Hunger hormone can be 'trained'

El_Dangeroso

Found this interesting study:

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/294/3/G699

It basically states one of the hunger hormones, Ghrelin, is trained to activate at the times you are most likely to have eaten in the past.

I have definitely found this to be the case. If I eat lunch at 1pm every day, I start getting hungry at 1pm. If I eat an earlier lunch at 12pm for a few weeks, my body starts expecting food at 12pm.

I wonder what implications this has on snacking? If you are a constant grazer does that mean you'll have constant low-level hunger as a result?

EileenG

It confirms what I feel about the six meals a day thing. If you eat six times a day, you'll get hungry six times a day.

Sapsorrow

Interesting! Ya I think snacking is a big no no if you're tring to lose or maintain weight, just because it creates a sense of false hunger or just a bad habit, that said I'm always at it

Adelie

It fits exactly with my experiences, I used to eat 5-6 times a day and when occasionally I would eat a massive meal, I'd be hungry again within 3 hours. Blamed it on a fast metabolism, but now that I'm eating 3 times a day I can go several hours without feeling hungry. Much more convenient and it means that if I am running late with a meal, I can wait it out instead of going for a vending machine...

Khannie

EileenG wrote: »

It confirms what I feel about the six meals a day thing. If you eat six times a day, you'll get hungry six times a day.

Agreed. I am flippin' constantly hungry, even when my belly is full like. It does my head in!

I don't know, I often eat a snack at 11 say and sometimes I just don't get hungry... I eat lunch almost every day at 1230 but some days I'm not hungry and some days I'm ravenous. I don't change my breakfast that much either

I can tell you I'm quite hungry now though

metamorphosis

@ Khannie: get that too - drives me mental