Rule 7. Eat when you are hungry
Regimen improvement
Rule 7. Eat when hungry
When I talk about the benefits of hunger many people
get scared. But they shouldn’t - because healthy hunger is not our enemy but
our ally. A healthy physiological appetite is more than just a wish to eat. It
is a sign of health, a sign of zest for life. A slight hunger is an absolutely
normal and natural state of a person. For a healthy metabolic function,
well-being and healthy eating behavior, it is important to follow a simple rule
- eat when you are hungry and eat to satiety. Despite the apparent simplicity,
this rule has many nuances.
BREAK: A slight
hunger is a natural state of a healthy active person. For a healthy metabolic
function, well-being and healthy eating behavior, it is important to follow a
simple rule - eat when you are really hungry and eat to satiety.
A dainty appetite and having the full meals insure the
good work of the hunger-satiety system, which is based on the balance of two
hormones, ghrelin and leptin. I ask you to understand that the word hunger is very inaccurate. It mixes up
the different physiological phenomena. We can distinguish at least three
different phenomena: appetite (3-5 hours, glycogen diminishes), hunger during nutritional
moderation (fasting, up to 70 hours) and famine (strong hormonal changes).
Learn to treat hunger as a signal. Imagine that you
are driving a car and suddenly your gas tank indicator lights up. Do you floor
the gas and rush to the nearest gas station leaving all the business? No,
because you have a reserve of another 50-100 kilometers so you can finish
things up and then drop by a gas station. In this way, hunger is a signal that
the level of glycogen in the liver is reduced. Usually you get hungry when you
still have about 20% of your energy reserve. Therefore, it is quite possible to
wait an hour or an hour and a half and then eat well. But if you ignore hunger
it can claim in a bad way, increasing the level of the stress hormone cortisol.
Therefore, listen to the signals!
How did the problem
arise?
Greedy genes. The scientists
characterize the current epidemic of obesity and overeating as the theory of greedy genes. Long ago,
when food was deficient, the important strategy for the survival of our
ancestors was to eat high-calorie food as much as they can because they could
hardly store food and keep it with them. Now these greedy genes stimulate overeating because we are constantly coming
across the attractive images of high-calorie food (food porn) or exciting food flavors.
BREAK: Hunger is a signal that the level of glycogen in the liver is reduced.
Usually you get hungry when you still have about 20% of your energy reserve.
Therefore, it is quite possible to wait an hour or an hour and a half and then
eat well.
Stress and food. Hunger
was the main problem of survival for our ancestors. Therefore, in the case of
chronic stress our appetite increases. It works like this: stress makes ghrelin
increase. That’s why psychological stress without proper control provokes
overeating. High-calorie foods cause a rise in dopamine and in this way
supports overeating and welcomes stress.
It turns out that we support our overeating caused by stress, and from very childhood
we get into this vicious circle. Under stress, ghrelin level increases, this
pushes us to search for resources and solutions to our problems. We are becoming
more irritable and harsh but it helps us better solve our problems and even
strengthens the will to live. But
unfortunately, the stress increase in ghrelin often leads to the fact that we
just eat and do not solve our problems. Often, obesity can be not just extra
pounds but the loss of zest for life.
Imbalanced
hunger. When we use food not for its intended purpose (the satisfaction
of physical hunger) but for other purposes (to shut up a child, calm down,
cheer up, reduce stress), then we destroy the natural chain hunger – food. We start associating hunger
with completely different triggers and can form such chain as stress (or boredom) - food. The very
strict schedule of meals regardless of appetite can have the same effect.
Forcing someone or yourself to eat is wrong!
How does it affect
health?
Hunger and taste.
According to the popular proverb, hunger
is the best spice. Ghrelin enhances the dopamine response to usual foods
and the pleasure of eating. Therefore, when we are hungry, ordinary food seems
very tasty and we eat it with pleasure.
But a frequent fear and the question are: since hunger
improves the taste of food, is there a risk of overeating? People are afraid
that by working up their appetite
they will eat too much. Yes, ghrelin increases the amount of food eaten, but in
the way of more frequent meals not by making you eat more during one meal.
