If you lessen your portions, but you’re still opting for foods that are full of carbohydrates and added sugars, you’ll still be hungry most of the time because your body digests and uses these foods quickly. 

However, if you opt for foods that are high in fiber and lean protein, you’ll slow down digestion and feel fuller for longer. Plus, these foods are packed with healthy nutrients! Try adding some of these powerhouse foods to keep you energized and full:

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Salmon
• Whole grains
• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes
• Berries
• Bananas

Try incorporating them into meals or small snacks throughout the day. 

2. Drink more water

This strategy is a must for suppressing your appetite. Water has zero calories, and staying hydrated is essential for optimal health and well-being. 

Drinking lots of water helps you feel full since it takes up significant room in your stomach, and oftentimes, your body tricks you into thinking you’re hungry when you’re actually thirsty. Just be sure you don’t substitute drinking water for eating healthy meals throughout the day.

3. Exercise 

Moving your body regularly has a lot of health benefits. Exercising can help you burn extra calories, but it can also reduce activity in the part of your brain that controls food cravings, meaning you’ll be motivated to eat healthier foods — and be less tempted by unhealthy foods.  

Exercise can also help regulate hunger hormones, keeping you feeling full for longer. 

4. Prioritize sleep

While it may seem like sleep has nothing to do with appetite, it turns out the two are closely linked. When you don’t get enough sleep, your stress levels tend to go up, and with them, your appetite. 

Sleep is your brain’s and your body’s time to unwind, destress, and get some much-needed relaxation. So make sure you do your best to get between seven to nine hours of sleep every night to control both your stress levels and your appetite. 

5. Integrate medical weight loss

It can be hard to go on your weight loss journey alone, and that’s exactly why our team at Butterfly MedSpa and Wellness is here to provide expert guidance and support. 

We can help you identify any physical, emotional, or mental health barriers that are keeping you from reaching your goals, and create a weight loss plan that works best for you as an individual. We also offer prescription weight loss medications, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, to help you reach your goal more efficiently and effectively. 

To get started with medical weight loss at Butterfly MedSpa and Wellness, simply call your nearest office in Spring or The Woodlands of Houston, Texas, today, or book an appointment online at your convenience.