Re: Using hunger as a gauge?

[Guest guest]

The feeling of hunger is very subjective and it is affected by several

things. For example, exercising when you are hungry for 10 or 15

minutes, tends to reduce or eliminate the feeling of hunger. I

generally exercise before lunch, and it is amazing how after exercise

I am not as hungry as before.

The macronutrient composition of your diet also influences your

feeling of hunger. With a high carbohydrate diet, your insulin levels

go up and down, and you tend to feel hungry as your blood sugar drops.

With a lower carb diet (like a Zone diet 30%P:40%C:30%F), your blood

sugar is more stable and you don't get the trembling and ravenous

feelings when your stomach is empty. If your blood glucose gets too

low, you can lose consciousness which is dangerous if you are

operating machinery or if you are around furniture with sharp edges.

IMO, once you are at your maintenance weight, it is better to schedule

your meals so that you get your calories distributed throughout the

day. If you are above your desired weight, by all means, wait until

you are hungry, or skip a meal if you are not hungry. Some people on

this list eat only once a day, and some eat only every other day, but

consume electrolytes on the fasting days.

Weigh yourself scale daily to make sure that you don't go below a

normal weight. Keeping track of your weight is the only " objective "

way of determining if you are overdoing your diet. Anorectics tend to

ignore their feelings hunger, and they always end up with weights

below the normal.

(Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms:

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx2.htm)

Tony

>

> I'm not quit ready to live off of a very low calorie diet, but I

> thought I would give it a shot going in that direction.

>

> For a few weeks I have been experimenting with waiting until I felt

> physical hunger before I ate and then recording the calories of my

meals.

>

> Trouble is, I grew up like many Americans....just eating for the hell

> of it. Sometimes it is hard to tell when I am physically hungry.

>

> Feeling stomach contractions is not enough. That happens sometimes

> and I do not " feel " like eating.

>

> I've been asking myself " do I feel like I need food? " which seems to

> work, but I would like some sort of objective sign I can wait for.

>

> Can anyone point me to any articles about following physical hunger?

>

> Steve

>