After all, ghrelin is produced by the walls of the stomach, so if you eat
enough food (including vegetables and greens) and keep an eating regimen, then
you have no reason to be afraid of ghrelin.
Ghrelin and the
brain. The idea of ghrelin’s action as the hunger hormone is
not to make you weak, but on the contrary, to stimulate you to move faster and
think better. That is why ghrelin has a large number of beneficial effects. So,
it activates the release of growth hormone somatotropine, which stimulates
autophagy.
The action of hunger and ghrelin on the functioning of
the brain is very beneficial. Ghrelin stimulates the production of the
neurotrophic factor BDNF, the neurogenesis, and helps protect the brain from
aging. Hunger improves memory, learning (A full belly is not the
stomach of a scholar) supports the normal functioning of the hippocampus,
reduces the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, including
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. The antidepressant effect of ghrelin is also
important. Yes, hunger significantly reduces the risk of depression. It
stimulates the search for novelty,
the release of dopamine and the keeping a zest
for life. If you introduce ghrelin to experimental animals, they became
active explores and strive to learn something new, and so humans do.
Hunger
and motivation. Ghrelin enhances not only the desire
for food, but also the motivation. The
animal studies clearly established this: the more ghrelin is, the more the
animal is ready to work for a reward. More ghrelin - more motivation!
BREAK: The increased level of
the hunger hormone ghrelin improves memory, supports the normal functioning of
the hippocampus, reduces the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, and
has the antidepressant effect. It is hunger that significantly reduces the risk
of depression and stimulates the search
for novelty, the release of dopamine and the keeping a zest
for life.
Hunger
and immunity. Many people know that with diseases
(injuries, infections, tumors, etc.), appetite disappears and this is natural.
The return of appetite is a good prognostic sign. It turned out that ghrelin is
able to affect immune function, reducing inflammation and stimulating the
growth of lymphoid tissue. The hormones ghrelin and somatotropine have an
anti-inflammatory effect, but leptin and insulin are predominantly
pro-inflammatory. Ghrelin helps with many autoimmune diseases, supports the
normal functioning of the thymus gland and the normal production of immune
cells.
Of course, hunger has many black sides.
When we skip meals because of intense stressful work, then our body takes the
necessary energy in bad way,
increasing the level of cortisol, destroying muscles and causing the
over-fatigue. The stimulating effect of ghrelin also has negative aspects. So, when
increased ghrelin is pushing somebody for the
search for novelty, it increases the risk of drug addiction and risky
behavior. Therefore, it is important for those who are getting rid of addiction
to avoid being HALT (hungry, angry,
lonely, tired) and not to expose themselves to strong hunger.
Basic principles
The rule is: eat
when you are really hungry to a feeling of true satiation. Therefore,
it is quite natural and logical to change the time of dinner and supper in such
way as to have hunger by that time.
Flexibility in dinner
and supper. Hunger is a signal of readiness to eat. This rule, of
course, can seem a little unusual when we constantly hear the popular sit down without hunger, get up without
satiety. So, to follow this rule, you should work up your appetite and not slacken it.
Work up your appetite. These
are long intervals between meals. Real hunger does not occur instantly, it
appears gradually, as the stores of glycogen in the muscles and liver are
depleted. The instant desire to eat something is a sign of hunger caused by
stress.
Do not slacken
your appetite. Do not snack. This is important because even a small
snack (to stay hunger) can lead to a
drop in ghrelin level and a dulling of hunger. This principle is used in the
method of split meals, which I do not recommend. For the normal functioning of
the hunger-satiety system, we need a good appetite at the time of eating. Often
people eat snacks consuming few calories, instead of eating a full meal. Such a
strategy can lead to both malnutrition and overeating. Constant snacks create
an increased load on the gastrointestinal tract, from teeth to digestive
glands.
BREAK: Real
hunger does not occur instantly, it appears gradually, as the stores of
glycogen in the muscles and liver are depleted. The instant desire to eat
something is a sign of hunger caused by stress.
