nourishment
Hunger or appetite: How to reduce dangerous belly fat
It’s not always hunger that drives us to the fridge, it can also be appetite. We often turn to foods that contain a lot of sugar. This causes the fat pads to grow.
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If you want to lose weight, you should definitely know the difference between the two feelings. Above all, appetite drives us to overeat. Those who control it reduce unhealthy fat deposits
At first it sounds like a small thing. But hunger and appetite are two completely different things. And it’s not easy to tell them apart. Or do you know for sure why you just reached for the gummy bears? Were you really hungry? Or just an appetite for the sweet things?
Diet is rarely easy, and that’s true here too. The difference between these two terms is important because, on average, we snack up to ten times a day. But not because our body needs the energy, but because we have an appetite. In the worst case, this constant intake of food leads to an oversupply – and the excess energy that the body does not need or even uses is preferably stored in the stomach. But there is hope: Anyone who understands the difference between hunger and appetite will also break down the unhealthy cushions in the middle of the body.
Hunger is a powerful drive that nature has given us
Many equate hunger with an empty stomach. But there is much more behind the powerful drive that nature has given us. Basically, hunger is a warning signal from the body: the reserves of strength are about to run out. The organs – and above all the brain – need energy to continue to do their work properly.
Numerous biomechanical, psychological and psychological processes take place in the background. To this day, it has not been possible to clarify exactly which one. Research is still being carried out into how hunger arises in the first place. The only thing that has been reliably proven so far is that the body defends itself against a lack of food. This is another reason why starving people become nervous and aggressive, presumably in the desire to finally get food and energy.
But there is an assumption: Our body is criss-crossed by a network of measuring stations. The stomach wall, for example, signals how stretched it is to the hypothalamus, a small region in the brain that is responsible for, among other things, satiety and hunger. When the stomach is full, the brain in turn sends messenger substances that signal satiety. A small portion of pasta of 300 to 400 cubic centimeters should be sufficient.
The nutrients are only recognized in the intestine
However, the stomach does not distinguish which nutrients, sugar or proteins have been eaten. This only happens later in the intestine, in the liver and at other measuring points in the body. It is assumed that the brain is then informed by messenger substances about which nutrients are currently missing.
Appetite, on the other hand, is the desire to eat a specific food – regardless of whether the body needs it to keep up its work. This feeling arises in the so-called limbic system of the brain. This area is assigned the processing of emotions and the emergence of instinctual behavior. Appetite occurs regardless of whether hunger has already been satisfied. Appetite can be triggered by simple sensory stimuli – like seeing a delicious muffin or smelling an odor that makes our mouth water.
Experiences and memories from childhood often play an important role in the development of appetite. Anyone who used to be rewarded or comforted with sweets, for example, does so unconsciously – and then rewards himself as an adult according to the same scheme.
So while hunger is a real bodily need, appetite is the pure desire to eat. The supply of the body with energy plays no role. You can be full and still have an appetite. That’s why it’s important for anyone who wants to lose weight or just maintain their weight to be able to consciously differentiate between appetite and hunger. As a guideline, real hunger only occurs about three to four hours after a meal. Anyone who eats foods that are particularly high in fiber stays full for longer. Because their digestion takes more time.
Exercise like running makes us feel less hungry
Thirst is often confused with hunger. The feelings they evoke are very similar. If you doubt that you might be hungry again, drink a glass of water and wait. In such cases, you should absolutely avoid sweetened drinks, which are just unnecessarily high in calories. And most importantly, try not to eat out of boredom. We often automatically reach for food because we don’t have anything better to do. We usually eat foods that are too sweet – which in turn drive up the blood sugar level. If it then falls off again quickly afterwards, we feel ravenous hunger. And we only eat more.
A jog or a walk can also distract you from your appetite. Because: Studies have shown that too little exercise promotes appetite.