Feed Me!
Hungry?
Maybe you aren’t right now but you will be at some point today. Have you ever thought a little deeper about what processes are happening in your body to give you the sensation of being hungry or full?
Quite truthfully most of us don’t even think about these processes. We just act or react to the sensations of being hungry or full. If we are hungry, we eat. If we are full, we stop eating (most of the time).
If only it was that easy right? Let’s take a deeper look into what is happening in our body that gives us that sensation of being hungry and full. Could these signals be a going a little haywire contributing to weight gain or making it more difficulty to lose weight?
There are 2 main hormones currently identified as the hormones that are considered to be our “hunger hormones”. We have Leptin and Ghrelin (side bar -pronouncing these names makes me think of some medieval dragon or wizard).
Leptin is our appetite suppressor and interestingly enough is made by our fat cells. Leptin is the hormone that signals our brain that we have enough fuel (energy) stores.
Ghrelin is (what I call) our hungry hormone. In some cases maybe even our HANGRY hormone. This hormone is released in our stomach! It sends those hunger or hangry signals to our brain to let us know that we need some fuel (energy).
When it comes to weight gain and being able to balance our energy levels, between the 2 hormones, leptin plays a much bigger role.
Individuals who have more adipose tissue tend to have higher levels of leptin in their system. With leptin being an appetite suppressor produced in the fat cells, you would think that this is a good thing. More of the hormone that tells us we are full… sweet. But, it doesn’t quite work that way. With more adipose tissue, and higher levels of leptin, our body actually can build a resistance to the appetite suppressing effects of the hormone. Meaning these signals aren’t quite reaching the brain the same way and therefore we aren’t feeling as full. Also interestingly enough, higher levels of leptin in the blood also correlates with high insulin levels.
It takes approximately 20 minutes from your first bite of food before your brain receives those full signals. I don’t know about you, but I can eat a whole cheeseburger in less than 5 minutes. Just because I can though, doesn’t mean I do (or should). The hormone in itself is not the only contributing factor in our feeling of fullness. The capacity of our stomach also plays a part in that full feeling.
Knowing this information is great, but what are some ways we can use this information to our advantage when it comes to our health, and weight loss goals?
Slow down when you eat. We just discussed that it takes a whopping 20 minutes for your brain to receive the signal that you are full. Although we have been trained our whole life to eat quickly (that’s a blog for another time), take your time while you are eating. Enjoy your food!
Drink 6-8oz of water 20 to 30 minutes before your meal. The same part of our brain that tells us we are hungry, also tells us we are thirsty. Drinking water 20-30 minutes can help us differentiate between true hunger and thirst. If you are hungry, taking water in before your meal will help with digestion as well as filling your stomachs capacity.
Eat your veggies first! This helps you to slow down when you are eating. It’s hard to inhale a carrot! Eating your veggies first also ensures that you are getting the amazing benefits of your vegetables that are packed with great nutrients.
Carbs and proteins are your friend. Of course I am talking about the “good” for you carbs. The complex carbs (check out our blog on carbs to learn more). Good carbs and protein help to suppress ghrelin, our hunger hormone. Protein and carbs help us to feel fuller, longer.
Get adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation is associated with increased levels of our hunger hormone. BOOO! Sleep is completely neglected for most of us (again, another blog addressing that later). In all seriousness, when it comes to reaching your health goals, sleep needs to be a top priority.
Eat every 3-4 hours. Remember your body is a machine and food is fuel. We need to feed the machine so that it can continue to produce for us. You know what I mean by produce for us right? Allow us to keep up with our jobs, play with our kids, create new ideas, CRUSH OUR GOALS! The only way that can happen is if we fuel the machine. And the fuel we need to use is the premium, top of the line stuff. Vegetables, lean meats, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats-the good stuff!
So now that you know a little bit more about our hunger hormones, how can you use this knowledge to help reach your goals? Start with picking just one of the action steps above and as always, if you need help in your journey to reaching your goals. I’m here for you. Call, email, or shoot us a message on Facebook. We would be happy to walk this journey with you.
Written by: Jackie Giese, Fitness Nutrition Specialist
