Is there any enzyme or hormone that I have or don’t have that make me crave food or don’t have control about my eating?
I always thought I had a eating disorder. Is it genetic?
My theory made even more sense when I heard my pregnant sister say that now her motivation to get up in the morning is the breakfast. Excuse me!!! You need to be pregnant to it to happen??
It was like this to me my entire life!!!
That’s when I realize something is wrong with me and I am not a normal person when it comes to eat because I should be able to control myself and not live like I was born pregnant.
Does someone understand me?
Eating a lot of sugar and refined carbs just makes me crave it more. And more. And more. It can be very addicting. I personally think it's a plot by corporate America to rid us of our money.
It took me nearly 36 years to understand my hunger.
You know that lapband commercial, where a lion is wandering around the woman's house with a big sign around his neck that says HUNGER and the woman is talkikng about how lapband turned her hunger lion into a hunger kitten - well, that commercial made me think of my hunger like that.
For as long as I can remember, I've had a hunger lion - but my lion wasn't nice and calm, like the one in the commercial, mine was much nastier, rabid even, especially around TOM.
Two things tamed my hunger lion. Birth control that allowed me to skip periods, and lower carb eating.
It's still hard for me to eliminate all of the foods that trigger the crazy hunger. Yesterday I ate off plan, well within my calorie limit, but higher in carbs (I made the mistake of eating a piece of wedding cake at MIL's post-wedding cake reception). I don't know why I did it, really. As I'm learning that refined carbs not only trigger crazy hunger, they seem to trigger flares of my IBS and fibromyalgia pain and fatigue. Flour and sugar make me sick. I don't know why it's so hard for me to avoid what I know makes me ill.
When I do follow my lower carb eating plan, the hunger disappears. It's miraculous really. Hubby sometimes has to remind me to eat - I've never in my life forgotten to eat before. In the past, whenever I was trying to lose weight, the hunger lion only got louder, and I couldn't lose any weight at all without thinking about food nearly 24/7 (even my dreams would be filled with images of food and eating).
I do think I may have been born without a "hunger switch." Mindful eating is almost impossible for me, because I don't know what "satisfied, but not overfull" feels like. For me, the cue to end eating has always been an empty plate (and sometimes not even then). It's why I rely on an exchange plan for portion control.
I am learning what "real" hunger feels like. It's funny, because it doesn't really resemble the hunger lion at all. Because I'm not obsessing about food, sometimes my hubby recognizes my hunger signals before I do. Headache, and mild grouchiness, by the time it resembles the old lion at all, I've gone too long without eating, and am likely to have to deal with low blood sugar (because I'm on blood sugar lowering meds, I have to be careful of that).
It's weird, because I almost never have "stomach grumbling" hunger, unless I'm eating a lot of carbs. I never knew that a headache could be a signal of hunger.
Ok, I'm starting to ramble (bad habit of mine). Sorry.
I think there are "hunger genes," and maybe even "carb-sensitive" genes. I'm adopted and the only one in my family to have this severe an issue with weight and food. It was very hard to learn what my triggers were, and now that I've found them, still hard to adhere to the food plan that keeps my hunger in check. But, I do feel it's been a miracle for me. To be able to get rid of the food obsessions, it's like a release from food jail. I can do other things without tons of concentrated mental effort.
I don't know if either of my food triggers will help you find yours, but good luck in the search.
Another thing to consider... your quality of sleep affects the production of 2 hormones that affect hunger. Good quality sleep (and enough of it) suppresses the production of ghrelin (which increases hunger) and increases the production of leptin (which decreases hunger). So a good night's sleep is a win-win for hunger hormones.
I have to consider myself as having an allergy to refined sugar and flour. It is that bad...once I start...I cannot stop myself. It is all I think about. Quitting was as bad as quitting smoking...but once I was finally sugar and flour free, I rarely get the cravings and my hunger is not out of control. I feel satisfied with less, have more energy, and sleep better.
I'm usually rather apathetic towards food. I didn't use to be, but I've managed to get my mind off the constant "ooo those COOKIES are in the cupboard!" At least most of the time. The last three days, I have been constantly hungry. I made a huge pot of soup yesterday - turkey meatballs {thanks Biggest Loser!} and tons of high-fiber dried beans. Even that didn't curb my hunger beast.
You know when you're coming home from a long drive and you pass the last rest area because you sort of have to go but would really rather just get home and use your own bathroom, but you really should have stopped and the pressure keeps building and building until you have to waddle into your own bathroom with your legs crossed? I used to feel that way about wanting food. At times, I thought I was crazy. It immediately eased off when I started on Metformin for PCOS after testing positive for insulin resistance.
Not getting enough sleep has also definitely been a cause of hunger for me.
However, I do have to admit that there's been a big psychological element to my eating.
I guess that means my answer is, "I think so, but not necessarily."
Sugar fat and salt... they may be sneaking into your diet in a lot of things, and they make you crave more of them exponentially. Also, I've heard that high fructose corn syrup disables the part of your brain which triggers the "full" feeling.
A lot of us bigger girls have Polycystic ovarian syndrome... little cysts (not cancer!) on the ovaries that comes with a hormone balance problem. Sometimes it will affect other glands and or insulin resistance, which could potentially make you hungrier.
About 1 in 11 women have it, about half are overweight, and many have very few visible symptoms (which include irregular menstration for some)
You could always ask your doctor to have your hormone levels checked...it should be cleared by insurance if you're overweight/obese.
Out of control
sister say that now her motivation to get up in the morning is the breakfast. 
Excuse me!!! You need to be pregnant to it to happen??
