I was 'bad' yesterday. But, I couldn't care less. We had a 'Fat Sunday' as we like to call it... Lounging on the couch, eating whatever and however much we feel like, while watching TV. I do not feel the slightest bit guilty - b/c today, I am back on track, eating my veggies, etc. And that is what my 'diet' is about. Seeing how healthy I can be in a regular and trying to do more and more exercise (and sometimes this includes having a 'Fat Sunday' and then getting right back to normal). BUT, today, I am hungry... I am back on track, eating what I have been, eating the same quantity. After a day of indulging - has my stomach stretched a little? Is this why I tend to be hungrier after a day of eating a bit more than usual?

I am counting the minutes until my afternoon snack... 13 minutes...

It isn't so much stomach stretching as insulin response, in my experience (I don't get this effect when I eat a LOT of non-simple-carb foods, like protein or veggies...just when I eat a lot of refined carbs, which supports my theory).

Let's say you eat something refined and starchy. Your body, sensing all that simple sugar, sends out a flood of insulin to facilitate moving that sugar from the blood into the cells. The insulin does its job, but since the body released such a flood of it (in respond to the flood of sugar), there is actually more in the bloodstream than you need...so more blood sugar gets moved into your cells than would be ideal. That means your blood sugar drops. Low blood sugar = hunger (which is a normal body response...your body is saying "hey! I don't have enough sugar in my blood to sustain me, better give me some more!").

So now you're hungry, and you eat something...well, if that something is another refined carb, you'll repeat the cycle of insulin surge, low blood sugar, hunger. This is why, IMO, I have a "hungry" day after eating a bunch of refined carbs.

Best way I know to deal with it is to refuse refined stuff for a few days...that'll level out the blood sugar/insulin spikes and keep your hunger levels more steady.

Hey SCraver,

You're doing an interesting experiment! I wonder how it will turn out...

Just one thought--there's a name for people who eat on plan during the week and then go off plan on the weekends: Maintainers. Seriously, this really is one strategy for maintaining weight. But not for losing.

Jay

That is fascinating. It is amazing what our bodies can and will do.

Yup - I pretty much only ate refined carbs yesterday... Today, I had a yogart/fruit smootie (with a 1/2 scoop of whey protein added) for breakfast, a weight watchers cheese stick for snack, haddock and butternut squash for lunch, and I am about to have an apple and another cheese stick of afternoon snack... No refined carbs today!!
I know that after today, the 'hungries' will pass.

Thank you so much for the info!!

Hey Jay, you're right!!! That's EXACTLY my plan for maintenance. Only by Sunday I'm back on track. Saturday - that's my "off" day. That's my one day for a "splurge" meal.

So yeah, Scaver, those refined carbs will get ya everytime. Each and every.

Jay -
My 'Fat Sundays' have been few and far between lately - hence the 16 lb. weight loss so far (16 lbs. that I know I will never again gain back). If I were to do this every Sunday = then I would only be maintaining. AND yesterday, really wasn't that bad as far as how MUCH I ate - it was bad in WHAT I ate and the fact that I was a lazy lump all day!

Next weekend - I plan to do a lot of digging in my yard, so there will be no time for 'Fat Sunday'! I have plants to grow! And a house to paint. And a deck to clean off. (yay Spring!)

ok...so I think you just made it real clear for me Jay..why I am staying stuck. Honestly...this is my problem..this is why I maintain. I am great 100% of the time with not over-eating. But I eat unhealthy on the weekends and I am so darn stuck..it ain't even funny. I am the ultimate maintainer...when I want to get to 199 soooooooooo BAD!!! Send help fast..LOL!

I'm with ya on the Fat Sunday!
It felt like I was eating like a maniac yesterday.
I ate WAY more than I have in the last few months.
I'm not going to worry about it either.
I'm back on track today, and when I think about it... i probably
ate a lot less calories yesterday that I would have on a typical
day before a few months ago.