Today, over 42% of the American population is obese. So you’d be surprised to hear that some people are struggling with their appetite and either maintaining or gaining weight.
But the reality is, there’s a decent number of people who have lost interest in food, which makes it hard to keep themselves healthy. Without proper nutrition and sustenance, symptoms like fatigue can appear.
Are you someone who has a poor appetite? Are you looking for ways to remedy this without drastic measures?
Here are 14 ways you can improve your appetite without resorting to prescription medication.
Table of Contents
When you don’t have much of an appetite, an entire meal can seem overwhelming and not very appealing. So the best thing to do is to start small.
Snacking takes significantly less effort and much of it doesn’t involve cooking. So while you’re sitting down and watching some TV, try grabbing some nuts or heating a bowl of soup in the microwave to have while you’re enjoying a show.
Snacking up to 6 or 7 times a day can definitely make up for the calorie deficit you’d get from skipping out on 3 full meals. And when you’re having small snacks throughout the day, this can help improve your appetite.
Sure, in regular times, it’s not fantastic to stock up on just your favorite foods. But because you don’t really have an appetite, you need some extra motivation to kickstart eating. And what better way to do it than to buy some favorites?
Whether it’s boxes of cereal, bags of chips, or containers of soup, feel free to fill your pantries with these foods.
If you’re not up to grocery shopping on your own, then enlist the help of your friends, family, or caregiver. In the worst-case scenario, you can take advantage of food delivery services like GrubHub, UberEats, or even Amazon, where they can deliver groceries as quickly as in the next day.
There’s a reason why people used to plunder lands for spices. These herbs can make a world of difference in dishes!
There’s a very good chance that you haven’t had much of an appetite because everything you’re eating is relatively bland. So kick it up a notch and add some more spices to your food!
And they don’t necessarily have to be spicy either. Herbs like turmeric, parsley, cumin, cilantro, and paprika are all mild yet can add a depth of flavor to your dishes.
If you want to start very simple, you can just add more garlic to your food. This might be just enough to improve your appetite.
Also, if you’re suffering from any ailments, there are actually spices that are beneficial to your health. So not only can you stimulate your appetite, but you can also improve your health by just adding a few spices to your cooking!
Some of us are so busy or absent-minded that we actually forget to eat. This is magnified even more so when we don’t have those hunger pangs.
So make a conscious effort to plan out your meals and stick to them. If you find it too difficult to do on your own, consider having a friend or family member help you be accountable for these meals. They can even help you with planning and prepping.
Eating fiber is actually good for you, but there is such thing as too much of a good thing.
Usually, eating fibrous foods means you’ll feel fuller for longer and also get more energy out of your foods. But if you eat too much fiber, then you’ll keep feeling full all day, which means you won’t want to eat anything else.
So take a good look at the foods you’re eating. If there’s too much fiber in your diet, you’ll want to cut down on it. Not only will it suppress your appetite, but excess fiber can also cause constipation.
So make sure you’re eating a more balanced diet with a little less fiber if you want to improve your appetite.
You might’ve heard that a great diet tip is to drink a large glass of water right before a meal so you get fuller faster. But that’s the opposite of what you want!
So make sure that you’re hydrating correctly. Instead of drinking a glass of water before or during your meal, you should hydrate throughout the day. That way, you can stay hydrated without impacting your appetite.
Some foods might be drier or spicier than others, so of course, sipping on some water (or other beverage) is fine to do. But just make sure you’re not taking large gulps, as that liquid will quickly take up space in your stomach and prevent you from wanting more food.
Did you know that 80% of Americans don’t get enough exercise? Maybe you’re guilty of having a sedentary lifestyle, especially if you work a 9 to 5 job.
You get up early in the morning, get ready for work, drive there, then spend 8 hours in your chair. Then once you’re off work, you drive home, have dinner, then sit around on your sofa watching TV before you go to bed and repeat the whole cycle.
When you’re sedentary, you’re not expending much energy, which means your body doesn’t really get the cues that you need to eat that much.
To remedy this, you should get more exercise. Simply doing a 30-minute routine every other day can kickstart your appetite!
This is because when you burn extra calories, you’ll need to make up for it. Otherwise, your body won’t survive.
In addition to stimulating your appetite, exercise has plenty of other benefits as well. It can help you become more flexible and stronger, as well as help you blow off some steam.
