Hunger hormones: the vicious circles that make you fat

Slaves of chemistry

Disengage yourself, the main mission of your brain is to make you eat and for this it sends impulses for food in response to the way we eat. If you skip a meal or diet, your brain "compensates" with hormones that stimulate your appetite. Come on, when you want to eat less, you always end up eating more. Does it sound familiar?

The less you want to eat, the more you eat

The more you want to control what you eat, the more your appetite is stimulated, because the brain, upon noticing a drop in sugar or an empty stomach, reacts by secreting hunger stimulants and inhibiting satiety hormones. Thus you enter a vicious circle that pushes you to eat more and more.

The brain rewards you for "sinning"

When we try something we like, the brain secretes dopamine, a substance involved in pleasurable sensations and drug addiction. Later, each time the sight or smell detects that food, the dopamine discharge occurs in advance, which pushes us to eat it. Come on, it's seeing the cake and already feeling great, anticipating that you are going to eat it.

Let yourself go and "sin"

To avoid falling into the circle of prohibition = desire, you should not repress yourself as it will only increase your desire to eat and it will cost you to control yourself. The best thing is to be tempted, but in moderation. For example, eating a smaller portion or choosing whims that fill you up and do not get fat like these. But this is not the only trap of the brain. Keep reading.

DIETS: THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF DEPRIVATIONS

If you go on a draconian diet or avoid certain foods (eg chocolate, bread, pasta), you end up getting more fat in the end. Why? Deprivation causes leptin to drop. It is the hormone in charge of telling the brain that you are already full. If there is little, the brain does not get the message that it should stop stimulating the appetite and you go into "I have a hole in my stomach" mode. Don't worry, you can avoid it and we'll tell you about it right away.

The solution: eat!

To be healthy and slim you have to eat and do it well. What's more, for weight loss to be more effective you have to eat five times a day and not prohibit anything. So break the curfew in your pantry and start enjoying - in a controlled way - your favorite foods. As Oscar Wilde said, "the best way to get rid of temptation is to fall into it." But there are more pitfalls …

THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF STRESS

When you are anxious or stressed, your body secretes a hormone called cortisol. And how is it countered? With dopamine. And dopamine shows up when you feel great. And what makes you feel better than your favorite cake? Welcome to the circle of stress and sweets! To finish fixing it, the brain gets used to that circle: nerves = I calm down eating. With what the minimum you get upset, your brain sends you images of succulent food. What does that sound like to you too? Well, it has a solution.

Browse your cravings

Every time you feel the irrepressible urge to fall into temptation because you have become nervous, close your eyes, visualize the sea and breathe deeply. Cravings are like waves, they come, they rise to the top, but they also go down and disappear. You can also read or listen to music since both of these provoke an emotional response and even make us secrete dopamine.

THE ROUTINE: THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF CUSTOMS

Routines can chain you in the long run. For example, if you usually eat popcorn at the movies, you will have a hard time watching a movie without eating it. And it is that breaking with that habit causes a fear reaction in the brain, which disappears when complying with the routine. To get out of this circle, read on.

Use visualizations.

No, don't make the same face as Bridget Jones. It is proven that imagining yourself doing something healthy and enjoyable (better not having to do with food) causes you to release dopamine as if you were really doing it. If you go to the movies and the popcorn impulse assails you, tell your mind "stop" and visualize that pleasant image for a few seconds while you breathe deeply. Say "stop" as many times as necessary.

Break your rules

You can also get out of a rut by diverting your attention and doing something that "forces" your mind to focus on a job. This way you will have your mind distracted and you will not end up eating. You can also make changes in your routines: a new route to go to work, a new language, a different recipe, go by bike instead of by car … This will force your brain to open new neural routes and it will stop repeating forever the same.

EDUCATION: THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF THE RHYTHM OF LIFE

It is the most difficult vicious cycle to break. Children eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Most of us don't do that, we eat "at lunchtime" and "finish the plate" even though we are no longer hungry. And we've been turning a deaf ear to the body's "eat" and "stop eating" messages for so long that we no longer recognize them. To get out of this circle, take note.

Follow your instincts and listen to your body

Eat when you are hungry and when you are full, rather than following a set schedule. To differentiate real hunger from craving, drink a glass of water. We tend to confuse hunger and thirst. If after drinking you think you're hungry, try the lentils (or another dish that is not your favorite). If you would eat them, you are hungry. If your brain says "better cookies", it was fad.

Question of strategy

You know yourself like nobody else and you know what you lose, so you have all the weapons to face it. If, for example, when you stay at home you cannot avoid rummaging in the fridge, go to work or study in a library, or fill the pantry with healthy foods ready to snack (skimmed mini-snacks, carrots, cherrys …). You have the control.

Chewing well is more satisfying

Okay, you've read it a thousand times but that doesn't stop it from being true: the more you chew, the fuller you will feel. So chew each bite to a puree and lengthen meals for at least 20 minutes.

