What is appetite? It is the longing or yearning for something especially desirable. Appetite arises from previous pleasurable experiences. Because both hunger and appetite entice us to eat, they are frequently confused. Unfortunately, hunger is not required for eating - appetite alone is enough inducement. And, it takes only a little food to abolish hunger, but we continue eating because of appetite. And therein lies our main concern.
A good way to address this issue is to visualize two jars. The way I see it is that each day you have to fill both jars. One is the physical jar. That one represents hunger. And it is not very large. The second one is the emotional jar. It represents appetite. This one is almost always larger than the physical jar. What most of us do is overflow the physical jar in order to fill the emotional jar. And that is why we gain weight. Next time, we'll discuss this in detail.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Hunger, Appetite, and Motivation, Part 1
We are now going to start discussing hunger, appetite, and motivation. This information will become very useful to you as you go through the weight managment process. Being able to differentiate between hunger and appetite and meet your appetite needs will eliminate overeating as well as bingeing. Understanding motivation and how you can go about getting and staying motivated will allow you to get to your goal. So, let's get started.
What is hunger? It is a primitive, elemental sensation that is felt as a dull ache or gnawing pain in the mid-chest region or somewhat lower. Cycles of hunger-experience occur. A cycle iusually begins with weak contractions. These then become gradually more vigorous and appear at shorter intervals until the height of activity is reached, which may culminate in an actual spasm. After this, the stomach usually relaxes and remains quiet for a period of time after which it starts again with occasional weak squeezes and the cycle is repeated.
Other than eating, what can stop hunger pangs? Chewing movements and swallowing stop the sensation of hunger. Not only chewing or swallowing, but also emotional excitement arrests digestive functions. It also stops the muscular actions associated with hunger. Smoking weakens them and may completely stop them, depending upon the strength of the tobacco. Alcoholic beverages reduce contractions. And very vigorous exercise inhibits recurrent constrictions but afterwards they are likely to return with greater intensity. Oddly enough, tightening your belt also stops weak or moderate contractions. The stoppage is, however, partial and even when complete it lasts only about five - 15 minutes then the contractions reappear despite continued pressure around the waist.
So, hunger is a physical sensation with no emotional component. If this is so, then were do all our problems with snacking, overeating, and bingeing come from? This takes us to appetite.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
What is hunger? It is a primitive, elemental sensation that is felt as a dull ache or gnawing pain in the mid-chest region or somewhat lower. Cycles of hunger-experience occur. A cycle iusually begins with weak contractions. These then become gradually more vigorous and appear at shorter intervals until the height of activity is reached, which may culminate in an actual spasm. After this, the stomach usually relaxes and remains quiet for a period of time after which it starts again with occasional weak squeezes and the cycle is repeated.
Other than eating, what can stop hunger pangs? Chewing movements and swallowing stop the sensation of hunger. Not only chewing or swallowing, but also emotional excitement arrests digestive functions. It also stops the muscular actions associated with hunger. Smoking weakens them and may completely stop them, depending upon the strength of the tobacco. Alcoholic beverages reduce contractions. And very vigorous exercise inhibits recurrent constrictions but afterwards they are likely to return with greater intensity. Oddly enough, tightening your belt also stops weak or moderate contractions. The stoppage is, however, partial and even when complete it lasts only about five - 15 minutes then the contractions reappear despite continued pressure around the waist.
So, hunger is a physical sensation with no emotional component. If this is so, then were do all our problems with snacking, overeating, and bingeing come from? This takes us to appetite.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Water and Your Weight Loss, Part 4
Preferably, water should be cold. It is absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water and evidence suggests that drinking water can actually help burn calories.
When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, its fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, the breakthrough point has been reached. This means that endocrine-gland function improves, fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost, more fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat, natural thirst returnns, and there is a loss of hunger almost overnight.
If you stop drinking water, your body fluids wll again be thrown out of balance and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain, and loss of thirst. To remedy this situation, you will need to resume drinking water.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, its fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, the breakthrough point has been reached. This means that endocrine-gland function improves, fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost, more fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat, natural thirst returnns, and there is a loss of hunger almost overnight.
If you stop drinking water, your body fluids wll again be thrown out of balance and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain, and loss of thirst. To remedy this situation, you will need to resume drinking water.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Monday, September 19, 2011
Water and Your Weight Loss, Part 3
Water also helps the body to rid itself of waste. And during weight loss the body has a lot more waste to get rid of. All of the metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste.
Water helps relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from intestinal sources. Since the colon is one primary source, the result is consitpation. But, when the body get enough water, normal bowel function returns.
