How to Follow Your Natural Appetite
Instinctively, your body knows exactly how much to eat and what balance of nutrients to obtain to function at peak levels. Dr. Clara Davis showed this in her noted work with young children. In her studies, children were presented with a variety of foods, both healthy and unhealthy, and allowed to eat whatever they wanted and as much as they wanted. Over time, they naturally and intuitively chose healthy foods in the exact balance of nutrients and amount of calories that they needed for peak function.
All animals, including adult humans, have an innate ability to control appetite and nourish themselves properly. Unfortunately, adult humans happen to be the only beings on the face of the earth that ignore or override natural appetite. Reasons include:
1. Dieting: Natural appetite is displaced in favor of the latest, greatest, best-selling diet. Popular diets invariably ask you to restrict the amount, content, combination or time that you eat your foods. The negative consequences of restricting or manipulating caloric intake away from natural appetite are numerous and well known. Briefly, diets set off a chain reaction of negative metabolic consequences, including energy level fluctuations, sugar cravings, fatigue, slowed metabolism (your body enters a genetically programmed starvation mode, burning fewer calories as a survival instinct) and increased stress levels (this leads to breakdown of muscle tissue into sugar for energy--another "survival" instinct against inadequate dietary nourishment).
2. Emotions: Due to lifelong attempts to "control" diet and overwhelming cultural pressure to be thin, many people have strong emotional connections to eating. Food is often used as a vehicle to provide comfort, relieve stress or escape problems. Or, food is consumed in a destructive manner (under- or overeating or by blatantly disregarding good nutrition), which is behavior related to low self-esteem and other emotional problems. Regardless of the reason, eating for emotional reasons rarely achieves anything positive and takes you further away from healthy eating habits.
3. Environment: Corporate America spends billions of advertising dollars every year to convince you that consuming junk food is an exciting, rewarding way of life. Fast food restaurants, vending machines and convenience stores offer little or nothing in the way of good nutrition. Even with good intentions, this environmental influence can lead you to unhealthy habits.
While the negative consequences of ignoring natural appetite seem obvious and easy to avoid, the typical high-stress modern lifestyle makes it very difficult to follow your natural appetite. During a busy day, the temptation to eat quick, cheap, fast food is overwhelming. Then as you suffer the consequences of undisciplined, unhealthy eating habits--namely excess body fat--you turn to a quick fix in the form of a regimented, calorically restrictive diet.
The inconvenience of eating highly regimented, impractical meals compromises realistic chances of long-term success. Consider that humans and their domesticated animals are the only members of the animal kingdom that suffer from obesity--a direct result of failing to follow natural appetite.
Animals in the wild follow a couple of simple rules that we should pay attention to:
1. They eat when they are hungry.
2. They finish eating when they are satisfied, not full.
Even predatory animals whose big kills are few and far between will not overstuff when they score their private Thanksgiving feast. They know intuitively that overeating may slow them down and inhibit their peak performance to the extent that they may become someone else's Thanksgiving!
Eat when you are hungry; eat only to the point that you are satisfied; and don't eat again until you are hungry. Deprivation and attempting to control food intake creates an unhealthy obsession with food, which leads to overeating and compulsive eating.
Member Comments
by Keewee98 on September 16, 2008 at 6:00 AM
Good article,
It's amazing how hard it is for me to ONLY eat when hungry, but I'm workin on it.
by cindy__gail on February 24, 2009 at 7:27 AM
This is a great article and very timely for me. After a life time of dieting, I find that if I just eat healthfully, and not overeat (still a little bit of a challenge sometimes) that, and exercise will get me where I want to go. Never having to count a point or know a calorie count ever again is my idea of freedom. That, and feeling good and toned and nutritionally healthy. Living it every day is a bit of a challenge during weight loss but I see no other way, and more importantly, I WANT no other way ever again.
by cindy__gail on February 24, 2009 at 7:28 AM
The only thing that bothers me is that this wonderful article is surrounded by "diet" ads! Yuck.
by chinnu40 on February 24, 2009 at 8:57 AM
Nice comment!
by smkelty on February 24, 2009 at 8:58 AM
Even eating when you are hungry is a challenge. In my work & school schedule, I can't always take a break to get some food when I feel the need. I have to schedule eating into times that are available. But this article is good incentive to try harder.
by ludnae on February 24, 2009 at 9:16 AM
I know how that can be... especially for a busy student. I like to carry something like a granola bar with me to my classes just in case I need it.
