Leptin and ghrelin are hunger hormones that makes you feel hungry and tell you when to stop eating. Let us learn about the hunger hormones and then we shall learn how to turn them off.

Ghrelin

It is a hormone released by the stomach when it needs food. As a result, a signal is sent to the brain to eat. As soon you eat food the hormones decrease and the level of hormone is minimum an hour after the meal. Ghrelin increase your appetite and is at maximum level before eating food.

Leptin hormone

When you do not need to eat more, leptin hormone sends the message to the brain to stop eating. It decreases your appetite and let the body start burning fat for energy. When it comes to weight management leptin play a major role.

Healthy functioning of leptin hormone is necessary to have better metabolism, brain function, mood regulation, etc. If leptin hormone does not function properly it leads to obesity or weight gain.

Now we know how the hunger hormones can cause weight gain or obesity. Now let us learn the simple ways to turn off hunger hormones, during weight loss journey.

Include these foods and certain eating habits in your diet to curb the hunger hormones and progress towards weight loss goal.

1.Oats

Oatmeal gives you a great feeling of satiety. The insoluble fiber keeps your belly full and reduces inflammation throughout the body. So, get a bowl of oats add some nuts, berries to it and suppress the hunger hormone.

2.Apples

Apples are high in antioxidant flavonoids and this helps fight inflammation. It is a great fruit to reduce hunger pangs and reduce the abdominal fats.

3.Nuts

Nuts are rich in protein, fiber and good fats. It makes you feel full and satisfied by suppressing the hunger hormones. You can have nuts as a snack or can add them in your salads.

4.Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is rich in acetic acid and this delays the emptying of stomach and also retards the release of sugar in the blood. This suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin and leptin.

5.Eggs

Those who eat eggs in breakfast are less reactive towards hunger hormones. This means eating eggs makes you feel less hungry and as a result you avoid taking additional calories.

6.Drink plenty of water

Drinking water can suppress the false hunger pangs and help in promote weight loss. Drinking water or having soup before a meal can lower hunger and reduce the amount of calorie consumption.

7.Eat mindfully

Eating too quickly can distract your brain and you may not get the signal to stop eating as a result you eat more than required and this adds on the calorie consumption. Mindful eating is to focus on the food you eat without any distraction. Studies have shown that mindful eating decrease hunger and gives you a feeling of fullness.

8.Get enough sleep

Insufficient sleep can turn on the hunger hormones. Sleep deprivation may result in increase of ghrelin hormone and this results in more food intake. To suppress the hunger hormones, it is essential to get a sleep of 7-9 hours.

9.Manage stress

When under stress the body releases cortisol hormones and this increase hunger hormones. As a result, there is increase in food craving and you tend to gain weight. Reducing your stress level can suppress the hunger hormones and prevent weight gain.

Conclusion

Feeling hungry indicates your body needs more energy. Consulting a dietician can help you know more about the ways to suppress hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin) and take you closer to your goal of weight loss.