Natural Appetite Suppressant Diet

A natural appetite-suppressant diet is a heart-healthy diet, as promulgated by the American Heart Association, that will fill you up on naturally occurring ingredients you can find in your grocery store. In addition to knowing what foods will help you eat less, you need to find time to get physical activity into your daily routine in order to reap the best weight loss results.

Fiber-rich Foods

• Eat foods high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber fills you up and takes more energy than other foods to digest, according to the USDA and the Mayo Clinic. As the fiber absorbs water in your body, it expands. This gives you a sense of fullness, which leads to you eating less. Fiber is also low in calories.

  Eat oatmeal for breakfast. A one and a half cup serving of oatmeal contains 6 g of soluble fiber. Add some sliced banana or other fruit to it, and you will increase your fiber by 4 g. The recommended daily allotment of soluble fiber, according to the USDA and the Mayo Clinic, is 10 g. Add some flaxseed, also high in soluble fiber and antioxidants, and you'll have a nutrient powerhouse that will fill you up for hours.

  Snack on fruits and vegetables. Apples, prunes and apricots are high in soluble. This makes them preferred natural appetite suppressants.

  Eat a grapefruit prior to lunch or dinner. Grapefruit, high in both fiber and antioxidants, can be eaten 20 minutes prior to your meal to curb your appetite. Including grapefruit as part of your natural appetite-suppressant diet can be done by either eating the whole fruit or drinking grapefruit juice.

  Make soup your meal. Water-based soups, such as minestrone, are natural appetite suppressants because they are both water-based and rich in fiber. If you do not want to have soup as your main course, eat a cup prior to your meal.

  Eat green salads. Dark greens, such as romaine, endive, spinach and red-leaf lettuce, contain a variety of antioxidants and are fiber-rich. Either eat salads prior to your main meal or make them your main meal. If you add pine nuts, flaxseed and/or kidney beans, you can increase both your fiber content and antioxidants.

  Eat low-fat protein. Instead of red meat, your natural appetite-suppressant diet needs to include healthy protein sources. Start eating poultry (without skin), fish, low-fat soy foods and beans.

Beverages

• Drink an 8oz glass of water 20 minutes prior to your meal. Water fills you up and causes you to lose your appetite. Water also helps your metabolism and flushes toxins out of your system.

  If you don't like plain water, drink green tea (high in nutrients) or squeeze some lemon into your water. Lemon also has some natural appetite-suppressant properties in it.

Physical Activity

• Get physical. Exercise has long been known to be an effective ingredient in weight loss programs and needs to be included in your natural appetite-suppressant diet. According to the American Heart Association, start out slow (10 minutes daily) and increase to 30 minutes daily. Choose an activity that suits you so you will stay with it. Add variety to your exercise program so you stick with it.