Natural Ways to Decrease Appetite

• Increased appetite works against your diet plan. Buena Vista Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images

  Increased appetite levels make maintaining or losing weight very difficult. While everyone knows that you must control your diet to regulate your weight, a rampant appetite only makes this harder. Methods to decrease your appetite will make your diet much easier to manage. According to David Kessler, author of "The End of Overeating," even without active dieting, decreasing your appetite will help you lose weight and become healthier.

Eat Slowly

• Eat your food slowly so your body has time to communicate to your brain that you are full. When you eat food quickly, your brain does not realize you are full for 5 to 10 minutes following consumption, writes Kessler. It is far too common to reach for another bite before you have even finished swallowing your current bite. By chewing each bite 10 to 15 times and pausing between bites, you will naturally eat slower and realize when you are full.

Drink More Water

• Drink more water throughout the day. By drinking water, you keep your stomach full and decrease hunger pangs. According to Michael T. Murray and Michael R. Lyon, authors of "Hunger Free Forever," often when you feel hungry, your body is actually thirsty. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning to give your body a boost of hydration and help your stomach feel full. Following that, you should drink a glass of water before, during and after each meal. The water before and during the meal will help you reduce how much you eat. The water after the meal will help you feel full longer. When you feel hungry between meal times, drink a glass of water and the craving should dissipate.

Eat More Fiber

• Eat a diet that is high in fiber. Fiber takes longer for your body to digest, keeping you full longer. One of the best times to eat fiber is at breakfast, as it keeps you feeling full throughout the day. Have a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal in the morning. Regular fiber intake will help suppress appetite and reduce the amount of food you consume. Foods high in fiber include pears, apples, oranges, bran cereal, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, potatoes and peas.