Human nature is sometimes difficult to figure out, but very interesting: There is no system in place restraining our calorie intake. However, if you feel hungry you have to eat to satisfy that feeling. The feeling of hunger is overriding over many other emotions required for survival. This made a lot of sense in the Stone age, where people had to outlast in periods of time of little to no food. Nowadays,, it is extremely hard to lose weight permanently because of all of the fast food restaurants at every turn.



Over 40 the feelings of being hungry are often more intense due to the changes in the endocrine system. Are you aware of how your body develops the feelings to let you know you are hungry?

Your mind needs to balance two systems: Calorie consumption and quantity of energy available. If the accessible energy drops under a limit, feelings of ?hunger? are produced and you have to think of eating. This is totally normal, and not a weakness in your character.

There is a difference between feeling satisfied and feeling full. As you know, after 40 your body burns less calories- so you should eat until you feel satisfied and stop eating when you've reached that point to lose weight permanently.

Interestingly, we normally stop eating before our bodies absorb the nutrients in the foods we eat. The feeling of being satisfied comes largely from how much time you take to eat and how often you eat. To lose weight permanently, eat more slowly and increase the amount of meals you eat.

However, you must be conscious of what you eat. If your mind is absent, for example because you are driving or watching TV, it can't register that you are eating. You will observe that this causes you to feel satisfied sooner. You won't get the feeling of being satisfied early enough and eat more, threatening permanent weight loss.

There are many messenger substances signaling the brain you need to eat. These substances make you feel hungry, suppress physical activity and increase the amount of energy that is stored as fat. If you stop eating, for example when you go on a diet, Neuropeptide Y is secreted.

This is why you find it difficult to lose weight permanently, and sometimes feel like your energy is low: The less you eat, the more the hormone system protects your body fat. And: After 40 this protection is getting stronger and stronger. The only way to lose weight permanently over 40 is by introducing a gentle life-style concept.

There are many more Neuropeptides contributing to feeling hungry. Orexin A and B are released when you feel hungry, and they stimulate food cravings and overeating, which is common when you are on a diet. This is the nature of your body, not a lack of will power on your part.

Leptin is another Neuropeptide that is created by fat tissue. It transmits to your brain how full the fat storage system is. Women have higher levels of Leptin, because the naturally have more body fat than men. You will start to feel hungry when the Leptin levels drop below a certain point.

The body image in western culture is extremely influenced by unnaturally slim celebrities. Without body fat you will feel hungry day in and day out, which can lead to many emotional problems - and a certain quantity of body fat is actually sound to have.