Why is there always room for dessert if you are trying to cut down on the number of 
calories you are consuming even after a huge holiday meal? The concept goes all the way back to how our ancestors ate. They would hunt and eat large amounts of meat and then stumble upon patches of berries and consume some important missing nutrients. There is what is known as “sensory specific satiety” which means that the body allows limits to certain foods to ensure a proper intake of nutrients. It is how some of us manage to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods despite the lack of nutritional knowledge. Researchers at “The Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior” at Penn State had children and adults fill up on chicken and sausages after which they were asked if they wanted seconds. All refused but had room for cookies, bananas, or raisins. It has to do with the body’s response to salty and savory foods by creating a balance with sweeter choices. This satiety signal is especially strong in children which is why they sometimes go for the foods the body is craving. However, it does diminish with age. It may have to do with the consumption of processed foods throughout one’s lifetime. Having large family gatherings in which there is probably going to be the chance of overeating it may be more beneficial if your clothing has no stretch.
Category: Weight Loss
Taxing Junk Food…
One in three members of the Navajo Nation is diabetic or prediabetic. This is also a reflection on the health of the American population in general. In 2015 the leaders of the Navajo Nation levied a 2% tax on all food classified as “Junk Food”. The money was put back into the community to promote healthy living education. The tax has averaged $1.5 million dollars a year with 85% of it going to developing vegetable gardens, greenhouses, farmers markets, food preparation classes as well as exercise programs. What it has encouraged is the return to traditional cooking and a reduction in sickness. Following the Navajo Nation’s example and adding an additional tax to our junk food is one way we will be able to help the population maintain a healthy weight.
Blender Pumpkin Pancakes…
Ingredients:
- In blender mix ½ cup oats into flour
- Add 1 egg
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ banana
- ¼ cup milk or almond milk
- ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- A pinch of baking powder
Directions:
- Heat skillet with oil and flip when brown
- Top with sliced pecans and pure maple syrup
Tracking your Water Intake…
One of the most significant factors in maintaining a healthy weight or any weight loss program is water consumption. Most cravings for sweets, originate from dehydration. Drinking cold water can actually create a thermogenic effect on the body. In one experiment with 14 men and women, drinking 500ml of water increased metabolic rate by 30%. This happened within 10 minutes and lasted for up to 30-40 minutes. The water must be cold. Cold water creates the thermogenic effect when the body attempts to warm the water. However, lining up glasses of cold water as a reminder to drink can become problematic especially if you are away from home. A simple method might be to put 5 rubber bands around your wrist first thing in the morning. Every time you drink a bottle of water place one of the bands around the bottle and refill it. Make it a daily game.