A metabolism question

[ksmith]

...or something.

What is your baseline state, hunger-wise? Do you always feel sated (no desire to eat), except when you're expressly hungry? Do you only eat when your stomach growls, or do you let it get that far?

I'm trying to eat more healthy food and yes, lose some weight, and I'm trying to figure out--how am I supposed to feel? Is a constant mild feeling of hunger the sensation I should aim for, or not? What is the baseline for an average human being?

In all the diet and lifestyle articles I've read, this isn't addressed. External factors--food groups, calorie counts--work only for so long. How am I supposed to feel?

I fear the answer is that everyone is different, but otoh, not sure if that's true. I wonder if, because of the constant proximity and availability of food, our baseline has shifted up so that what we now call sated is really overstuffed, and what we call hunger is often simply craving.

Comments

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

Well, I can tell you how you're NOT supposed to feel. :-) If you're always hungry (and you really are eating enough), or don't feel hungry until after you start eating, you've got a problem with your metabolism.

The first few days after you switch your eating habits, you'll probably be hungry, because your body is looking for the food it got before -- especially if you're replacing "quick hit" food like bread and pasta with slower-digesting carbs like veggies.

After that, though, you should adapt to the new eating style, and shouldn't feel hungry. More importantly, if you're eating the right amount and composition of foods, you should be able to push away a plate with food left on it. If you absolutely MUST finish all the food on the plate, you're either not eating enough, or you're eating something that causes food cravings.

I've been following the Ultra-Metabolism "diet" since February, and had 40 lbs melt away with virtually no effort on my part. No counting -- calories, carbs, points, or anything else. Eat whatever you want to eat, as long as it meets certain criteria for "good" food, and you eat it at the right time of day.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The first few days after you switch your eating habits, you'll probably be hungry, because your body is looking for the food it got before -- especially if you're replacing "quick hit" food like bread and pasta with slower-digesting carbs like veggies.


That's what I'm doing, and I can feel the difference. I feel *better*--some simple starches seem to play a role in water retention or something. But there are certain foods I really really like and I really really need to cut back.

Cookies are a food group.

[(Anonymous)]

Uh-oh. I found out those simple starches were causing water retention in me because I was allergic to yeast....

You might want to check the labels of the things you feel better not eating. Three really common allergies are gluten, soy, and yeast.

Jennifer (who still can't remember her password)

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I can't check the labels because it's stuff from the company cafeteria. Stuff I make myself doesn't seem to be the problems.

Love bagels, but they are Right Out.