The Best Ways to Suppress Appetite

You feel that familiar gurgling in your stomach, telling you it's time to eat. These hungry rumblings are your body's way of convincing you to consume more calories so it can add to its fat stores. But grabbing the sugar-loaded snack you're suddenly craving is not the best course of action if you want to lose weight. Avoid high-carb foods that rapidly elevate your blood sugar. Instead, eat foods that enter the bloodstream slowly.

Drink Water

• When hunger strikes, drink water.

  Staying hydrated is crucial to weight loss and good health in general, but it's also a quick way to squelch your appetite. At the onset of hunger, drink a tall, fresh glass of water. After about 10 minutes, you will likely feel less hungry. However, if water doesn't do the trick for you, try drinking natural, MSG-free vegetable or chicken broth. An entire quart of organic vegetable broth contains only 20 calories, yet it is sure to make you feel full quickly.

Chew Gum

• Chew gum to curb your cravings.

  The act of chewing tells the body that food is on the way, temporarily shutting off the hunger signals. Chew a sugar-free gum as soon as you feel hungry. The flavor will activate your salivary glands, quickly satiating your hunger. Not only is sugar-free gum inexpensive and calorie-free, but it's convenient and portable, a fast, easy way to fight your hunger. And according to researchers in the UK, it's especially good at warding off cravings for sweets.

Fill Up on Fiber

• An apple a day keeps your hunger at bay.

  Fiber is a zero-calorie carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the body. Instead, the digestive system turns it into a gel-like substance which slows digestion. High-fiber foods such as oatmeal, flax seeds, fruits, vegetables and legumes are beneficial for weight loss because they are low in calories and high in fiber to keep you feeling full for longer. Eat a bowl of unsweetened oatmeal for breakfast to keep hunger at bay for hours. And when hunger strikes, arm yourself with a fiber-rich apple -- not only will it stop hunger dead in its tracks, but it's full of nutrients, too.

Incorporate Protein and Healthy Fats

• Add salmon to your salad to make it extra satisfying.

  Protein digests very slowly, keeping you feeling satisfied for quite a while. It is also an important part of weight loss since the body uses it to build muscle. Include an egg with breakfast to sustain you until lunch. Eat small amounts of lean meat, such as chicken, or fish with lunch and dinner. One idea is to add some grilled salmon to a salad of leafy greens for a healthy, filling meal that will carry you through the day.

  Healthy fats, such as those in nuts and avocados, are also very filling and effectively keep hunger at bay. But be careful not to eat too many of these foods -- they are also quite high in calories! Snack on a handful of almonds to tide you over to your next meal, or add some avocado slices to a salad.