Chances are, you have probably mentioned to friends or family members how starving you have been at one time or another.
Ghrelin is activated in the bloodstream when the stomach is empty. This triggers contractions and amplified rumbles. You’ve probably become very familiar with these symptoms, and often, they can become quite uncomfortable. Those who have fasted before have trained themselves not to be too bothered with it.
Usually, at this time, we are busting to have something to eat and will almost always eat way too much than what we should. It may take the stomach some time to activate the brain that it’s had enough. By that time, it’s probably too late, and you may be nursing a swollen and perhaps bloated belly.
Fasting — the natural appetite suppressant.
I chose to mention fasting here in this post because I practice fasting daily. When I first started to fast, I was ravenously hungry, and it did take a lot of self-control and commitment to stay the course. My first fast was 12 hours, as I wanted to start small and work my way up to the more significant numbers. The most I’ve fasted for was 24 hours — which was completely fine. I didn’t die, lol. Fasting allows us to work with our hunger signals, which most of us seem to be at odds with constantly. As hard as it may be, you are more than capable of going for long periods without food of any kind.
What may be surprising to you is that hunger is a highly suggestible state. Remember the last time you smelt some delicious aroma coming from a friends house or a restaurant? Well, sometimes that one smell can start to ignite those hunger signals in your brain — urging you to have a craving and perhaps indulge in a little something. This experiment from Ivan Pavlov is an excellent indicator of how strong a suggestion is for dogs. The funny thing is, the same applies to humans.
Breaking the incorrect associations with food.
Sometimes our association with hunger by different foods can ruin our weight loss or even our health! Wouldn’t it be amazing not to have any cravings or altogether abolish the constant need to eat and those mirages of food that seem to occupy your mind constantly? One option would be to make a pact with…
