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

[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.