Some of you may know by now that this is my FAVE research area. I love talking about appetite… and before I continue to talk about the different dietary, environmental & social factors that may affect satiety, hunger levels and food intake, I thought I’d quickly take it back to the basics first.
Check out my infographics below for a brief overview on the various hormones in our amazing bodies that regulate our hunger and fullness. THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST as there are so many other hormones that can stimulate hunger or promote satiety…
Being more aware of your physical hunger and satiety cues is a great thing to tune in to. However, it can be counterproductive if you use it with a ‘diet mentality’.
Our body is well designed to control hunger levels and we should give it more credit. If you feel physically hungry, then it’s a sign that your body needs food. Emotional hunger is likely to come on suddenly whereas physical hunger will build over time.
Emotional hunger will usually create a craving for a particular food whilst physical hunger is more likely to be satiated by any food.
It is normal to eat in response to thoughts & feelings sometimes. Recognise this without judgement and if this happens frequently or you feel like you may have an eating disorder, then please seek support and guidance from a Registered Dietitian. We are here to help.
Having said this, if you have experienced a change in your appetite, especially if you have loss your appetite and experiencing significant weight loss as a result. Please do get in touch with your GP and Registered Dietitian.
Tai Talks Nutrition 