3 reasons you are gaining weight

In the days of the caveman, the human species hunted for food.  If they didn’t hunt, they didn’t eat.  It was a different life.  Diets and calorie counting were irrelevant.  Today, food is readily available, and has tipped to the other extreme, over-eating.

Three signals need to be avoided and understood to help overcome your weight gain.

Appetite- “Sure, I can eat.”  (Sound familiar?)  Of course you can eat, the body has plenty of storage available (fat), but is there a need to eat right this moment?

Craving- Someone just had a full dinner at 7pm it’s now 8pm.  They think “I’d love a piece of ice cream cake right now,” when they just ate a nice dinner not too long ago.  The body does not need any more energy (food), but the mind has a craving—a mental obstacle—looking to add to storage (fat).

Hunger- “I’m starving! I haven’t eaten in hours.”  This is also bad.  When the body starves, the body enters into starvation mode.  This means that metabolism slows down and tries to make all the body’s processes more efficient (starvation mode article, coming soon).  The issue is the loss of muscle, which in turn slows metabolism.

The three signals can be summed up as entertainment/ interest (appetite), desire (craving), and a requirement (hunger).  An interest can be overlooked, a desire is a want but not a need, and a requirement is essential. Of the three, the one you have the most control over is hunger.  Eat consistently throughout the day and keep yourself from hunger.

When a friend asks to have lunch but you just ate, you can still join them; just don’t eat a full meal. Grab a low calorie drink, hot tea, water, or an appetizer, small salad, soup (obviously a light salad or soup). This will help you control your appetite. As we mentioned earlier, you will always be able to eat.  It’s important to keep in mind that just because you can, does not mean you should.

When you’re sitting around and you have a craving/a desire for cake. Fill that craving with something else.  For some, drinking a full glass of water helps them curb the craving.  Others may prefer smoothies (non-yogurt or ice cream based), using whey protein shakes (there are many different flavors; find one you’ll like).  Once you eat something, the craving will be easier to overcome.

Summing it all up, it’s important to know what your body is telling you and understanding how to appropriately deal with the signals. If you understand when your body needs something over when it wants something, then you will be able to better regulate how your body moves, looks and feels.

By: Kirill Vaks

Fitness and exercise specialist

BA, CSCS, ACSM-cpt, NFPT-sns  

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