We all know that getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and getting plenty of exercise are the gold standards when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and appropriate body weight. But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, our appetites get the best of us.

How can you possibly eat well when all you're thinking about is that bag of potato chips in the snack drawer or the leftover pumpkin pie and whipped cream in the fridge? One way, experts have long suggested, is to keep a food diary to track your eating habits, or locking tempting foods away in a cupboard.

But really, who has the time to keep a journal, and how effective is a lock when you still have the key (and when there are other people in the house that want this stuff)? Well thank goodness there are other scientifically proven, and less time-consuming, ways to keep your appetite on track.

For instance, consider these 3 surprising and easy ways to control hunger that showed up in an email I just received from one of my favorite websites, Care2:

1.Eat an apple before meals. "An apple a day" not only keeps the doctor away, it also keeps the appetite at bay. Studies show that people who ate an apple before meals went on to consume 187 fewer calories. As a daily habit, these saved calories add up and before you know it, you'll see how eating fewer calories translates to pounds lost. And not only are apples rich in ultra-filling fiber, but they're also chewy—something that has been linked to increased fullness.

2.Drink tea and wait 30 minutes. Emotion-based, stress-based, or even boredom-based eating is one of the most common factors to weight gain. Whatever the cause, eating when we're not hungry is the fast track to chubbiness. But research suggests a smart thing to do instead of reaching for those cookies or potato chips, it to reach for black tea instead. After drinking the stuff, researchers found that participants experienced a 47% drop in the cravings—inducing hormone cortisol. Drink the tea, wait 30 minutes, and see if you're still hungry before grabbing a snack.

Besides triggering to hunger and abdominal obesity, elevated cortisol levels over time add to sleep, mood, and memory problems. So finding a way to minimize cortisol release into the blood stream is a very smart idea. But if you don't like the idea of taking caffeine into your body, here's list of tasty cortisol-reducing foods to get you started (taken from Dr. Oz's website):

• Spinach. Including baby spinach in with your other salad greens creates not just a pretty, but filling dish. And its magnesium helps balance the body's production of cortisol.



• Beans and barley. Phosphatidylserine, a phospholipid located in cell membranes, helps counteract the adverse effects of cortisol. And adding phosphatidylserine-rich foods, like white beans and barley, to the diet helps calm nerves and improves sleep.



• Citrus fruit. Replace carb-rich snacks with a variety of citrus fruit. Research shows that vitamin C-rich produce, like oranges and kiwis, slows the production of cortisol.



• Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Studies show that omega-3s not only inhibit inflammation, but also help to reduce cortisol levels. So try incorporating omega-rich mackerel, haddock, sardines, flaxseed, and walnuts into your daily meal plan.



• Microgreens. While adult greens are healthy and satisfying, microgreens—young plants that are typically less than 14 days old—provide a higher concentration of nutrients. For example, baby versions of cilantro and red cabbage may contain up to four to six times as much stress-fighting vitamin C as their mature counterparts and thus do a more effective job of lowering cortisol levels.



• Holy Basil. Also known as tulsi, it's a tasty herb that is part of a class of herbs called adaptogens that help reduce the production of stress hormones. If you can't grow a holy basil plant in your yard, you can still reap the benefits of this healthy herb by brewing a cup of basil tea.



• Zinc. Studies show zinc helps inhibit the secretion of cortisol. So be sure your diet has enough sources of zinc-3 ounces of lean pot roast or short ribs provides a substantial amount of your daily zinc needs.
• Dark Chocolate. Its naturally occurring antioxidants help the body decrease inflammation and slow cortisol production. Studies indicate that consuming about 40 grams per day reduces cortisol levels. (Need I mention MODERATRION with this one? A piece or two will do the job—no need for the entire bar.)

3. Smell it. Even just smelling a pleasant aroma can satisfy cravings. For instance, vanilla and orange have been linked to decreased cravings for sugary snacks. Jasmine has been linked to a lower interest in chocolate. One study linked regular sniffs of peppermint to a decreased interest in food, too. And research shows that foods that have very strong smells lead people to eat less of them.