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October 16, 2019
Physical vs. Emotional Hunger
“Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full.” It sounds so simple, yet countless people struggle with putting this principle into practice.
Why is overeating such a battle?
One of the main reasons is because people aren’t tuned in to their bodies. They lose sensitivity to true stomach hunger, and get it confused with a multitude of other signals and needs.
What is stomach hunger?
Stomach hunger–or physical hunger–involves a complex interaction between the digestive system, endocrine system and the brain. When the body needs refueling, we start feeling tired and weak, while finding it harder to concentrate and work. The stomach, which is located just below the ribcage, starts to ache and rumble. This is true stomach hunger. When we begin eating in response, we really enjoy the food and start feeling better, because a bodily need is being met.
What happens when I ignore my stomach hunger?
If you don’t feed your body when it needs food, the physical symptoms intensify. The stomach starts to really hurt. You find it more difficult to concentrate and may experience lightheadedness. You may also get irritable and short-tempered. In addition, some people get shaky and nervous, while others get a headache. Because you are so ravenous at this point, once you do start to eat, you’re very vulnerable to uncontrolled eating or bingeing.
When I eat, how do I know when to stop?
Hunger and fullness is regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain. When your body has had enough food to satisfy its needs, signals are sent to the hypothalamus, registering fullness (also called satiety). When we are in tune to our bodies, we recognize when it’s time to stop eating. The stomach feels comfortable, and satisfied–not stuffed. We soon begin to feel calmer, more alert and energized.
It takes approximately 20 minutes for fullness signals to transmit from the stomach back to the brain. So, if you eat too fast and aren’t paying attention, it’s easy to override this system and eat more than what the body is calling for.
How do I know when I am overeating?
When you are eating at a calm, relaxed pace and paying attention to your body, you will notice the following when you have eaten more than physically needed:
✅You are mechanically taking bites and swallowing, but you aren’t really enjoying the food anymore.
✅You are feeling pressure and discomfort in your stomach. If filled further, it starts to hurt. You may even feel queasy.
✅After a while you start to feel sluggish.
What if I can’t detect hunger and/or fullness signals in my body?
Assuming that you’re not eating too hurriedly or with many distractions, there are several possible reasons for having difficulty perceiving these internal bodily cues. If you’ve been ignoring your hunger and fullness signals for a long time, you may have temporarily lost your physical sensitivity to them.
This is often the outcome of frequent dieting, chronically restricting food intake, being raised to “clean your plate,” or struggling with any kind of disordered eating. If this is the case for you, it will take some time to rediscover hunger and fullness cues, which may require professional guidance. Outside help is especially crucial if: 1) you are never hungry and routinely get full with just a few bites, or 2) you are always hungry and never feel satisfied after eating.
Sometimes, there are emotional reasons for a person being unable to access their hunger and fullness signals. Getting in touch with body sensations stirs up painful memories for some people, while others feel undeserving of meeting their own needs. If you are one of these people, it is important to work through these issues with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders.
Lastly, in some cases, there are medical explanations for problems with hunger and fullness. For instance, certain medications, specific diseases, depression, stress and pain can clearly increase or decrease the appetite. But overall, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the body’s regulation of food intake. Research is currently underway to try to better understand the complex mechanisms, and to figure out why some people struggle more than others.
What are some “false alarm” signals that are often confused with stomach hunger?
Sometimes, we mistake other signals in our bodies for physical hunger. They are legitimate sensations, but not true stomach hunger. Here are some examples:
“Teeth Hunger”
Sometimes, especially if we’re feeling irritated or stressed, we want to chew our frustrations away. Our bodies are not calling for food, but we put it in our mouths as an attempt to relieve anxiety.
“Mouth Hunger”
We see or smell something that looks so delicious that our mouths start to water. Sometimes just thinking about a food brings on a craving for it. We desire to taste the food, but really aren’t physically hungry.
“Mind Hunger”
We look at the clock and think we have to eat a certain amount of food because “it’s time”, even if we don’t feel like eating.