Appetite comes with eating. The ghrelin level increases markedly the moment we sit
by the table. Looking at food and feeling its smell stimulate appetite even
more. The pause before eating is discussed later (see the rule 8). In healthy
people, the level of the hunger hormone ghrelin is greatest on an empty stomach
and after beginning of eating (for 20 minutes), then decreases by 35-55% and
remains at this level for two to four hours. The insufficient reduction of
plasma ghrelin after eating is considered the resistance (decreased
sensitivity) to ghrelin. Usually it can be caused by impaired appetite.
Distinguish
between emotional and physical hunger. Physical hunger
occurs gradually, after eating. You want to eat any food and it all seems
attractive. Although physical hunger is persistent, it is easy to delay a meal
and wait for an hour or two. In response to physical hunger, you want to eat a
lot; after eating you feel relieved and satisfied, and hunger disappears.
Emotional hunger occurs
suddenly and quickly becomes quite intense; often it is not associated with a
certain meal. It draws attention and requires quick satisfaction. At the same
time, you want to eat just a specific dish (fatty, spicy, crunchy: pizza,
chips, sweets, etc.), not a lot but a bit.
You do not want to eat ordinary dishes. Often, after eating in response to
emotional hunger, the aftertaste is tension, regret and disgust. Understand
that you cannot solve the problem of emotional hunger by a slice of sausage.
But the techniques of awareness, control, and relaxation will help you reduce
the intensity of emotional hunger.
Control your
appetite. Control of hunger is the most important condition for
the long-term use of any diet. If hunger is not under control, then you can
hardly use the diet in the long run. Ideally, you should arrange the dietary
regimen as follows: a hearty breakfast, such that it is enough till dinner and
to get an appetite for it. It’s good to have a bountiful dinner such that it is
enough till supper and to get an appetite for it. Your supper should be such
that you keep satiety till sleep. Control your hunger when it occurs and
satisfy it fully so that you can keep satiety for a long time.
BREAK: It draws
attention and requires quick satisfaction. At the same time, you want to eat
just a specific dish (fatty, spicy, crunchy: pizza, chips, sweets, etc.), not a
lot but a bit. You do not want to eat
ordinary dishes. Often, after eating in response to emotional hunger, the
aftertaste is tension, regret and disgust.
Eat to satiety. As we
know, the satiation is best perceived when it comes after previous hunger. After
20 minutes of eating ghrelin quickly decreases and is low for two to four
hours. Therefore, satiation is the disappearance of hunger. This is the most reliable
indicator of satiation. I cannot eat
another bite is already a symptom of overeating but not physiological
satiation. Satiation is a multilevel process that includes the stage of
cephalic (brain) satiation at the sight and smell of food, the mechanical stage
(stimulation of the mechanoreceptors of the stomach), the intestinal stage (absorption
of glucose and amino acids), the action of hormones (gastrointestinal peptide,
cholecystokinin, etc.) and a number of others mechanisms. The more we use
different satiation mechanisms, the faster it comes. You should differ satiation
from satiety, which is physical feeling of how long you can keep before you
start feeling hungry again. Satiety is kept due to carbohydrates with a lower
glycemic index (such as legumes), soluble viscous fiber (algae, vegetables,
fruits), protein, etc. Choosing the right foods is the key to controlling
satiation and satiety.
How to follow the rule? Ideas and tips
False hunger. Differ
true physiological hunger from false hunger. False hunger can be associated
with stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, negative emotions, and many other
non-nutritional aspects. Stress makes ghrelin rise. Food in this case makes you
stout and does not help in solving the emotional problem but often just makes
it worse.
Lack of sleep. Sleep
deficiency, poor sleep lead to a decrease in the satiety hormone leptin and to an
increase in the hunger hormone ghrelin. The lack of sleep of one hour can lead
to 250 kcal overeating the next day. The less you sleep the more you will eat
the next day. Therefore, sleep well; quality sleep is an important step towards
controlling hunger!
Lack of exercise. Constant
sitting (even in a comfortable or ergonomic chair) negatively affects the level
of stress and impairs the metabolism. Prolonged sitting and lack of movement
exacerbate hunger, and even little activity (standing up, walking, climbing
stairs) contributes to better control of hunger. Take short breaks more often
and move!
