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Young children naturally stop eating when they are no longer hungry. We knew how to listen to our hunger signals when we were babies and toddlers. As we became older, if your family was like mine, we were given something sweet “to make us feel better” when we were sad, or to celebrate, or as a way for someone to “show us that they loved us”. We were urged to clean our plates because "there were children starving in China”. In my house, we were expected to clean our plates before we were allowed to leave the table or have dessert. Perhaps you were also taught, as I was, that “We do not leave a small amount of food in a serving dish or throw that food away”. (In other words, we were expected to eat every last bit of food, whether or not we were hungry).
Even though our families meant well, many of us became used to snacking and eating for reasons other than hunger. I learned to eat sweets and chips "to make me feel better". I also learned that dessert and sweets were the reward for eating all of my meal. And I learned that it was impossible to celebrate without eating large amounts of food.
Our bodies store fat for energy. Our bodies do not need frequent snacks or need to overeat to provide that energy. There is enough extra fat in our bodies to provide energy whenever they need a boost.
When we eat ultra-processed foods, like cookies and other snack foods, those foods often increase our brain dopamine levels. Because dopamine is a “feel-good” hormone, increased dopamine makes us desire more of those foods. That Increased desire then replaces our normal hunger signals, and eventually, snacking on ultra-processed foods becomes a habit.
“Normal” eaters do not think about food much of the time. Normal eaters sometimes even miss meals when they are very busy. Normal eaters do not worry that they might become hungry “later”. They usually do not eat when they are not hungry, and they do not finish food just because it is on their plate.
Normal eaters eat when they are hungry and stop when they’ve had enough food to be pleasantly satisfied – but not uncomfortably stuffed. They don’t snack on foods just because those foods are present. Normal eaters usually choose to eat foods that contain minimal sugar and are minimally processed, because those foods give them energy and help them to stay healthy. Normal eaters usually find that 2 or 3 meals daily are sufficient to manage their hunger and that snacking is rarely necessary. Most of their entertainment and joy in their lives comes from things other than food. While normal eaters also eat unhealthy and ultra-processed foods, those foods are only eaten occasionally, and are not a usual part of their daily diet.
By decreasing your intake of both ultra-processed and very sugary foods, after several weeks, your body will start using some of your fat stores for energy and it will become much easier to lose, and then maintain, a healthy weight. Hunger signals decrease when your diet has minimal ultra-processed foods and sugary foods in it - and if you include healthy fats in your diet, you will stay satisfied much longer. It will become much easier to eat “normally” when ultra-processed foods are not causing frequent dopamine releases in your brain.
You can lose your excess weight for good without dieting by learning to think about most of your meals as providing fuel for your body – rather than thinking of your meals as entertainment. If you would like individual help with setting up weight loss strategies so that you can lose weight without dieting, set up a free, no obligation, and no pressure, weight loss strategy call with me at:
https://calendly.com/coachbarbarakatz/60min
and start losing your weight for the last time.
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