Have you ever caught yourself whipping up a sandwich minutes after you had downed a sumptuous lunch? Or found yourself raiding the fridge an hour after breakfast? And do you remember those 10 p.m. movies at Inox that were incomplete without popcorn or chicken nuggets even though you had a satiating dinner at 9 p.m.? Numerous are the reasons why people have no control over what they eat! Let me run you through the top 5 reasons that cause one to eat unabashedly, and you can then take your pick of what relates to you.
- Leptin-Ghrelin Inefficiency. Leptin, a “satiety” hormone, is released whilst you eat; it triggers a “fullness” signal by the brain, thereby preventing you from eating more. An abnormal leptin function is what causes one to overeat. Excess body fat, high triglyceride levels, and diets loaded with simple carbohydrates are often the cause of leptin resistance, which causes feelings of hunger even when a person has already had enough to eat. Ghrelin is the “hunger” hormone which also activates the “reward center” of the brain. This makes us eat beyond our needs and also crave “comfort foods” such as chocolate, cookies, and cake. Suppressing ghrelin and activating leptin is what you need to do in order to control how much you eat. This can be achieved by choosing protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acid foods at each meal, all of which are known to have hunger-reducing properties.
- You Have a Medical Condition. Frequent hunger is a classic sign of diabetes. Hyperthyroidism is also associated with increased hunger, as are conditions such as depression, anxiety, and premenstrual syndrome. Increased hunger is a given about a fortnight before most women’s menstrual cycle – be aware of the fact, and make a conscious effort to eat controlled and qualitatively healthier meal portions at that time of the month!
- You’re Taking Certain Medications. A side effect of several medications is an increase in appetite. The most common appetite-inducing medications include antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, corticosteroids, anti-seizure drugs, diabetes medications, and birth control pills.
- You’re overly Stressed. Excess stress increases appetite, mostly due to its effects on increasing levels of cortisol, a hormone that promotes hunger and food cravings.
- You’re Not Sleeping Enough! Lack of sleep leads to higher ghrelin and lower leptin levels. Observe whether your overeating happens on days when you are sleep-deprived.
If you still can’t put a finger on the reason for your eating unabashedly …. Wait a week… I’ll be back with another 5 reasons that could explain the continuous eating. Till then … watch your plate!