Walking is like drinking chocolate

Another trick is to walk or ride a bike in moments of nerves or cravings. Studies have shown that these exercises produce the same pleasure as eating an ounce of chocolate. And they do it because they help you release endorphins, the hormone of happiness.

Change your attitude at the table

Don't just chew, taste. Discover the flavors and nuances of everything you drink. It is a shame that something so delicious and pleasant becomes routine, rush and hunger. And sit down, eating standing up is a waste and on top of that, you get fat. Take what you want from the fridge, put it on a plate (that way you will see the quantities better) and eat sitting down.

Without feeling guilty

Eating is not a sin (even if we jokingly say "sin"), nor is it something you should feel bad about. If you haven't done things the way you wanted, nothing happens. All moments are good to start doing things the way you want. As long as you don't eliminate that feeling of guilt, it will be difficult for you to have a stable relationship with food.

"Eat" more serotonin

Eggs, nuts, bananas, green leafy vegetables, meat or whole grains contain substances that stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps us feel happier and regulate the feeling of hunger. Take advantage of it and fill your pantry.

Be careful with the exciting

Alcohol, coffee, tea, and fat are a deadly combination in the diet. If you go overboard with any of them, your body will produce more estrogen, which can increase your anxiety and make you fall head over heels for more sweets, coffee, and alcohol.

You go down the quiet street and a few seconds later you have inevitably fallen into temptation. Your object of desire? A cream cake with berries that calls out to you from the pastry shop window. A few minutes later, you find yourself in the street licking your lips after having taken the cake in three bites. Come on, not only have you skipped your diet but you haven't even had time to realize it. What happened? Well, a craving or what is the same, the impulse to eat a food has won this battle. A study from Tufts University (USA) states that 91% of women experience strong cravings, especially for sweets. And willpower is not the answer.

Slaves of "Chemistry"

The impulses for food are sent by our brain in response to the way we eat. And is that the main mission of your brain is to make you eat:

When you diet, skip a meal or limit a type of food, the brain compensates for these deficiencies by secreting appetite-stimulating substances: neuropeptide Y (NPY) and ghrelin, which make you eat more.
But nature seeks balance and the brain also has satiating substances (cholecystokinin, leptin and CART peptide), although to a lesser extent, that make us feel full.
When you want to eat less … you end up eating more. The more you want to control what you eat, the more your appetite is stimulated, because the brain, when noticing a drop in sugar or an empty stomach, reacts by secreting intake stimulators and inhibiting satiety hormones. So you enter a vicious circle that pushes you to eat more and more.

Break out of vicious circles

Going on a diet, education, the hectic pace of life we lead or customs create vicious circles in which we all tend to fall and that favor us to make a “deaf ear” to the substances that regulate the appetite and that are telling us “you are done. full, stop eating ”or“ now you're not hungry ”. We stop speaking the same language as our body and even if it tells us that the stomach is full, we continue eating.

Knowing your body, the best plan of attack

We must go back to the natural cycle of food and recognize when our body tells us that it is hungry and when it is full. To do this, the most important thing is to reconnect with our body and (re) learn to listen to it, which will help us break these vicious cycles that push us to overeat.

The brain chemistry of desire and hunger

When we try something we like, the brain secretes dopamine, a substance involved in pleasurable sensations and drug addiction. Later, each time the sight or smell detects that food, the dopamine discharge occurs in advance, which pushes us to eat it. To avoid this, you should not hold back as it will only increase your desire. The best thing is to be tempted, but in moderation.

1. Diets: the vicious cycle of deprivation

If you eat less than 1,000 kcal a day or avoid any food group (for example, carbohydrates), what you really do is put your body in "irrepressible desire" mode and you will end up feeling the desire to overeat everything " prohibited". Why? Diets that are too drastic cause a drop in the concentration of a hormone called leptin. This is in charge of sending messages of satiety to the brain. The lower concentration of leptin means that the brain does not receive the message that it should stop stimulating the appetite. To avoid it:

Eat. To be healthy and lose weight you have to eat and do it right. What's more, for weight loss to be more effective you have to eat five times a day. Forget skipping meals or going out without breakfast.
Nothing forbidden. Break with the curfew in your pantry and start enjoying your favorite foods in a controlled way. As Oscar Wilde said, "the best way to get rid of temptation is to fall into it." The only thing you should try is to moderate the amounts and savor each bite.
Whole-grain foods. They keep the blood glucose level stable, preventing "hunger pangs".
More zinc. This mineral appears to improve leptin levels. Mollusks are a good source of zinc.

2. Anxiety: the vicious cycle of stress makes you fat

When stressed, your body secretes cortisol and demands food to counteract it. So you eat sweets and fatty foods with which you secrete dopamine that relaxes you. If this is repeated, the body ends up associating stress with consumption of sweets and fats.

