Curbing this huge appetite
Dear Donovan,
Each time I work out I have an increased appetite and want to eat a lot. If I give in, I usually overeat. What are foods that are healthy and filling, and is there any way I can healthily suppress my appetite?
Exercise burns calories, and post-exercise one may feel the need to eat and replace these calories. While exercise may increase the appetite in some people, not everyone will feel the need to eat after exercising. Studies have shown that whether your appetite will increase after exercising depends on your gender, body composition, and how intense the workout was. It was found that overweight people were more likely to eat after a workout than their slimmer counterparts.
Research has also shown that women are more likely to snack post-workout compared to men. It is generally thought that women are wired to preserve their body fat for pregnancy and lactation. Overall, it is generally thought that the body craves the calories it has used up.
Other factors can increase the appetite after exercise; for example, your medication. Some antidepressants and even certain supplements have been known to increase the appetite post-exercise. Changing your exercise routine has also been known to increase the appetite. Keeping a food/exercise journal could be helpful to track your eating and your exercise.
It should be noted that if the aim of exercising is to lose weight, one has to be very careful to strike the right balance between eating and exercising. It is a fact that exercise burns fewer calories than we think. For example, 40 minutes of walking may burn only 150 calories. So if you want to lose weight you will have to watch your food intake keenly along with your exercise.
It is very important that the calories you burned during exercise are not exceeded by overeating afterwards. It is not uncommon to feel so good after exercising that we reward ourselves by eating. But it is very important that we learn to control our appetite.
Making sure that the body is hydrated pre-exercise can be helpful in reducing the hunger pangs. In addition, eating half of a fruit before exercising can reduce the appetite. Beetroot juice may also help you to exercise up to 20 per cent more without the hunger pangs. Beetroot juice contains a compound that supplies more oxygen to the muscles. Oddly enough, frequent exercising seems to help some people to control their appetite.
The more you exercise, the more you become in tune with your hunger cravings after exercising. Eating on time and also eating healthy, balanced meals may also help to remove cravings after exercising. Having more fibre in your diet from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and vegetable juices will definitely help to keep the system full and nourished, and this will help to reduce the hunger pangs post-exercise.
We will answer your weight-related questions
Are you struggling to lose weight, or just need some advice on living a healthier life? Tell us about your health issues and we’ll have nutritionist and wellness coach Donovan Grant answer them for you. Grant has over 12 years’ experience in the fitness industry and is the owner of DG’s Nutrition and Wellness Centre, 39 Lady Musgrave Road. Call him at 876-286-1363. E-mail questions to clarkep@jamaicaobserver.com.