I really like this article, and think it is very helpful. I think the reason I've never kept weight off is because I am always following a strict regimen instead of listening to my body.
by aparker85 on February 24, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Eating when your hungry is the best way, however I do find it difficult in the beginning since my life is fast-paced and on the go very often. I find myself getting hungry when I don't have access to food then when I do have access to food I am so starving I end up over-eating. So I have to plan on that and eat when I am not hungry so I don't get hungry later and enter into that stuff-my face mode.
by D3bra on February 24, 2009 at 9:35 AM
i have noticed since eating clean foods that there are days when i am hungry and days when i am not. i struggle with the you have to eat 1800 calories a day to lose weight. lately i have not been feeling hungry and feel like i am forcing myself to eat to keep on track. i am not sure what to do b/c i don't like the thought of making me eat when i don't want to.
by cmkarger on February 24, 2009 at 10:17 AM
I enjoyed the article because too many people are on these so called Diets and if that was just taken out of the vocabulary and you put in place of it- #1 Meal Replacement Shakes x 1 or 2 and eat a sensible meal, not only will you feel better, but you can lose unwanted weight, get your vital nutrients with each shake and eat a sensible dinner or lunch. The right protein snacks are essential to maintaining your energy levels along with supplements.
I don't have cravings like I used too. If I need to cheat, I do and still lose weight.
By doing this method, I have not only kicked my coffee habit and lowered my cholesterol and triglycerides but also lost 29lbs and 31 inches of fat.
Stop the diet and think of it as a Lifestyle Change- Mindset is much easier and fun
siofamilynutrition@yahoo.com
by drjuliadc08 on February 24, 2009 at 10:31 AM
I found that when I eat too much sugar the day before, it is nearly impossible for me to get up in the morning the next day. I try not to eat after 7, because I never feel hungry in the morning if I do. Although, when I eat after 7 or 8, I dream all night, and remember all of my dreams...weird, huh?
I have struggled with my weight all of my life. Being healthy is my ultimate goal, but sometimes I just can't eat perfectly! I always make sure that if I am craving potato chips or ice cream, I drink an 8 oz glass of water, and I eat a piece of fruit or munch on some veggies and hummus, something with some bulk, but fewer calories. If my craving goes away, I'm saved! But if it doesn't, I still have whatever it was that I was craving. I don't eat nearly as much of the ice cream or chips after, either.
by Symba on February 24, 2009 at 12:21 PM
This is great, I totally agree with you, your eating should be your way of life not dieting. You should eat to live not live to eat.
Joanne
by tite on February 24, 2009 at 3:10 PM
YEP! and running improved my food management: I eat when I feel hungry (you can't postpone it after a run!), and I stop when I am satisfied, long before full, because my body remembers how difficult running is if it gets too full. YOGA4RUNNING does the rest: relax my body and soul, so I don't search for food if not hungry.
tite. Brescia, Italy, www.tite.it
by foofernuggett on February 25, 2009 at 6:55 AM
I have the same issue as you! I've always tried to be somewhat conscious about what I ate, but since starting tracking in november and making shifts to eat better, cleaner, healthier foods, I find that I have some days where I only eat 1200 of my allowed 2000 calories but am full all day. I feel like I should be eating more too cause it tells me I can, but I just can't! It's kinda crazy what lots of fibre and minimal pesticide (in the organic ingredients I can find anyway) in your food can do for your hunger. The other thing I found interesting was that when I first started I struggled to stay under the 2000 mark, now it's not an issue, and I have dropped 15 lbs in the last two months. So I guess it is more how you feel at the end of the day more than it is having to force yourself to eat. I don't know if that helped you any, but wanted to let you know you are not alone in that thought!
by foofernuggett on February 25, 2009 at 6:58 AM
Hmm, that was supposed to post as a reply to D3bra's comment, but it did not work as such, oh well, it happens I guess :).
by Dianaofthewood on February 25, 2009 at 9:13 AM
This was a good article. How true!
by martinigrace on February 25, 2009 at 10:47 AM
WOW, I was shocked with the opening paragraph about the children choosing healthier foods that were actually in balance with what they required nutritionally. Who knew we were actually born knowing what to put in our bodies, but do just about everything we can to silence those instincts thereafter? Puts things in perspective, as Symba/Joanne noted... eat to live, don't live to eat!
by willgbr on April 6, 2009 at 4:46 PM
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by ludnae on May 13, 2009 at 11:55 AM
I am ready to stop counting calories and start listening to my body!