The Science of Hunger is a simple weight loss program I have developed over time for the patients in my medical practice. This method will help you lose about 1/2-1 lb per week consistently.
The Science of Hunger approach is based upon the scientific principle that our present body weight is dictated by our present level of hunger. The more hunger a person experiences, the more they eat. The more they eat, the more they weigh.
Researchers have discovered several basic mechanisms that abnormally increase our hunger; insufficient protein intake, excessive carbohydrate intake, the use of artificial sweeteners and excessive exercise.
The beauty of the Science of Hunger program is that you won’t feel the hunger pains that go along with so many other weight loss strategies, and you will have a much better chance of maintaining your weight over time.
Step 1 -Decrease your hunger by decreasing your carbohydrate intake (bread, pasta, potato, corn, rice, sugar and corn syrup) by half. Carbohydrates, especially the more unnatural processed carbohydrates and sugars, will increase your hunger when eaten in excess. The average American gets approximately 50-60% of their total daily calories in the form of carbohydrates.
Decreasing your carbohydrate intake to 25-30% of your total calories (aproximately 125-150 grams per day for women and 150-200 grams per day for men) has been shown to eliminate the excessive hunger and dramatically improve you blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides levels. It can also improve things such as heart burn, frequent urination and lightheadedness over time.
I’ve found if patients try to eliminate as many carbohydrates from breakfast and lunch they can use their remaining ‘allowance’ of carbsohydrates at dinner, which is often our most socially/psychologically important meal of the day.
Step 2 – Decrease your hunger by eating ample amounts of protein 3 times daily, especially in the morning. Not eating enough protein increases your hunger throughout the day leading to you overeating. Studies recommend approximately 20-30 grams of protein per meal for men and 15-20 grams of protein per meal for women.
Protein is one of nature’s most powerful appetite suppressants, and increasing your intake to optimal levels not only reduces your hunger (which leads to more weight loss) but often results in an increase in your total muscle mass as well.
Step 3 – Decrease your hunger by drinking water, unsweetened tea or coffee instead of drinks with sugar or artificial sweeteners (soda, ice tea, juices, sweet additives to latte or cappuccino). Eliminate the use of all artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners have been shown to increase your hunger.
Step 4 – Avoid increasing your hunger by exercising too much. Don’t over do the exercise and limit it to a maximum of 30 minutes of light exercise per day. Too much exercise will stimulate your hunger. Exercise is great to help maintain your present weight, but it is generally a poor strategy to lose weight.
Step 5 – Try to not eat to quickly. Slow down when eating. Studies show it takes a certain amount of time for food to turn off a person’s hunger mechanism. Eating rapidly will outpace the production the hormones designed to shut off your body’s hunger thus causing you to eat too much.
Step 6 – Decrease your hunger between meals by eating a Tums instead of eating a snack. Many people will feel a grumbling in their stomachs between meals. This seems to get better with a snack. The truth is that the grumbling is actually caused by a mild build-up of stomach acid. Food simply triggers the stomach to empty the acid. So instead of eating food, have a calorie-free Tums or Rolaid.
What happens if someone (say a person with sibo) eats less than 125g of carbohydrates per day? Do the hunger/weight loss benefits continue? At what point does carb reduction become detrimental on weight loss?
I’ve never seen carb reduction become detrimental to weight loss. Never happens.
It weight loss ceases with carb reduction there is something else going on.