Contrary to popular belief, body fat is not just an inert tissue which stores calories. It is a very active organ that secretes hormones and other substances which effect our health and well being. http://www.biggest-loser.net/showthread.php?t=1375
Two of these chemicals whose job it is to help regulate hunger are called Leptin and Ghrelin.

Ghrelin is a hormone secreted by the stomach that affects appetite by making people feel hungry. Ever wonder how it is that your body can tell when it’s getting close to meal time? That’s because levels of ghrelin increase before meals and then decrease after meals. Ghrelin increases hunger by acting on hypothalamic feeding centers in the brain. It also slows down the metabolism so that the body burns less fat, preparing the body to deal with a scarcity of food, say researchers. People who lose weight through dieting have higher amounts of ghrelin, making it much more difficult to keep the weight off. There are however a few solutions that may help to keep ghrelin from wrecking your diet.

Leptin has the opposite affect as ghrelin. Leptin works by decreasing appetite and increasing metabolism. Leptin binds to a portion of the hypothalamus, known as the ’satiety center’, signaling to the brain that the body has had enough to eat. Leptin is produced by fat cells and when fat cells decrease so does leptin. People who are extremely overweight have higher levels of leptin. However their leptin does not stop hunger as expected due to the development of leptin resistance, similar to insulin resistance in diabetics.

Cholecystakinin, CCK, is a peptide hormone released by the small intestine when fat or protein leaves the stomach. CCk stimulates the pancreas and gallbladder to secrete digestive enzymes and bile into the small intestine. It also tells the body to stop eating via the vagus nerve and turns off ghrelin.

Since CCk is released in response to fat, eating some healthy fats will turn off hunger. Eating a handful of nuts such as walnuts or almonds will cause the intestines to secrete CCK and stop hunger in about twenty minutes. CCk causes the pylorus, the opening at the end of the stomach, to shut, causing your stomach to become full and making you feel full in the process.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that acts on the brain to regulate feelings of pleasure and reward systems. It also controls our moods, appetite, and energy levels. According to researchers, reduction in dopamine results in addictive behaviors to food and drugs. Overeaters tend to have a shortage of dopamine receptors in their brains. However, scientists are not sure whether the shortage of dopamine is caused by overeating, whether it is inherited, or both. But whatever the cause may be, exercise has been shown to increase the release of dopamine, and to decrease the appetite. Save the sugar cookies for your in-laws and not your waistline.

Serotonin is one of the better known neurotransmitters because of its many functions in the body. Deficiencies of serotonin have been linked to depression, anxiety, aggression, and irregular appetite. Serotonin affects so many metabolic functions that low levels of serotonin is seen by the body as life threatening and leads to feelings of distress.

Lack of exercise, proper nutrition, sleep, and sunlight, result in lower levels of serotonin. Low levels of the horomone serotonin cause the body to crave carbohydrates and sweets. Carbohydrates contain tryptophan, an amino acid used to make serotonin inside the body. You can increase the body’s manufacture of serotonin by eating a diet rich in carbohydrates. And since serotonin is the brain chemical that makes you feel happy and positive, this could explain why people get cravings for carbohydrates. By eating sugar, sweets, and simple carbohydrates, people increase their serotonin levels, leading to carb cravings on a level similar to a drug addict craving heroine.

To correct this problem be certain that your diet includes moderate amounts of complex whole grains, lean meats, and low fat dairy foods. Other foods that contain tryptophan are turkey, bananas, milk, yogurt, eggs, nuts, beans, fish, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, cheddar and Swiss cheese. Eating several small meals each day consisting of these healthy choices is also helpful for maintaining serotonin levels. Adding fiber, from foods like whole grains and fruit, makes you need fewer calories in your meals while feeling fuller for longer. Light and exercise also increase serotonin, so exercising outdoors would be an ideal combination. http://www.technewsworld.com/story/53431.html

Eating isn’t just about counting calories; it’s also about staying satisfied. The reason that people overeat is because ‘they’re hungry’ and not receiving the nutrients that their body’s need to maintain proper functioning. You should always eat to stay full, not only to hit a specific calorie count. Eat slowly and give your brain time to catch up with your stomach. If you are still hungry after you’ve eaten, than have another portion size serving of a healthy food.

Your moods affect what you eat, just as much as what you eat affects your moods. “Our bodies are designed to fulfill our needs,” Dr. Oz says. “The gut and the brain are the two most closely related organs. So it makes perfect sense that the foods we eat change the way our brains function.”

Dr. Oz says the following cravings could mean you are feeling these moods:

Meat could mean you’re angry
Sweets might be a sign of depression
Ice cream might mean you’re anxious
Salty snacks could mean you’re stressed
Pasta might signal loneliness or sexual frustration
All of the above might mean you’re just a little bit jealous

And the intersection of food and mood doesn’t stop at cravings. It also involves how we can proactively affect our emotions. “If you’re depressed, you should take omega-3 fatty acids, especially women who are having babies,” Dr. Oz says. “That baby sucks all that healthy fat out of your body and you get depressed after you have this beautiful, brilliant wonderful baby.”

So listen to what your body is telling you about the foods you eat. Are you eating because you’re genuinely hungry or because you’re depressed or agitated? Remember that dieting is not about dire deprivation and making sacrifices, but learning how to work with your body’s chemistry and appreciating its complexity. Learn how to tell the difference and let your body chemistry work for you instead of against you when trying to lose weight.

