If you want to lose weight because it’s important to you
Focus more on what regulates your appetite instead of counting calories.
By concentrating on managing your appetite and hunger hormones, you can regain control of your food intake without frustration.
Appetite regulation isn’t about willpower. It’s about biology, habits, and giving your body the right conditions to self-regulate. When your hormone levels are balanced, you will look at the food you like without feeling the urge to binge eat it.
Here’s some effective and proven tips that will help you regulate your appetite and calm hunger:
1- Eat more fibre
This isn’t the first time you’ve heard it, but it’s definitely the most underrated advice out there. We have to remind ourselves again and again to choose more fruits and vegetables so we actually nourish our bodies with vitamins and minerals and give our microbiome the fiber it craves. Fiber slows digestion and the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which helps keep blood sugar steady and keeps you full longer. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes are your best allies here.
2- Avoid UPF ultra-processed food
If your goal is to regulate your appetite to lose weight and stay healthy, you absolutely need to cut down your consumption of industrial, ultra-processed foods. By now, you probably know that UPFs are engineered to bypass your natural appetite controls. When you buy a cake or a pack of biscuits from the supermarket and suddenly realise you can’t stop until the whole thing is gone guess what? It’s not your fault. These foods are designed to make you overeat. They’re highly palatable, irresistibly tasty, and crafted to keep you reaching for more. Cutting them down isn’t about restriction it’s simply shifting toward real, minimally processed foods that actually support your body.
3- Eat enough protein
Everyone has heard about the importance of eating enough protein. It’s not about stuffing yourself with more than you need it’s about finding the portion that actually supports your body. On a balanced plate, protein plays a key role: it stabilises hunger hormones and dramatically improves satiety. Don’t hesitate to add it to every meal : eggs, yogurt, fish, chicken, lentils, tofu… whatever fits your style and your goals.
4- Stop dieting
If you are on a specific diet for weight loss and struggling with hunger you should stop now. Restrictive diets only make things worse, it confuses your satiety signals and sends your hunger to the roof. Enjoy a balanced diet to regulate your appetite.
5- Take your time and savour your meals
It takes about 20 min for satiety signals to reach your brain. When you slow down and chew well your food, you give time to your body to release satiety hormones and prevent overeating.
6- Exercise regularly regulates appetite
Exercise helps regulate a whole bunch of hormones in your body. It improves insulin sensitivity, boosts your mood, and balances hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin. Anything that gets you moving works walking, dancing, gardening… just pick your favourite and stay consistent until the results show up.
7- Manage stress
Chronic stress disrupts satiety hormones by spiking blood sugar and cortisol levels. One of the body’s natural reactions is to reach for comfort food to soothe the discomfort and get a quick dopamine hit. Managing your stress levels is crucial if you want to regulate your appetite and bring it back to baseline. Relax, take moments to calm your system, breathe, meditate. Bring that cortisol down.
8- Avoid saturated fats
Saturated fats tend to increase appetite. Studies show that people who consume higher amounts of saturated fats feel less satisfied after a meal. Keep these food to a minimum : fried foods, processed foods, sausages, and ice cream, if you want better appetite control.
9- Add polyunsaturated fats
Now these fats support hormone balance and satiety. Think salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, olive oil. They help your body regulate inflammation and hunger cues more effectively.
10- Get enough sleep
Slim people sleep well. Sleep impacts the entire hormonal system, and hunger is no exception. Appetite is hormone-driven. When we sleep less, these hormones become dysregulated, and the body compensates by pushing us to eat more. To bring everything back into balance, you need to prioritise sleep and aim for 7 to 9 hours a night. Your body will work so much better for you.
