Coping with Hunger Pangs

Learn more about your Body, Mind and Spirit with Viva Vitality brought to you GBG Vitality.

 

The older you get, the harder it is to keep weight off.

So, why do you find yourself reaching for that third slice of pizza when you’re already bursting out of your clothes? Knowing the signs of hunger, the cues for stress eating, and what triggers your cravings will help tame you when hunger strikes. With all the energy you devote to the struggle for weight control, you know remarkably little about the most obvious reasons diets fail: you feel the hunger deep within you. What’s going on when your body tells you insistently that you have to take that burger even though you’ve got more than enough room of fat stores to pull from? Why can some people go on without eating while others are weak within hours after their meal?

Researchers are constantly hard at work investigating the most of human impulses. The bad news is that the task is proving to be growingly difficult. Just when they think they’ve uncovered the key to appetite restraint, a new hormone or biological process emergencies. But what these people discovered is still pretty fascinating. Hopefully, knowing what some of these are might make those hunger pangs a little easier to control.

First of all, you need to consider your body clock.

You’ve been at work all morning, your mind is on your task, and you’re consistently thinking about that deadline. Suddenly, your tummy gurgles and you find yourself thinking about fries, burgers, and dessert. You’re hungry again, but why? The why part makes perfect revolutionary sense. For most of human history, food was in constant short supply, and if you didn’t eat when food was available, there was a very good chance that you’d suffer from starvation. If you didn’t eat, you’d die. This is a horrible survival strategy, and one that’s no longer applicable in today’s society. It’s important to note that the drive to eat as much as you could has spawned long before the modern times.

While the world has changed significantly, your basic bodily urges remain the same. Now that the hunting and gathering society is non-existent, you still live in the ancient era. It’s easy to eat because you know you have to. But it’s just as hard to stop, and that’s because back then, you weren’t even supposed to. Your DNA is your biggest enemy here, but it could also be your strongest ally. You simply have to know the science behind it so you can get a better grip at handling your hunger pangs.

You need to control your hormones now and know the difference between actual hunger and stomach contractions. You know that you can’t control your urges once the hunger hormones are in chaos. It’s a matter of adjusting your habits and adjusting your meals to smaller portions. Eat less but eat more often. Also, choose foods that are heavy on the stomach but are low in fat. The ones that fall low on the glycemic index are said to stave off hunger for longer periods of time.

Know what these are and win over your genetic urges.

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Learn more about your Body, Mind and Spirit with Viva Vitality brought to you GBG Vitality.