Listen to music. Music provokes an emotional response in us and even makes us secrete dopamine (just like when we eat sweets). So the next time you feel anxious again, instead of robbing the fridge, listen to your favorite songs. You can also do any of these 25 gestures to de-stress.
Browse your cravings. Every time you feel the irrepressible urge to fall into temptation and sting without measure, close your eyes, visualize the sea and breathe deeply. Cravings are like waves, they come, they rise to the top, but they also go down and disappear.
Vitamins of group B. They help to harmonize these hormones. You find them in whole grains, legumes, dairy, nuts, meat, fish, vegetables and greens.

3. The routine: the vicious cycle of customs

Use visualizations. Imagine something healthy and enjoyable (better not to do with food). If you go to the movies and the popcorn impulse assails you, tell your mind "stop" and visualize that image for a few seconds while you breathe deeply. Say "stop" as many times as necessary.
Distraction. When you feel like falling into the vicious circle, divert your attention by doing something that "forces" your mind to focus on visual work. This way you will have your mind distracted and you will not end up eating: write an e-mail, paint, make a list of what you must …
Break your rules. A new route to go to work, a new language, a different recipe, go by bike instead of by car … Make changes in your day to day that are not just food. You will force your brain to open new neural pathways and it will stop repeating the same thing all the time.

4. Education: the vicious circle of the rhythm of life

It is the most difficult to break and the one with the worst consequences. Babies eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Most of us, on the other hand, have spent a long time eating "at mealtime" and "finishing the plate" even though we are already satisfied, so that we no longer hear the messages of "hunger" and "satiety" that the body sends. To get out of this circle:

Follow your instincts. Listen to your body (when it is hungry and when it is full), instead of following a certain schedule.
Hunger or craving? Many of us sometimes confuse thirst with hunger and eat instead of drinking a glass of water. To eat again from hunger, you have to learn to differentiate it from other stimuli. If after drinking you still have the bug and your body asks for food, try the lentils. If you would eat some lentils or another dish that is not your favorite, you are hungry. If, on the other hand, you wouldn't eat lentils but you would eat a muffin, you are not hungry, you have a whim.

Tricks to balance hunger hormones and lose weight

Chewing well is more satisfying . Hormones send more satiety messages to the brain if you chew each bite thoroughly until it is pureed. Doctors recommend chewing each bite about 20 times, but studies show that double chewing releases more satiating hormones. Ideally, you should take your time and extend meals for at least 20 minutes. This is estimated to be the time it takes for the brain to recognize that we are full. If you eat fast, you eat more food until you recognize that you are satisfied.
" Eat" more serotonin. Eggs, nuts, bananas, green leafy vegetables, meat or whole grains contain substances that stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps us feel happier and regulate the feeling of hunger.
Walking is like drinking chocolate. There are studies that ensure that a good walk produces the same pleasure as eating an ounce of chocolate. This is because it stimulates the production of endorphins, the so-called happiness hormone. And by the way, you burn calories and increase your muscle mass. Everything is benefits!
Neither very vegetable nor very protein. All food groups must be present in your weight loss diet in the right proportion. Protein foods digest more slowly than other foods delay the onset of hunger, but an excessively protein diet can damage the liver and kidneys. Poorly understood vegetarian diets are also fattening. A diet based on fruit and vegetables that does not consume enough carbohydrates or proteins (even if they are vegetable) causes deficiencies in some amino acids, necessary for the synthesis of hormones.
Question of strategy. Look for tactics to help you combat the habits that sabotage your regimen and prevent you from losing weight. If when you stay home you can't help rummaging in the fridge, go to work or study in a library, or fill the pantry with healthy, ready-to-snack foods.
A gentle awakening with natural light. According to experts, waking up to natural light causes us to gradually secrete cortisol, the hormone responsible for our awakening. On the other hand, doing it with the alarm clock shock abruptly breaks the rest cycle, when cortisol is still low, which can cause stress and anxiety.
Dinners that help to rest. They should be light, but at the same time satiating, and cause a feeling of well-being that induces a restful sleep. First, fiber. In order not to wake up due to the feeling of an empty stomach, eat foods rich in fiber, but light and easy to digest. Steamed or creamed vegetables are the best choice. Second, protein. Eat lean meat, fish, or eggs. They stimulate tryptophan, which induces relaxation and sleep. Digestive dessert. A yogurt, a fruit or a fruit compote without added sugar is ideal. Relaxing infusion. Choose linden, valerian, passionflower, lemon balm or a mixture of them and drink it warm.
Be careful with the fat and the exciting ones. Alcohol, coffee, tea, and fat are a deadly combination in the diet. Its consumption beyond what is recommended involves an extra production of estrogens, which has an immediate effect on our mood, increasing the degree of anxiety. Try caffeine- and theine-free drinks, such as rooibos.
Tupper: be careful when heating. When you heat food, do so in glass or ceramic (or microwave-safe plastics). Doing it in unsuitable plastics can lead to the release of substances such as phthalates or bisphenol. These can pass to food and from them to our body, where they would behave like female hormones.