42 replies to this topic

[Laura]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any suggestions for natural appettite suppressants? I've tried L-Glutamine powder but not sure if it's really that helpful. Ephedra used to work wonders for me, although it did make me a bit sometimes! But it's got some serious health risks, and of course, it has been banned.

Your suggestions are appreciated.

Laura

[maninthesea]

I have heard eating naked in front of a mirror does wonders to curb an appitite!
Cheers Jim
><)))'>

[jextract]

Don't even get me going on the whole ephedra issue. One idiot pitcher with a history of high blood pressure who takes THREE TIMES the recommended dose of Xenadrine (when the label clearly says do not exceed the identified dosage) and then covers himself in sweats and exercises in the hot Florida sun until he drops ... well, call that natural selection. More people die every year from aspirin than ephedra, yet you don't see them banning that. And we won't even talk about cigarettes.

Glutamine is not used for weight control, which would explain why you didn't have much success using it for that. Athletes take it to help maintain muscle tissue and to aid absorption of protein. It also has been shown to reduce infection in athletes who overtrain.

Here is a very reputable site that can give you info on what you're looking for. You might also check with ZD. http://consumerlabs....ults/wtloss.asp

Also, if you haven't trained with a heart monitor, I can't recommend that highly enough. Interval training (doing cardio at a rate that targets your heart rate to specific ranges for stress and recovery) is extremely effective. Rounding your listed birthday to 40, for training your maximum heartrate would be 220-40=180.

Of that number,
60-70% Builds endurance, recommended for recovery
70-80% Good for tempo workouts
80+ Interval workouts and AT training

If you can run, lift, bike, swim, whatever so that your heartrate is at 144 for a minute or two followed by a recovery period of long enough for your heartrate to drop to (but not below!) 108 then repeat. If you can do this for 20-30 minutes per session you'll be amazed at how fast you lose weight.

Edited by jextract, 28 June 2004 - 05:52 PM.

[Laura]

I have heard eating naked in front of a mirror does wonders to curb an appitite!
Cheers Jim
><)))'>

Well, that covers breakfast and dinner, but I'm not sure my co-workers would go for that at lunchtime!!!

Laura

[Laura]

Glutamine is not used for weight control, which would explain why you didn't have much success using it for that. Athletes take it to help maintain muscle tissue and to aid absorption of protein. It also has been shown to reduce infection in athletes who overtrain.

Here is a very reputable site that can give you info on what you're looking for. You might also check with ZD. http://consumerlabs....ults/wtloss.asp

Thanks Jexy, I'll check that out.

I've heard claims that l-glutamine is good for reducing sugar cravings, that's why I tried it. It does seem to make me less sore after working out.

I've lost 20 pounds since March, so I must be doing something right! But I get these bad craving for sweets, especially at...uh....certain times of the month.
:anna2: so I'm looking for something to fight back with!!!

Take care
Laura

[RICHinNC]

I read some where that air popped pop corn is ok. Also...those rice round jobbie things.

But if you try the other suggestion at lunch time....give me a call !!
rcih

[Laura]

But if you try the other suggestion at lunch time....give me a call !!
rcih

[drbill]

I used to use dry air popped popcorn until a few unpopped kernels cracked two of my teeth (I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time).

Now I use water. Fill my stomach with good fresh water to dilute the acids which I believe trigger the "feed me" response (remember I am an invertebrate biologist and botanist and know little or nothing about vertebrates... probably the reason I'm still single!).

I also try to limit my consumption of sweets to an hour or so before I do an "intensive" dive day (3-4 dives, which means I can eat sweets most days!!!) so they get burned off. Must admit I'm not always successful in adhering to that regimen.

Thanks Jaime for the references.

Doc

[Laura]

Thanks Dr Bill

[WreckWench]

Laura...you do not want to suppress your appetite...appetite is the body's way of telling you that it needs nutrition. Food and nutrition used to be the same thing...however in our society...food can be nutritious or NOT...and usually it is the latter. In fact many substances we call food actually enhance and stimulate the appetite such as candy, high fat foods, highly processed foods partially because the body quickly ascertains that there was no nutrition in the stuff you put in it and it begins to signal you to give it good nutrition aka 'more food'.

