Appetite is defined as the desire to eat. Your desire to eat should be driven by hunger. When enough time has passed from your last meal or snack, your body sends signals that it needs to be refueled. Actual hunger usually occurs 4 to 6 hours after the last time you ate. But, it is not so easy. The desire to eat can be influenced by many things — proximity to food, smell, taste, temperature, or your current social setting. For many people the clock signals the time to eat even if you don’t feel hungry.
Some eat more with company, others eat more when they are alone. Men eat more on dates than women do. The smell of baking bread or an ice cream on a hot day is hard to resist regardless of whether you are hungry or not. Sex counts when it comes to overindulging. Both men and women splurge on food but men do it to feel good and reward themselves. Women feel guilty when they splurge.
To prevent over eating:
Go easy on soda and sweetened drinks.
Eat fewer overly sweet foods.
Eat more fiber — popcorn, beans, vegetables, whole grains, and oatmeal.
Eat some protein at each meal or snack.
Start your meal with soup, salad or finger foods that require work to eat.
Enjoy a little fat in your meals, very low fat meals are less satisfying.
Be selective at buffets or party spreads, all those choices are too tempting.
Go easy on alcohol, it stimulates your desire to eat.
