6 Ways to Beat the Bottomless Pit
Yesterday you learned that while you can’t physically shrink (or stretch) your stomach, you CAN shrink your appetite.
AND that we tend to eat the same VOLUME of food each day based on an appetite thermostat.
Paying attention to caloric density is the first step.
(Choose foods that are bulky and filling, but low in calories.)
Next, you have to recalibrate your appetite thermostat.
Focusing on fiber-rich foods will help you reset your appestat.
The more whole foods you eat, the more your body can send out satiation signals, naturally moderating your appetite and consumption habits.
And because whole foods fill the volume quota faster, recalibration is forced.
In other words, the composition/quality (increased fiber and water) causes dramatic shifts in your appetite setpoint -- totally adjusting your appetite thermometer.
Slaying the Dragon
Avoiding addictive and alluring foods (like sugar) while focusing on eating mainly whole, fiber-rich foods, will help wrangle the dragon.
But when the pit seems truly bottomless, try brushing your teeth or using mouth wash. Drinking a glass of water, thinking of something gross (like cleaning the toilet) and distracting yourself for 15-20 minutes can also work.
If you still feel hungry, eat a very plain food like a baked potato or rice cake without toppings or salt.
Research shows that different flavors (i.e. sweet, salty, and sour) activate their own appetite centers in the brain. This suggests that once you turn on an appetite center, you must eat that kind of food until it registers fullness.
Switching to different tastes, or eating a lot of variety at one meal could potentially turn many centers on at once, which could explain the bottomless pit effect AND make you overeat without ever feeling full.
(Ever felt full after a meal but then had room for dessert? Hmm…)
Above all: start making good choices consistently.
The more consistent you are with your meals and food choices, the sooner you’ll reset your appestat and find yourself satisfied with less food.
Recalibrating back to my sense of true hunger and satiety was just as important as recalibrating my taste buds from a life-long addiction to sugar.
I used to eat two giant bagels with cream cheese for breakfast or bowl after bowl (after bowl!) of cereal. I would also eat two foot-long subs for lunch, and a large pizza for dinner all by myself with room for dessert, and still feel hungry sometimes!!!
Modern foods are DESIGNED to make us overeat, which then throws off your appetite thermostat.
It’s a nasty cycle of more, more, more - always wanting more.
Stop stretching the volume quota :)
Think about how great you’ll feel when you rediscover true hunger and satiety!
Worth it right?!
If you’re ready to recalibrate, focus on eating low cal, fiber-y foods.
Fiber and calorie density are the CORE focus with the meal plans, and it’s not unusual for members to see massive appetite reductions in less than four weeks.
Will you make this commitment to yourself and your health?