Why Appetite Is Your Greatest Fat Loss Weapon!
posted on: April 03, 2017. posted in: Weight loss, Nutrition
We've had a response on our page...
"I rarely feel hungry, then get told I'm not eating enough! Can't seem to win."
Ok, I have two questions.
What is "feeling hot"?
And what is "feeling cold"?
Feeling hot is your body sensing temperature and creating a SENSATION to tell you that the temperature is too high.
Feeling cold is your body sensing temperature and creating a SENSATION to tell you that the temperature is too low.
So "feeling hot" and "feeling cold" are sensations.
And all sensations are your body's way of telling you something, encouraging you to change your behaviour.
For example.
As the temperature increases and you "feel hot", that sensation might encourage you to take off a layer of clothing, or find shade if you're in the sun.
As the temperature drops and you "feel cold", that sensation might encourage you to put on an extra layer of clothing, or move inside if you're out in the cold.
Sensations. Drive. Behaviours.
That is the point of sensations.
And guess what appetite is?
Guess what "feeling hungry" is?
A sensation!
"a physical feeling or perception resulting from something that happens to or comes into contact with the body."
The sensation of hunger occurs when our stomachs empty, when our blood sugar levels drop, and when our body starts to burn off its fat stores for fuel.
So if...
Sensations. Drive. Behaviours.
What behaviour is the sensation of "feeling hungry" trying to make you do? What is the purpose behind hunger???
To encourage you to eat!!
And the more your body is burning fat, the more your appetite increases to encourage you to eat so your body stops burning fat.
Burning fat, to your body, is BAD.
Our appetite and hunger exists to prevent it.
Your body has evolved to build, grow and store as much fat as possible, to protect you from famine and starvation. So the moment you start burning off your precious fat stores, guess what?
Your body makes you HUNGRY.
And hunger drives eating.
_____________
And so...
The sensation of hunger, is the sensation that your body is entering a "caloric deficit" (a shortage of calories) and therefore starting to access and burn off your fat stores to make up for the deficit.
Let's make that simpler.
Hunger = Body In Caloric Deficit.
Even simpler still.
Hunger = Burning Fat.
Think about it.
When are you most hungry?
When is your appetite at its highest?
When you are STARVING!!
We even say it...
"Mum! Hurry up with dinner, I'm starving!!!"
So learning how to sense, feel and tune into your appetite is a vital step in learning how to burn fat. Because if you have no appetite, the chances are, you are not burning fat!
This doesn't mean you have to feel starving all the time. In fact, starving your body is not good for fat loss, as it encourages binge eating and long term weight gain.
But getting the right balance...
Between fuelling your body with nutritious food (eating enough), whilst also eating the right amount so that you create a caloric deficit and start to burn fat, is the key.
Balancing periods of eating, with periods of gradually sensing your appetite increase, is the secret to sustainable fat loss.
Liam
p.s. If you'd like to learn more about this, we'll be covering this subject and many more on the bronze package of our next mission Beach Body™, take a look!