Thirst
Sometimes we confuse the sluggishness of dehydration with actual hunger. The body is calling for fluids, not food.
Fatigue
When we sense that our energy levels are low, some of us automatically think that if we eat something, we’ll feel better. However, if we’ve been working extra hard and/or haven’t been getting enough sleep, our bodies are calling for rest, not food.
“Heart Hunger/Emotional Hunger”
We feel an ache and emptiness in our hearts due to unmet emotional and/or spiritual needs. Rather than acknowledge our feelings and work through our issues, we try to fill the void with food. Or sometimes we try to use food to “stuff” our feelings down. Although there can be physical discomfort in the gut when we’re upset, it is a distinctly different sensation from stomach hunger.
Moving forward…
As you can see, the simple design of physical hunger and fullness is often overshadowed by other body signals, habits, needs and emotions. Identifying and dealing with them appropriately is a huge step in the process of discerning true stomach hunger. Learning to eat intuitively–meeting your body’s true physical needs for fuel and nourishment–will help you naturally reach the healthiest weight for your one-of-a-kind body.
Brandon Jenkins
www.bornagainfitness.com
Online fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle coach.
Article source.
March 25, 2019
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December 12, 2018
Are your thoughts ruining your life?
If you’re reading this know it isn’t by accident. You were meant to read this and begin the process of letting go of your limiting beliefs.
You see, far too many of us are walking around with a ‘poverty mindset’ and then wonder why we lack those things we truly desire.
Whatever you are FOCUSING on the most will manifest itself in your life. Do any of these limiting beliefs sound familiar?
🔹️I’ll never be able to afford it.
🔹️I don’t believe I can do it.
🔹️I’ll never lose this weight!
🔹️They just have it easier than I do.
🔹️I’ll always be alone.
🔹️This is my lot in life.
🔹️I’m just not motivated.
🔹️I have no energy!
🔹️I’m just unlucky.
🔹️I’ll start tomorrow. [procrastinate & avoid]
🔹️I’m such a failure.
🔹️I failed before so why try again?
All of these are self-fulfilling prophecies, and the MORE you repeat them to yourself the MORE you will struggle with them. Think of your thought life as a big magnet. Whatever dominates your thinking the most is what you will attract into your life.
Make sense?
There is abundance EVERYWHERE and you don’t have to struggle for the rest of your life.
You can either CHOOSE to believe that you will always struggle or you can CHOOSE to believe that you will OVERCOME.
Let go of those negative, unproductive, patterns of thinking and being. They aren’t helping you and are only keeping you stuck.
Begin today to FOCUS on the life you want. Follow that up with affirmations that reflect the life you want, and then take ACTION.
Yes, it will be hard to do at first. You will want to reject what you’re doing, but in time you will start to accept this new information.
Remember that in order to RECEIVE you must first BELIEVE. ☝️
Do you need to take out some mental ‘trash’ and renew your mind? Are you confused as to where to start and feel overwhelmed?
If so, I want to help you on this journey. I too struggled unnecessarily for a long time. Then one day I got tired of how my life looked and how I was living. I was tired of not being happy, using food to cope, and missing out on really living life. I had allowed myself to become a prisoner in my own body because of the weight.
I had hit my ‘bottom’ and to be honest that’s the best place one can be at times. You’re left with no other choice but to fight or die. I chose to fight and here I am today. I want you to choose to fight as well.
There will be no perfect time to start, so just do it now. You’ll try to talk yourself out of it like you’ve done a million times before. I want you to stop doing that. That is just a tactic used by the enemy to keep you stuck and miserable. Take a leap of faith and trust that God will help see you through this.
Reach out to me today for a phone consultation. I can work with you no matter where you call home. I have clients all over the globe who are finding freedom from those things that used to hold them back. You can be one of them too.
Go here to set up the call that can radically change your life.
Also, be sure to grab my FREE fat loss guide. It also has a sample menu for you to follow.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
December 2, 2018
Tips on dealing with life’s struggles
I have received a lot of messages from folks regarding depression and this time of year. I know that for many it is a joyous time, but for some of you it is very hard. Maybe you’re dealing with the recent loss of a loved one, a relationship has ended, etc.