I decided to look into why it is so important to eat breakfast, and I’d like to share the ideas I’ve found in my search. Typically you spend around 8 hours sleeping, that’s 8 hours you go without eating any food or drinking any water. When you wake up, you’re dehydrated, your blood sugar is low and you have little energy. Breakfast actually helps you lose weight because most people who skip breakfast have a tendency to snack on foods throughout the day, and usually pick unhealthy foods to fill their cravings. Feeding yourself a healthy breakfast of complex carbs, proteins and fats should prevent your feeding the vending machine any money before lunch. Eating refined carbohydrates such as sugary cereals, toasted white bread, waffles, or bagels will likely begin an overeating cycle. Instead, always choose complex carbs, proteins and fats. Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and a banana, or a bowl of high-fiber cereal with low-fat milk and blueberries are good examples.

If you don’t eat breakfast because you are not sure what to eat, there are lots of things to choose from. Every morning I always have two omega-3 eggs, a piece of whole grain toast, ½ a banana and a cup of skim milk. Before I eat it I wake up groggy and lacking in energy, but after I am done eating, I feel like I have enough energy to start my day. If you have a hectic schedule and find you have to no time to eat, there are always options out there for you. Bake some low fat bran muffins earlier in the week and grab a couple before heading out the door, it’s always better to eat something than nothing at all. Or you could try grabbing some whole wheat bagels, and spread some light peanut butter on it and add a few raisons. You can make waffles once a week and freeze the leftovers and then pop them in the toaster to warm them up for a quick breakfast. Fruit smoothies are always a good choice as well. If you are an egg lover like me but don’t want to eat all the added fats that are in the yolk of regular eggs, there are omega-3 eggs which offer healthy fats or you can pick up a few cartons of egg whites. Eggs don’t take very long to make and they always satisfy my cravings. I usually dip my whole grain bread into the yolk to add flavour to my bread since I don’t use any butter or margarines.

Then there’s always fresh raw fruit that you can grab when you’re on the go in the morning or a healthy granola bar. There are tons of healthy breakfast food choices out there, so there should be no more excuses for skipping!

Dietary fibre is derived from plant sources such as fruit, vegetables, and grains and contributes to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Most people will consume different types of fibre everyday without realizing it. Whole wheat breads, pears and carrots each contribute fibre to the diet, but the benefit of each will differ. By eating a varied diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cereals and legumes, we can incorporate different types of fibre in the diet.

The functions of fibre will vary depending on the type of fibre. Psyllium and flaxseed have both soluble and insoluble fibers. Insoluble fibres are like sponges, they absorb and hold water adding bulk to the stool which improves bowel movements as they pass through the colon. Insoluble fibres help cleanse the interior walls of the bowels. Research has also shown that this cleansing may help prevent colorectal cancers.

Soluble fibers, such as fruit pectins are helpful in preventing atherosclerosis by reducing high cholesterol, therefore decreasing risk of heart disease and stroke.

It is estimated that the average person consumes only 12-20 grams of fibre daily, but is it highly recommended to consume between 25-35 grams daily, and 30-40 grams if you are looking to decrease your chances of developing colorectal diseases and cancer.

There are some problems that you may experience by increasing fibre in your diet if you increase the intake too rapid. You could experience bloating, stomach or bowel cramps and intestinal gas. It is better to increase your fibre gradually to allow your digestive track to adjust to the change.

You can add more fibre to your diet very easily by eating more fresh fruits, raw vegetables, and whole grains. Cooking can decrease and break down some of the fibre content found in foods. Also avoid peeling off the skins of fruits and vegetables to obtain even more fibre. Eat more whole grains instead of white bread or rice to improve your daily intake.

For those who struggle getting their fibre content into their diet, they sell products like Metamucil which you can add into your drinks for fibre.

I think that many people find it easier to quit when something doesn’t go the way they planned, than to find the willpower to keep them going forward. Try to think of things as two steps forward, one step back. If you slip up, it isn’t the end of the world until you completely give up on yourself and don’t continue reaching for your original goals. So what if something bad happens and you overeat one day? That one mistake doesn’t have to determine the days to follow. Keep reaching forward. You have already built a solid foundation on which you can rely and all your hard work does not have to be overlooked.

Step back and look at the situation. Make sure you take full responsibility where it is due, but make sure not to blame others for your slip-ups. Is your setback really that significant? Is it the end of the world? Or is it just a matter of working a little harder and exerting yourself a little more to get yourself back on track? Ask for help if you need it, you should never be afraid to ask for help if you don’t know how to do something. Ask for help even if you want emotional support. You don’t have to perfect. Remember, no one else is.

Once you analyze the situation, re-evaluate your goals and re-do them if necessary. Goals should be realistic and specific, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be flexible. Instead of looking at this as a complete disaster, think about how you’ll feel once you’ve met all your goals and you are finished and achieved them.

Lastly, don’t live your life full of regrets. Approach life with perseverance and dedication to the things that matter most to you. Success is never easy. It remains up to you whether you will give up, or fight through the tough battles to earn whatever it is you want.

I am going to leave off with a nice little poem I came across written by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“Finish each day
And be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and
Absurdities have crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can.”