Or, it’s not about your willpower!
“I can’t get through the afternoon without a snack or some caffeine.”
“Once I start sweets or snacks, I just can’t stop.”
“I’m hungry two hours after breakfast. Sometimes sooner.”
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. At the beginning of my classes, I ask women to share what things keep them stuck in unhealthy habits, or frustrate their efforts to lose weight. The above answers are ones I hear again and again. Most women think these things are their fault. They think it’s about their lack of willpower.
It’s not!
What they don’t know — what I didn’t know when I started — was that the diet advice we’ve heard for years has some problems. And one of those is that it can actually keep us hungry.
The signals that tell us whether we’re hungry or full are complex. It’s not just about having something in your stomach.
Sure, restricting fat and calories will help you lose weight… for a while. Diet shakes work… for a while. Prepacked meals work… for a while. But that kind of restricted diet is really hard to maintain, because it doesn’t keep your body satisfied with everything it needs. So your body keeps saying, “I’m hungry!”
One of the things our bodies need is fat. That’s right: fat is necessary for your health! But that’s just part of the picture.
Other things that keep your body feeling satisfied include protein, fiber, and micro-nutrients.
But perhaps the bigger news is that some foods will make you hungry!
If all this is blowing your mind — or if you’ve heard it before but don’t really get it — then Trail 1: Boost your food I.Q. is perfect for you.
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Here are a few resources on this site to get you started:
What if I told you that hunger is good?
It’s not your willpower: it’s the food (audio)
Crash course: Understanding calories, carbs, etc. (audio)
Crash course: What to eat (audio)
Food Rules, by Michael Pollan (book)
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These should provide a good introduction, but if you want more directed learning, check out my classes and other services.