If however you wish to minimize cravings that lead to food binges or weak will power, here are some suggestions:

1. Drink 64 oz MINIMUM of pure, filtered WATER a day and preferably half your bodyweight in oz's. (For example if you weight 150 lbs then you need to drink 75 oz of water DAILY! And more if you exercise or it is really hot.) Why do you want to drink water? For starters we are 85% water as humans...not coke, tea, coffee etc. but H20. And 85% of Americans are so dehydrated that their bodies interpret thirst as hunger and they eat rather then drink water. Some people say that they don't want the water weight. When you drink water...NOT soda, tea, coffee etc. you will cause your body to purge stored water from your system. Remember you've been starving your body of the water it needs...that is if you are part of the 85% group. Less then 5% of Americans drink the appropriate amount of water daily that they should so if you are part of the other 95% ....DRINK YOUR WATER DAILY!!!

2. To further enhance craving minimization and better digest your food, drink your water between meals. The body more readily absorbs it AND guess what? If your body was really thirsty...you'll have the side benefit of not eating when in fact you were really just thirsty.

3. Do not drink excessive fluids with a meal...in fact try to drink nothing with a meal. Why? When you start to eat your stomach starts to digest the food you are eating so that you can properly obtain the nutrition from it and you can break it down to be absorbed by the system and then passed thru. If you flood that digestion process with too much fluid you are merely diluting the digestive process which means less absorbtion of the nutrition and then the body thinks it needs more food and therefore will 'signal' you to eat more. The EXACT opposite of what you want.

4. Eat LESS calorically dense food and more nutritionally dense food. The latter is usually raw, has more fiber and allows you to eat ALOT of it without feeling guilty. You can eat an entire bag of carrots for the same calories as as cup of ice cream. In fact you could eat TONS of veggies and feel so full that and still not come close to the calories in processed foods that we tend to eat in this country. And guess what? Fiber from FOOD eliminates food cravings and makes you feel full. It is natures own appetite suppressant.

5. Eat foods high in B vitamins...they give us energy and help us feel calm and balanced...definitely winners in the diet game! But please go for naturally occuring B's. Why? When we process food such as bread or pasta and then fortify them with B's we are taking out the fiber and natural healthy components and then adding back in only some of the missing nutritients and what we add back is synthetic vitamins in the wrong proportions. Why B's??? They give you energy and they also help to calm you and make your feel more balanced. Is that what you want on your side if you are trying to suppress food cravings??? So what foods are high in B's? B6 is found in liver, kidney, salmon, lean meat, chicken, avacados, soybeans or soymilk, bananas, wheat germ or wheat bran, oatmeal, beans and lentals, and flaxseed. B12 is found in liver, kidney, lean beef, lobster, clams, salmon, tuna, some in milk and cheese and flaxseed. B3 is found in liver, kidney, egg yolks, yeast, salmon, chicken, wheat germ and flaxseed. B1 & B2 flaxseed with trace amounts in other foods. (Note: Flaxseed contains all the b's as does liver and kidney meat ....but can you really eat liver and kidney meats everyday?? As a side benefit, flaxseed balances hormones which often trigger eating binges and the soluable fiber swells up to 5x its size in the body absorbing toxins and moving them through the digestive track. Very good stuff indeed!!! )

6. Eat smaller meals...more times a day. Animals and skinny people graze all day meaning they nibble as they are hungry and don't necessarily eat big meals. Fueling your body all day long with small calorically low and nutritrionally dense meals keeps you from overeating...binging....avoids cravings....and allows you to physically eat MORE without feeling guilty. Just be sure to eat lots of raw foods and you can eat almost all you want.

I hope this helps you Laura. I can provide specfic help if you need it.

[zendiver]

Laura,

Jamie and WW are both correct in most aspects, but I want to add some additional information. This is based on personal experiences and also for those that I have trained.

L-Glutamine is not used for weight control, which would explain why you didn't have much success using it for that. Athletes take it to help maintain muscle tissue and to aid absorption of protein. It also has been shown to reduce infection in athletes who overtrain.

