Reset Hypothalamus To Avoid Fat Reserves
The key to controlling your weight in the long run is to reset hypothalamus activity. Our bodies are programmed to accumulate fat reserves whenever possible, and this instinct served us well long ago. When humans depended on hunting and gathering for their food, the reserves of fat that they had built up when food was plentiful could be the difference between life and death.
In modern society most countries do not experience vast differences of feast and famine because a suitable amount of food is available all of the time. Our bodies have no real use for the large fat reserves that we store. In order to communicate to our bodies that we do not need this extra reserve, we must reset hypothalamus function by carefully planned healthy eating.
One thing to realize is that the total number of calories you eat is not the only factor when it comes to weight management. It is also important to consider where those calories come from. Different types of foods are processed by the body differently and this can affect whether excess calories are burned or stored as fat. By choosing the correct foods, you can actually reset hypothalamus responses to work for you in achieving your weight loss goals.
The hypothalamus is a gland deep in the brain with several functions, among them regulating the appetite. The hypothalamus sends signals to tell us to eat, experienced as hunger, and then sends signals to tell us we are satisfied. One difficulty is that the signal of being full is slow; it can take up to 20 minutes for us to realize that we have eaten enough. Knowing this, one factor in being the boss of your own hypothalamus is to eat slowly, so that you do not overeat long before it can send the "stop" signal.
Fat contains nine calories per gram, more than twice the four calories per gram found in proteins and carbohydrates. Therefore, while any healthy diet requires some fat consumption, you need to be very careful to limit the total amount of fats you eat. What fats you do consume should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Quality protein is always a good choice, because it deters hunger longer than carbohydrates, is needed for healing and tissue building, and is converted to fat very slowly.
Carbohydrates are likely the most critical to resetting the hypothalamus to avoid building fat. Simple carbs, like those in syrups, honey and table sugar, are absorbed almost immediately and causes cascades of hormones and triggers the hypothalamus to start storing fat. Complex carbohydrates, like those in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, are absorbed much more slowly, and more importantly, do not start the fat storage process. By not over stimulating the hypothalamus, unwanted fat storage is avoided.
A diet that is geared toward normal weight maintenance will typically rely on proteins, whole grains and healthy fats while avoiding simple sugars. healthy eating is really the only way to dodge the ancient need of the hypothalamus to save fat for times of famine.
In ancient times, the hypothalamus used to store fat in case of famine. We don't experience periods of famine, so we no longer need large fat reserves but the hypothalamus doesn't know that. The way to reset hypothalamus is healthy eating. The number of calories you eat isn't the only factor in weight management. Where do those calories come from? Different foods are processed differently, determining whether excess calories are burned or stored as fat. Sugars and saturated fats are processed quickly, triggering the hypothalamus to start storing up fat. Complex carbohydrates and high-quality protein is converted to fat very slowly, leaving you feeling full for longer.
Filed under Food by Abigail Madisson




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