No matter the case, I want you to know that I get it. You are not alone and you don’t need to feel guilty or ashamed for FEELING depressed.
If you have followed me for any amount of time you know that I will not say, “I AM” depressed, but I will say that I feel depressed. When we say, “I am” we are owning that thing or feeling, and I don’t want to own depression, but I will allow myself to feel it and process it in a healthy way.
It has been my experience working with clients that far too many Christians suffer in silence when it comes to depression. They feel as if they aren’t ‘spiritual’ enough, so that’s why they feel depressed. You’ll even hear other Christians tell them to just “pray it away!”, as if it was that easy. Now, I do know, and believe in the power of prayer, but comments like that are incredibly insensitive to the person suffering before you.
I’m going to share my testimony of sorts and how I handle dealing with depression. This isn’t advice for you to take, but what I choose to do.
Many people are shocked when I tell them that I have dealt with depression, and anxiety for the better part of my existence on this big ball of mud.
There is no shame in ‘FEELING’ depressed or anxious. I say “feel” because I am very careful in how I choose my words surrounding anything. I won’t own depression or anxiety. I won’t say “I am depressed” but I will say “I feel depressed.” By doing this I have not personalized it or made it about me, it is just a feeling I’m experiencing at that moment.
I think the important thing to keep in mind is that everyone has dealt with this at some point and time, it’s just to what severity. I have found that those who deal with, myself included, often felt like they are the only one or that they are somehow defective.
There are a myriad of reasons as to why someone may deal with depression or anxiety. If you have a history of emotional, sexual, or physical abuse and didn’t have some level of depression or anxiety I would be shocked.
These types of childhood trauma, at a young age, literally change the brain. As a child you were constantly on guard, waiting for the next thing to happen. Being in this constant state of ‘fight or flight’ keeps cortisol [stress] levels high, even when the danger is gone. This usually will carry on into adulthood. This is just a snippet of the research I’ve come across, and it helped me as a survivor, to understand what I was dealing with.
I will share how I have managed this in my own life. I am not against antidepressants, but no longer use them. I chose to come off of them as they just made me ‘flat’ emotionally. I never had any really good days or bad days, I just felt ‘meh’ most of the time.
This has worked for me and it has been proven in studies to work for many who deal with depression and anxiety.
- I pay very close attention to my diet. I ensure that I get all the necessary vitamins and minerals my body needs to function. Many people who eat a diet high in processed foods, sugar, fat; tend to be more depressed than others.
- I strength train, and move my body however I can. This release of endorphins helps tremendously with depression and anxiety. It also give me an outlet for all those feelings I’ve stored up.
- When I feel my mood shift I gently remind myself that I have been here before and that it will be okay. I just make myself do those things that help me maintain, such as being mindful of diet, and continuing to exercise. Most who become depressed just say “f**k it” and crawl into a hole. I have found that I have to act against those impulses. I know that if I let myself go there that it will only get worse. I have to force myself to act in spite of how I feel.
- I have a support system. It’s very easy to feel like you’re the only one who feels this way, and that can lead to isolation. This is where the ‘enemy’ can really beat you up. You need to surround yourself with people you can safely share with.
- I don’t self medicate with food, alcohol, etc. I allow myself to feel EVERYTHING. If you run from this you’ll only compound your problems.
- I watch my intake of caffeine. If you have issues with anxiety this can exacerbate the problem.
- I don’t allow others to minimize my experience. There are many who say “just get over it.” If it were that easy I believe many would. No one who has truly suffered from deep depression wants to feel that way.
- I give myself permission to be human. No one is ‘depression’ or ‘anxiety’ it is just something you’re dealing with at the moment. Remember that no one has it all together, and this doesn’t define me, it’s just a part of my story that I can use to help others know that they are not alone.
I hope this helps someone out there to know they aren’t alone. If this message resonates with you hit reply and let me know about.
