Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Your Appetite Will Properly Regulate Calorie Intake When You Cut Out Sugars and Processed Carbohydrates

I talked about eating in context to how our physiology evloved in recent posts. Essentially, if you eat a diet devoid of sugars, processed grains, and processed vegetable oils, and higher on fat and protein (with some nuts, berries, and lower starch vegetables) you will not only keep insulin levels low





(therefore, release more fatty acids into the blood circulation to be used, and keep blood sugar more stable), but will limit food intake more appropriately. Your appetite will function correctly.

Recently, clients, who have just adapted this type of diet, had questions about when to eat. I answer them by telling them simply: when you are hungry. As long as you are keeping refined grains, processed vegetable oils, and sugars out of your diet, you will consume less per meal and eat less frequently. Try this experiment: day one, eat two hard-boiled eggs for breakfast and keep track of how long before you feel hungry. The next day, eat a plain bagel (with nothing on it) and see how long before you feel hungry. Additionally, what kind and amount of food do you eat in those subsequent meals?

One client commented that she just couldn't even eat much Greek yogurt (almost no sugar, but high in fat and protein). She needed to add jelly to it to eat more. Bingo! That is exactly what food manufacturers and restaurants know. Sweet and/or salty taste equals greater appetite and greater food intake.

A diminished appetite is good. We all have been conditioned to sweet/salty tasting foods. We crave them, but these are the foods that disregulate your appetite. If your goal is to store less fat and keep your liver and pancreas functioning optimally, then cut out he processed grains, vegetable oils, and sugars from your diet. Your appetite will finally be able to properly regulate your food intake.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Definitely going to try that out.

Dan Hubbard, M.Ed. said...

@Lindi, let me know how it works for you. High carbohydrate diets (like the standard American diet) can be addicting. We need to break that addiction if you want to be able to properly regulate food intake without feeling like you are starving.