Learning How To Curb Your Appetite
Posted: Monday, July 13, 2009
by Ralph Wilhelm
rji unlimited
The toughest part of reconfiguring your dietary habits is to deter hunger pangs and cravings. The body has been so adapted to being loaded that it causes you to eat in-between meals. This habit is really one of the leading causes of unnecessary weight gain. Most of the time, the food you eat during snacks are unhealthy although[ satiating]. That is why it is important to know how to curb your hunger. Not only will this cause you to lose more weight and faster but also adapt a healthier lifestyle free of extra calories and fats.
Most people believe that these three terms share a common meaning. That is not the case, however. The appetite doesn't necessarily mean hunger while hunger is not fullness or satisfaction. For starters, the appetite is more synonymous to cravings. It is characterized by a strong desire to eat a particular kind of food, i.e. "I have an craving for chocolate cake right now."
On the other hand, hunger is a condition that usually occurs when the body is in dire need ofenergy. It is accentuated by shakiness, edginess, headache, and growling of the stomach. Lastly, satisfaction or satiety is simply the feeling of fulfillment or fullness. Most often, people stop eating when they are already satiated.
Factors That Play a Major Role
The three terms associated with eating (hunger, appetite and satisfaction) are affected by certain hormones of the body such as leptin, cholecystokin, ghrelin and insulin. All of these hormones cause the body to experience specific needs for nourishment. In addition, they affect a person's behavior and thoughts in relation to hunger, satisfaction and appetite.
One popular example of this is when a person feels an intense desire to eat more even if he or she already eaten enough. During this case, the endocrine gland produces excessive hormones that cause the person's "fullness" level to drop. The overproduction of the hormone leptin can also induce intense appetite cravings sometimes causing the person to desire highly unhealthy foods.
Managing Your Hunger
There are several ways that can help you manage your hunger . Creating irregular eating periods can cause the body to adapt to a new meal schedule. This doesn't mean, though, that you should eat [erratically ]but rather scatter meals all throughout the day. I prefer 4-6 small meals as opposed to 1-3 large meals. I don't fell as bloated and lethargic as with huge meals.
Consuming less starchy and sugar-filled meals can also decrease your hunger levels. Over consumption of sugar can cause fluctuations of your blood sugar that will not only affect the way you lose weight but also cause eventual diabetes. Lastly, simple elimination of hunger and appetite stimuli can help manage the weight better. Make sure you decrease the amount of unhealthy desserts and snacks at your home.
Managing Your Fullness level
It is important to know that there are several factors that contribute to increase fullness. One is lessening the time gap between meals by eating small 'meals' every two to three hours. Also, eating a high protein diet can also cause effective Fullness level since protein has been known to cause satiety.
Fiber, which helps digestion and cleans the digestive tract, can also cause prolonged fullness since the body needs more time to digest fiber enriched foods. Including fiber and protein rich food in your diet can effectively curb your hunger.
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