Dehydration. We
often take thirst for hunger. It is enough to drink just a sip of water to
understand the difference (see the chapter "Water balance",
"Sodium-potassium balance").
Hormonal changes. Often
the hormonal changes are the cause of appetite changes. Thus, a decrease in
sensitivity to insulin (insulin resistance), a decrease in sensitivity to leptin
(leptin resistance), and disturbances in the functioning of sex hormones can
markedly increase appetite. Metabolic rigidity is a common cause of increased
hunger (see chapter “Metabolic flexibility and circadian synchronization”).
BREAK: Sleep
deficiency, poor sleep lead to a decrease in the satiety hormone leptin and to
an increase in the hunger hormone ghrelin. The lack of sleep of one hour can
lead to 250 kcal overeating the next day. The less you sleep the more you will
eat the next day. Therefore, sleep well; quality sleep is an important step
towards controlling hunger!
Substances that prevent satiation. Many substances can stimulate overeating and prevent satiation. These
include salt (sodium), flavor enhancers, flavorings, sweeteners, sugar, and
substances produced during smoking and frying (see Rule
17). Excess sodium
stimulates appetite and overeating. Reduce the amount of salt and you will eat
less, you will even need less water. The common calorie-free flavorings
stimulate hunger and can make you eat 10% more than you would eat without them.
The prolonged usage of sweeteners increase hunger, cravings for sweets, and
reduce satiety. Refuse to use them regularly. The combination of fat and sugar
destroys satiety most effectively and whets appetite.
Spice. Bitter,
spicy, and sour taste as well as spicy seasonings can dull appetite and
contribute to better satiation. Spices also contain a lot of biologically
active substances and a negligible amount of calories. Therefore, adding spices
and seasonings is an important element of a healthy diet. Spices improve
satiation in different ways: more stimulation, more bitter taste, the enhanced
bile secretion, better motility, and more conscious sensory contact with food.
On average, a person eats 200 kcal less if food is spiced.
Fiber and greens. Fiber
(especially soluble) is an essential component that provides long-term
satiation and some very useful properties. Greens, vegetables, and algae
contain most fiber. Use fiber not in the form of powder but as a part of whole
foods, and achieve its largest variety - this is useful for the microflora.
Greens contain a number of biologically active substances that support satiety.
Respect food. The
more you know about the food and the more you are sure that it will saturate
you, the longer you can keep satiety.
Protein. Protein
is a great nutrient that provides long-lasting satiety. Therefore, eat protein
first in the meal and add it to control satiety.
Fats. Fats help
satiety by increasing cholecystokinin production. But the problem for people
who lose weight is the high calorie content of fats. Consuming fats either with
proteins (in fish or meat) or in salads with greens and vegetables you will do
it in the optimal way.
Normalization of hunger. During the process of weight loss, both ghrelin level and sensitivity to
it increase. This is the frequent reason of a failure and the reverse weight
gain. Therefore, a gradual process reduces these risks. Unfortunately, this process
is very prolonged in people. Losing weight by 8.5% of body weight and keeping
this weight for six months revealed the following: ghrelin grows for six
months, while a person loses weight; it remains increased for another six
months and then returns to normal.
I cannot distinguish the type of hunger. Use a simple working solution: if you cannot
understand whether you are experiencing emotional or physiological hunger, then
do not eat. If not sure, don't eat!
BREAK: Spices contain a lot of biologically active
substances and a negligible amount of calories. On average, a person eats 200
kcal less if food is spiced.
Create abundance. The fact
of abundance in everything - from gratitude to people around us, to food, to
ourselves; to a sufficient variety of products and satisfaction with life - all
this contributes to greater satiety and reduces hunger. Seek pleasure and
satisfaction in food, saturating not only your body but also your mind.
Do not go shopping when hungry. Studies show that hungry people tend to buy more high-calorie and less
healthy foods. When you buy or order the delivery online, add healthy food
products to your shopping lists.