Sleep is when your body repairs itself. So not only is it important for restoring your energy, but it’s also vital in keeping you strong and healthy.
If you’re always at the midnight grind for work, then this can take its toll on your body. When you’re always tired, all you’ll want to do is sleep, nothing else. So this might make you have a bad appetite and not want to eat as much.
Do yourself a favor and get plenty of rest every night. This should help you feel better throughout the day and allow you to improve your appetite naturally. When you feel better physically, you’ll want to eat more.
Living a high-stress life is never a good thing. For one, you’re constantly triggering your body’s “fight or flight” response, which is intended as a short-term thing, not long-term.
Being continuously stressed out can wreak havoc on your body. One of the biggest things you’ll see is a loss of appetite.
So if you’re stressed out all the time, this might be the culprit behind appetite disappearing.
To remedy this, you should find good ways to reduce your stress. Some people enjoy exercising while others play video games, do yoga, or take bubble baths. It’s up to you to find out which activities relax you so you can enjoy food again.
For some, it might be worth it to reevaluate your life choices. For example, you might be in a toxic relationship or a workplace that’s just not right for you. While making huge life changes can be daunting, in the end, it can feel quite freeing!
In many states, marijuana is legal to use. So why not take advantage of it?
People who use cannabis report things like better sleep, less pain, and improved appetites. Considering one of the tips from above is to get more/better sleep, you’ll be killing 2 birds with 1 stone! And if you have chronic pain, the pain relief is a bonus as well.
There are many ways to use marijuana, such as smoking, vaping, or eating it. And within the eating realm, there are tons of edible options to choose from.
In fact, if you make cannabutter, you can cook and bake with it! So try incorporating your foods with cannabutter so you can improve your appetite in that way.
Certain supplements might help you with your appetite. Taking a daily multivitamin is always a good idea anyway since you might be lacking some nutrients in your diet. These supplements in particular will help with your appetite: zinc, thiamine, and fish oil.
Taking something like Delta 8 THC may help as well. This is tetrahydrocannabinol, which comes from cannabis.
As you know, people report getting the “munchies” when they smoke weed. So it stands to reason that if you ingest THC products, you can get the same appetite stimulation as well.
If you’re interested in hearing more about Delta 8 THC, check it out on 3Chi’s website.
Eating alone can be very boring. Plus, it can be easy to forget to eat when you’re only setting the table for 1.
Turn eating into a social event that you enjoy with friends and family. When you can have fun cooking and eating together, you’ll associate good memories and feelings with eating. Your brain will remember this and you’ll look forward to your next meals, which can increase your appetite.
Many of us deal with mental health issues. They can range from anxiety and depression to trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
If you feel like something’s been troubling you or you’re not quite feeling like yourself (but you can’t put a finger on it), it can be beneficial to schedule an appointment with a therapist.
Together, you can work through your feelings. These can be from both the present and the past.
Many times, people are surprised at just what they uncover. What they might’ve thought was a minor event in the past turns out to be a major life-changing thing.
When you can realize this, it can help you heal and move forward. The therapist can also teach you constructive ways to deal with unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and memories. As a result, you’ll be stronger and healthier, and you’ll have a better appetite because you won’t be as troubled with unpleasant things.
Fluctuations in your appetite can be quite normal, especially if you’re dealing with stress, trauma, or mental illness. But there are times where a loss of appetite can be caused by an underlying medical condition. In that case, you’ll want to see your doctor to make sure you don’t have anything more serious going on.
You might be losing your appetite from something as small as the stomach flu (gastroenteritis) or as serious as cancer. Or you might be suffering from side effects of pregnancy or prescription medications you’re currently on.
Whatever it is, your GP can help you get to the root of your problems and figure out what exactly is causing your loss of appetite. They can then put you on the right course to either treating the underlying issue or prescribing/switching your medications to help your appetite.
Improve Your Appetite With These Tips
If you need to improve your appetite, then you have a great place to start with our tips.
Of course, you should always see your doctor to find out if there are any underlying issues. Often, by addressing these problems, your appetite will naturally return. Otherwise, your GP can work out great ways to get your appetite going again so you live a happy and healthy life!
For more tips on staying in optimal health, please check out the rest of our blog page now.
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