In the battle to lose weight often the greatest initial hurdle is to eat less food. You need to decrease calorie intake and increase calorie burn in order to start shedding pounds. So the question is—how do we decrease our desire to eat food?

There are many miracle solutions to this problem out on the market. You can take pills or drops to lessen your appetite. However, the best way to achieve a decrease in appetite is to simply eat better. Eat filling foods that are low in calories and will last until it is time for your next meal. This will cut down on between meal snacking and help you to not gorge yourself during meals.

Metabolism is the key to losing weight. If you have a high metabolism, your body will burn calories faster and more effectively. You can keep help your metabolism by working out regularly, but you can also affect it with your eating habits. The best way to keep your metabolism up during the day is to eat several smaller meals a day rather than three large meals. This way your metabolism is consistently active during the day. Also make sure to eat breakfast. Eating breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism in the morning and otherwise your body gets a slow start to the day and you are more likely to overeat later.

As you choose what you are going to eat, pay attention to make sure you are getting in the nutrients you need and eating something that will last. If you do decide to eat several times a day, you may be able to get away with eating a healthy vegetable salad for one meal and making it last until the next time you eat. However, generally the best thing to keep you full longer is protein. Unfortunately, proteins can be high in fat and calories. Look at lean meats. Nuts, low-fat dairy, beans, and soy are also good food choices high in protein. Another way to avoid the fat and calories in some proteins are to drink whey protein shakes. These shakes are packed full of protein and are a meal that will last. In a morning rush it is a good way to eat something quick and filling.

Eat plenty of small meals a day and enough protein, but don’t forget about the power of water. Eating foods with a high water content fill you up faster and do last. The water will actually stay in your stomach longer while the food digests and makes for fewer calories in more food. Broth based soups, fruits, and vegetables are all good options with lots of water. Drinking water on its own is also highly beneficial in decreasing appetite. Since the feelings of hunger and thirst are so closely related in our body, we may sometimes feel hungry when we are really thirsty. Drinking plenty of water can solve this. Eight glasses a day are recommended. Drinking before a meal will help you eat less during it and drinking between meals will help you last longer without becoming hungry. Choose water over other drinks. It is simply the best for you.

Make a few changes to help boost your metabolism and decrease your appetite and you will soon feel healthier and lose weight.