Tips for Losing Weight When You Have a Big Appetite

To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you burn, and the phrase "You can't out-train a bad diet" certainly holds true. Unless you're an Olympic athlete and able to train five to six hours every day, you simply can't burn enough calories through exercise alone; you need to reduce your food consumption, too. However, this can be problematic if you have a big appetite, and dieting can leave you feeling tired, lethargic and hungry. But this needn't be the case.

Calories

First off, you need to work out how many calories you should be consuming for weight loss. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendations state that adult females should eat between 1,800 and 2,400 calories daily to maintain weight, and males between 2,000 and 3,000, depending on weight and activity levels. Don't cheat yourself out of calories -- if you can lose 1 to 2 pounds per week by eating a higher calorie intake, then don't cut it too drastically and starve yourself.

Protein

Protein intake is an essential yet often overlooked consideration when planning a weight-loss diet. According to nutritionist Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth," protein is a natural appetite suppressant. It takes longer for your body to break down and digest protein than it does fat or carbs, so basing meals around protein helps you feel fuller for longer. Include protein from lean meat, fish, dairy products, eggs or legumes in every meal.

Fiber

Like protein, fiber also increases satiety and feelings of fullness, due to the longer digestion process needed for the body to use it effectively. You can get fiber from whole grains like brown rice and whole-wheat bread, from beans, and also from green vegetables. The added bonus you get from increasing your intake of vegetables is that all vegetables, particularly dark green leafy, and brightly colored ones, are very low in calories, meaning you can eat a large volume of them to fill you up, without piling on the calories. Good choices include broccoli, kale, sprouts, cabbage, celery, lettuce, peppers, zucchini and spinach.

Meal Frequency

How often you eat can also have an effect on your appetite and hunger levels. While traditionally, advice has always been to eat smaller meals more often, according to Lyle McDonald, nutritionist and author of "The Stubborn Fat Loss Solution," more frequent, smaller feedings have no metabolic or weight-loss advantage over bigger ones spaced further apart, provided calorie intake is the same. You should experiment to see what works for you. Some people find that six to eight small meals per day works best for them, while others find that two or three bigger meals keeps them feeling satiated and stops hunger from kicking in.