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One of the most common, and surprising results of following the Atkins diet is appetite suppression. A lot of the advocates of the plan report that the between meal hunger pangs they used to have just fade away and very rapidly too. This factor makes it easier to stay on the diet and continue losing weight. While other diets leave their followers hungry between meals, the Atkins diet offers relief from continuous hunger. The Atkins diet, with its specific recommendation of foods and ingredients, has powerful appetite suppressing effects.

The main factor is the amount of protein in the Atkins diet. Protein, more so than carbohydrates, has the power to satiate hunger. If you’ve ever eaten a carbohydrate heavy meal and then felt hungry a few hours later, you know that carbohydrates don’t have much staying power as a satisfier. Protein, on the other hand, when combined with a small amount of healthy fats, can keep you feeling full for long periods of time.

One of the most powerful appetite suppressant foods in the Atkins diet is the simple egg. Eggs are a great sort of quick and easy protein. A recent study showed that eating eggs for breakfast would actually keep hunger pangs at bay throughout the rest of the day. The research concerned two groups of women. One group ate only eggs for breakfast and the other had a breakfast of buns and cream cheese.

The calorie count for both types of breakfasts was exactly the same. The subjects kept track of what they ate for the rest of the day and answered questions about their hunger and satisfaction levels throughout the day. The results of the study showed that the women who ate the eggs for breakfast felt more satisfied throughout the entire day and they ate less at each meal than those women who were in the buns group.

Eggs contain about 6 grammes of protein each, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels and produces a feeling of well-being. Both of these factors help to curb cravings. Egg yolks also contain lutein and xenazanthin. These nutrients have been proven to have incredible effects on eye health. Therefore, it is important to consume the whole egg, and not just the white. Eggs contain choline which is important for maintaining brain function and memory. These nutrients are just an additional benefit to the appetite suppressant qualities.

Broccoli and cauliflower, two of the most suitable vegetables on the Atkins programme, also have appetite-suppressant effects. These vegetables are very bulky and they help make your stomach feel full. When your stomach is full, it will actually create a chemical response in your body. Your body will reduce its call for food because it believes that your stomach is full of high calorie foods. This occurs regardless of what is actually in your stomach. You can achieve the same results with water and psyllium husk fibre. Both broccoli and cauliflower provide bulk in your diet and are essential vegetables for the Atkins plan.

The Atkins diet focuses on eating small, protein balanced meals a few times per day. This will help maintain your blood sugar level in a stabilized state and avoid carbohydrate-induced cravings. With high carbohydrate diets, you are riding a wave of carbohydrate highs. After you have eaten, you feel great and full. Then after a few hours, you come crashing down and are hungrier than you were prior to eating the carbohydrates. This cycle continues ad infinitum and, over time, you will eat more and put on weight.

The protein, fat and vegetable recipes provided by the Atkins plan put your blood sugar back in equilibrium. They provide just enough of each type of food, with a proper amount of carbohydrates (from the vegetables). The vegetables provide quick carbohydrate energy, and the protein gives the meal its sustainability. This combination suppresses your appetite effectively throughout the day.

The Atkins diet is actually a craving control plan that suppresses your appetite. If you’ve had a problem with carbohydrate cravings before, this new way of eating will help regulate those cravings. The more you eat on the plan, the better your cravings will be controlled and the easier it will be to follow the diet - the more you practice the diet the easier it gets.

If you want to read our personal experience of the Atkins diet, please visit Appetite Suppression of if you want to read loads more about the The Atkins Diet click the blue link.