Creatine is made up of three amino acids - Arginine, Glycine and Methionine. Our liver has the ability to combine these three amino acids and make creatine. The other way we get creatine is from our diet.

It is believed that 95 - 98% of the creatine in our body is stored in our muscles. The remaining about 2- 5% is stored in various other parts of the body including the brain, heart and testes.

So what does creatine do?
Provide additional energy for your muscles
Volumization of your muscles
Buffer Lactic Acid build-up
Enhances Protein Synthesis

There is some data to indicate that creatine helps put the body in a more anabolic state where protein synthesis can occur. The more protein synthesis - the greater the muscle gain.

If you can run, lift, bike, swim, whatever so that your heartrate is at 144 for a minute or two followed by a recovery period of long enough for your heartrate to drop to (but not below!) 108 then repeat. If you can do this for 20-30 (EDITED= 15 to 20 per session - 3 to 4 days a week) minutes per session, you'll be amazed at how fast you lose weight with the right supplements and diet.

Eat smaller meals...more times a day. Animals and skinny people graze all day meaning they nibble as they are hungry and don't necessarily eat big meals. Fueling your body all day long with small calorically low and nutritrionally dense meals keeps you from overeating...binging....avoids cravings....and allows you to physically eat MORE without feeling guilty. Just be sure to eat lots of raw foods and you can eat almost all you want.

The biggest factor and effect that this process has is that it keeps your metabolizim high, cravings low, therefore you will lose weight, and the right form of weight. Eating the right foods, taking the right supplements, and the exercise that fits you best, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!

-ZD

[Diverlady]

So what foods are high in B's? B6 is found in liver, kidney, salmon, lean meat, chicken, avacados, soybeans or soymilk, bananas, wheat germ or wheat bran, oatmeal, beans and lentals, and flaxseed. B12 is found in liver, kidney, lean beef, lobster, clams, salmon, tuna, some in milk and cheese and flaxseed. B3 is found in liver, kidney, egg yolks, yeast, salmon, chicken, wheat germ and flaxseed. B1 & B2 flaxseed with trace amounts in other foods.

Oh great!

Now I'm hungry (again!!!)

DL

[canuckdiver]

Have to pipe up here and say thanks guys!

Laura isn't the only one who really appreciates this info!!!

My problem is not hunger, I don't really tend to overeat, but working a desk job, and having a low metabolizim reall take their toll.
So far the only effective thing that I have found is the limiting of carbohydrates in my diet, as well as trying to take in foods that help boost the metabolic rate.

Edited by canuckdiver, 29 June 2004 - 11:56 AM.

[zendiver]

My problem is not hunger, I don't really tend to overeat, but working a desk job, and having a low metabolizim reall take their toll.
So far the only effective thing that I have found is the limiting of carbohydrates in my diet, as well as trying to take in foods that help boost the metabolic rate.

CD,

You don't really want to cut out your carbs bud, just change the type of carbs that you take. You NEED your carbs to keep your energy up therefore keeping your metabolizim up as well. Fresh fruit and LOTS and LOTS of veggies are a great source. Remember, I sit behind a desk all day as well and yet I eat 6 to 8 good meals a day. Combined with good eating habits and exercise, you will achieve your goal.

-ZD

[canuckdiver]

CD,

You don't really want to cut out your carbs bud, just change the type of carbs that you take. You NEED your carbs to keep your energy up therefore keeping your metabolizim up as well. Fresh fruit and LOTS and LOTS of veggies are a great source. Remember, I sit behind a desk all day as well and yet I eat 6 to 8 good meals a day. Combined with good eating habits and exercise, you will achieve your goal.

-ZD

Sorry, should have clarified there.

I'm not cutting OUT my carbs completely, as in doing the "A" diet thing.
But, I am limiting my carbs, especially highly processed ones.
I.E., not eating white bread, french fries, pasta, things like that.
I do eat a LOT of fresh veggies, and quite a bit of protien, like meats and eggs.

so far, 70 lbs down, and still counting.

But, It's a tough journey.