If you would like to discuss how my COACHING PROGRAM can help you process and work through issues such as depression, emotional eating [binge eating], self-sabotage, shame, or any other thing getting in the way of your true happiness, please fill this FORM out. We can schedule a phone consultation and see if we are a good fit for one another.
Have a blessed day my friends. Just know that God loves you and so do I.
PS- Take a look at how some of my e-books can help jump start your fitness journey. They are packed with relevant, easy to apply health and fitness tips.
You can use the 21 day body reset to finally find out what foods work best for you for maximum fat loss and overall health. This comes with a meal plan and shopping guide.
My 30 day devotional will provide the motivation that you need to keep going on those days that it gets hard. It is packed with tips on fitness and daily scripture for you to meditate upon for the day. It also has an area where you will journal your thoughts and feelings for the day. You will focus on what went well and what you can improve upon. This is a great tool for being able to go back after the initial 30 days and see just how far you have come.
Do you wonder if you’re an emotional eater? do you find yourself starting out on a new health plan only to sabotage yourself a few days or weeks later? If so, my coaching guide is for you. It will explain in detail the importance of nutrition, why macros [carbohydrates, protein, fat] are ALL needed, and important, in your daily diet. It also will provide you with in depth questions you can answer to see exactly where you might be ‘stuck’ so you can begin to work on, and be rid of, unhealthy ways of coping. You no longer have to use food or anything else to numb out or ‘escape’ the trials of life.
November 26, 2018
You no longer have to struggle with losing weight and getting in shape
April 10, 2015
Are you getting enough FAT in your diet?
Despite being vilified for many years, dietary fats are one of the 3 main nutrients that your body needs to function properly. Their numerous health benefits include controlling blood levels of cholesterol and glucose, preventing the development of cancer, reducing your heart disease risk and supporting your vital organs (including your brain, your heart, your liver and your lungs). However, due to the popularity of low fat diets and the untrue assertion that dietary fat is automatically stored as body fat, many people choose to eliminate this macronutrient from their diet. Doing this can be extremely damaging to your health and in this article I will be discussing why with 14 of the negative symptoms of dietary fat deficiency.
March 2, 2015
Decrease body-fat and improve overall conditioning
For decreasing body-fat and truly maximizing your time spent in the gym I recommend high intensity circuit training. This is a fast and efficient way to lose body-fat and elicit aerobic and metabolic effects. Research shows that the benefits of circuit training can last as long as 72 hours…far longer than doing traditional cardio for fat loss.
My clients like metabolic workouts because of the shorter rest periods which means the workout is shorter and may actually be more beneficial then someone simply going through the motions for 60 minutes. You are able to get in and out of the gym in a relatively short amount of time.
December 15, 2014
New Years resolutions tips to help you guarantee success this year.
Hi Friends,
Without delay, let us get into the top new years resolutions tips to help you guarantee success this year. And the first tip is critical to your success:
Be Realistic: This is the thing that you absolutely must start out with. If you are not realistic about your new years resolution, you are setting yourself up for failure. For instance, if your new years resolution is to lose 40 pounds in the next 3 months, that is a very big goal. Why not aim a little lower (say 20 pounds) and then when you reach that goal, set another.
Create a Plan: It’s not enough to make a new years resolution on New Year’s Eve and then wish for success in the new year. You have to think your resolution through and create a plan of attack. In fact, the earlier you start that plan, the better.
October 2, 2014
How to swing a kettlebell correctly!
The kettlebell swing is the foundation movement for a large proportion of kettlebell exercises.
The swing utilizes a hip thrust that is fundamental to other kettlebell exercises such as the kettlebell clean and the kettlebell one arm snatch.
The swing maximizes muscular endurance in the back and waist, is a great lower body strength builder and is a highly effective conditioning exercise.
September 24, 2014
Are you lazy?
I don’t know about you, but I know plenty of lazy people.
People that would rather spend the entire day parked on their couch than anywhere else.
People that eat take-out food every single night over a good home cooked meal.
People that would choose to have a root canal over working out.
Of course everyone has a few lazy days every once in a while, but it seems like more people lately are making laziness their full time career.
Are you lazy? See if any of the following statements describe you: