10 tips against binges and whims

Sometimes you can’t stop eating even though you’re not really hungry? Are you constantly hungry despite eating enough? We explain the causes and give you 10 quick tips against constant hunger and bingeing.

You’re downing the last bite of the pizza, you should be full and satisfied by now, but you know you’re going to keep going. Your brain’s hunger center reports that you still have a craving for a sweet dessert. There is no feeling of satiety in sight. How can that be when the stomach is really full? Unfortunately, it is not only the stretching of the stomach that determines the feeling of fullness. If that were the case, you would feel full after a big glass of water and you would no longer be hungry. It is not that easy because several factors influence the feeling of hunger or satiety:

• Mechanical stretching of the stomach.
• Nutritional composition of the food consumed.
• Body weight and number of fat cells.
• The hormones insulin, leptin, and ghrelin.

WHAT HORMONES CONTROL OUR APPETITE?

To understand how appetite works, we can review how the aforementioned hormones act:

• The ghrelin hormone makes you hungry. It forms in the stomach and pancreas and is released whenever you haven’t eaten for a long time. This is how our body ensures that it receives nutrients and that the metabolism works. As soon as you give in to your appetite and eat, the ghrelin level drops again. Hunger disappears.
• Leptin makes you feel full and is produced by your fat cells. When you lose weight, leptin drops, which is why you feel hungry again. As you gain weight, more leptin is produced. Leptin tells you that you have eaten enough and therefore should no longer be hungry. However, this practical mechanism is canceled if you are very overweight, that is, in the case of obese people, so much leptin is produced that the cells become resistant to it. As a result, many obese people no longer feel full and are constantly hungry.
• The hormone insulin it appears when your blood sugar level rises and facilitates its transport to the cells of your body. This means that energy is available where it is needed, that is, in the muscles and the brain. The sudden and sharp spikes in blood sugar caused by short-chain carbohydrates are troublesome. Large amounts of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and the like cause an excessive insulin response. Then the blood sugar level drops quickly again. This leads to fatigue and feeling hungry again. If this renewed hunger is satisfied with snacks and snacks, the vicious cycle continues. The biggest problem with insulin is that it has anabolic and anti-catabolic effects: it builds muscle, but unfortunately also fat tissue. What’s more,

10 TIPS AGAINST BINGES AND CRAVINGS

1. Eat foods that are bulky but low in calories, such as vegetables, salads, and fruits. These foods are rich in fiber but satisfy hunger without gaining weight.
2. When you have cravings, drink vegetable broth instead of just water. It is significantly more filling because the receptors in your stomach recognize vitamins and minerals.
3. Eat whole grains and flaxseed daily. The dietary fiber it contains will fill you up and help you fight digestive problems.
4. Eat plenty of legumes and soy products because high-protein foods keep you full in the long run.
5. When you are on the verge of a hunger attack, have a small handful of nuts and seeds instead of chocolate bars.
6. Drink from glass bottles, as plasticizers in plastic bottles are suspected of promoting obesity.
7. Distract yourself. When you exercise or meet a friend, hunger does not focus your attention.
8. If the binge is imminent and your hand is already gripping the refrigerator door, take an ice-cold shower, which will act like a metabolic “beef.”
9. Brush your teeth or chew sugarless gum. The fresh taste in your mouth will make your appetite disappear in no time.
10. Thought stop: this technique of psychotherapy helps against food attacks. The first step is to “program” your mind so that as soon as the desire to eat a treat appears, a rational thought process is initiated instead of simply giving in to the walk. Schedule yourself to ask yourself if you really need to eat out of hours and propose another activity, such as reading, walking, or showering.