Are you finding that intense cravings and hunger pangs are threatening to derail the progress of your diet program? Well, you are in good company; many people find themselves intensely hungry when they are dieting. Luckily for you, there are some science-backed supplements that may help you fight your cravings, and get back on the road to dieting success.
However, in order to point you in the right direction, we really need to discuss the type of “cravings” you may be having…
1. Seemingly irrational and overwhelming cravings for sweets and or simple carbohydrates or carbohydrate-based snacks.
If you suffer cravings like these, they are likely the result of a blood sugar imbalance of some sort, caused by insulin levels that surge dramatically in response to a carbohydrate rich diet. If this is the case, you don’t need a supplement that suppresses your appetite, you need one that will help moderate your glucose levels and regulate insulin function.
Click here for a list of supplements that may help you.
2. Cravings / hunger resulting from too severely limiting your calorie intake.
If you limit your calories, it’s only natural that you are going to hungry. However, it’s important that your diet program not limit your calories too severely, or you can run into a series of problems…
- You will constantly be battling hunger and cravings.
- Your metabolism will slow to a crawl, making it even more difficult to lose weight, once your body has adjusted to this drastic reduction.
- You increase the risk of losing muscle mass. Since muscle tissue is metabolically active (i.e., it requires calories even at rest) it is a critical contributor to your metabolism. Should you lose a lot of muscle mass, it will be extremely difficult to not regain all your weight and then some, when you cease the diet program and return to your regular schedule.
The key then, is to only moderately lower your caloric intake. That said, you may still find yourself battling hunger pangs occasionally. There are some things you can do to fight this; drink 6-8 glasses of water per day (one prior to each meal) and ensure your diet contains ample amounts of high-fiber foods. Quite simply, doing this helps you feel “fuller” longer, delaying the “I’m hungry ” message being delivered to the brain.
That said, the following is a list of supplements that may help suppress appetite to address the cravings that are a typical result of reduced calorie consumption (all links open in new window so you won’t lose your place here)…
- Glucomannan (recommended!): Glucomannan is a simple fiber supplement, backed by some decent clinical research. It will help you feel fuller, longer.
- Caralluma fimbriata (Slimaluma): A single preliminary clinical study suggests Caralluma (an Indian cactus) may suppress appetite.
- Cha de Bugre: There is no clinical evidence validating Cha de Bugre’s appetite suppressing qualities. Still, anecdotal reports suggest it’s helpful, and it’s cheap enough to warrant an experiment.
- Slim Shots: A palm and oat oil blend used for appetite suppression and satiety. Clinical studies suggest it is useful, but visitor feedback is mixed.
- Synephrine: Derived from the bitter orange plant, clinical data suggests only the most modest weight loss effects. Anecdotal evidence suggests a mild appetite suppressing effect.
- Hoodia gordonii: A south African succulent, and for a while the most hyped weight loss supplement on the Internet, anecdotal evidence suggests appetite suppressing characteristics.
- Thermogenic fat burners: Some people find that stimulant based fat burners are helpful for suppressing hunger pangs.
- Irvingia gabonesis / African Mango: Although several published, peer-reviewed studies validating its weight loss effects exist, there are good reasons to be wary of the advertising hype…