How much water is enough? On average, a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses each day. The overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. Incerase the amount you drink if you exercise briskly or it the weather is hot and dry. Except upon awakening, your unrine should be almost clear. If it isn't, you aren't drinking enough water.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Water helps relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from intestinal sources. Since the colon is one primary source, the result is consitpation. But, when the body get enough water, normal bowel function returns.
How much water is enough? On average, a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses each day. The overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. Incerase the amount you drink if you exercise briskly or it the weather is hot and dry. Except upon awakening, your unrine should be almost clear. If it isn't, you aren't drinking enough water.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Water and Your Weight Loss, Part 2
Diuretics offer a temporary solution. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a threat and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. So, the best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body plenty of water. By doing this, stored water will be released.
If water retention is a constant problem, excess salt may be the culprit. The body will toelrate sodium only in a particular concentration. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. But, getting rid of salt is easy. All you have to do is to drink more water. It takes away excess sodium, as it is forced through the kidneys.
An overweight person needs more water than a thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since water is the key to fat metabolism, the overweight person needs more water.
Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weightloss. Shrinking cells are bouyed by the water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy, and resilient.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
If water retention is a constant problem, excess salt may be the culprit. The body will toelrate sodium only in a particular concentration. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. But, getting rid of salt is easy. All you have to do is to drink more water. It takes away excess sodium, as it is forced through the kidneys.
An overweight person needs more water than a thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since water is the key to fat metabolism, the overweight person needs more water.
Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weightloss. Shrinking cells are bouyed by the water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy, and resilient.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Water and Your Weight Loss, Part 1
Water is probably the most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Water may be the only magic potion for permanent weight management.
Water is a natural appetite suppressant and it helps the body metabolize stored fat. Research has shown that a decrease in water intake causes an increase in fat deposits and an increase in water intake reduces fat deposits. This occurs because the kidneys are unable to function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped unto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidneys' work, it can't operate at full capacity. As a result, it metabolizers less fat so more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.
The best treatment for fluid retention is drinking enough water. When the body gets less water it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. This water is stored in extracellular spaces, that is, outside the cells. The result is swoklen feet, legs, and hands.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenus Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Water is a natural appetite suppressant and it helps the body metabolize stored fat. Research has shown that a decrease in water intake causes an increase in fat deposits and an increase in water intake reduces fat deposits. This occurs because the kidneys are unable to function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped unto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidneys' work, it can't operate at full capacity. As a result, it metabolizers less fat so more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.
The best treatment for fluid retention is drinking enough water. When the body gets less water it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. This water is stored in extracellular spaces, that is, outside the cells. The result is swoklen feet, legs, and hands.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenus Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Importance of Regular Eating, Part 4
Every diet trains the body to slow down, losing some lean tissue and not replacing all of it. This is because as soon as you return to normal eating after dieting, the body's need to regenerate causes cravings and extreme hunger. Once the glycogen and water have been replaced, the body of a sedentary person, being used to fat, will tend to regain fat. As a result, the proportion of fatty tissue increases. Therefore, cumulatively, the composition of the body drastically alters.
Since fat is less dense, therefore lighter, the sedentary person who regains lost weight will be fatter because of replacing heavier muscle with lighter fat. Fat contains air and muscle contains water. An easy way to determine whether you are increasing or decreasing your percentage of body fat is to lie on your back in a pool with your arms outstretched. The more of your body that sinks, the higher your percentage of lean tissue.
So, to effectively lose weight and keep it off you need to follow a personally-appropriate weight management program that provides a well-balanced food intake because your body will continually crave food until it gets what it needs to function effectively. You need to eat at least three times per day because your body requires fuel every 4 -6 hours while you are awake. If you eat only one or two meals per day, your body will hoard whatever you give it and not burn it up as fuel for functioning. The habit needs to be continued after weight is lost if fat is to stay off. If it isn't, your body will immediately begin to rebuild and most likely it will rebuild fat.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
Since fat is less dense, therefore lighter, the sedentary person who regains lost weight will be fatter because of replacing heavier muscle with lighter fat. Fat contains air and muscle contains water. An easy way to determine whether you are increasing or decreasing your percentage of body fat is to lie on your back in a pool with your arms outstretched. The more of your body that sinks, the higher your percentage of lean tissue.
So, to effectively lose weight and keep it off you need to follow a personally-appropriate weight management program that provides a well-balanced food intake because your body will continually crave food until it gets what it needs to function effectively. You need to eat at least three times per day because your body requires fuel every 4 -6 hours while you are awake. If you eat only one or two meals per day, your body will hoard whatever you give it and not burn it up as fuel for functioning. The habit needs to be continued after weight is lost if fat is to stay off. If it isn't, your body will immediately begin to rebuild and most likely it will rebuild fat.
Copyright 2011 Lynn Borenius Brown
For more information about video classes and individual sessions, please visit: http://EmpoweredDieter.org
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