Consuming Passions

Appetite may be the ultimate mind-body problem. Understanding the true nature of appetite is the only way to successfully obstruct it.
By Karen Wright, published on March 01, 2008 - last reviewed on November 17, 2008

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  • Avoid feast-and-famine eating; it fundamentally alters the body's ability to sense and respond to satiety signals. Eat regular meals.
  • Eat moderately from all food groups; do not eliminate fats or carbohydrates, but don't overindulge in them, either.
  • Know when you're stressed, and plan other ways to manage it besides eating.
  • Minimize exposure to the sight and smell of enticing food; avoid buffet presentations of food. They trigger brain hunger that is hard to resist.
  • Avoid fast-food chains; they're not only calorie-dense, they actively stimulate brain hunger, creating a double-barreled assault on regulatory mechanisms.
  • Avoid gaining weight in the first place; even in obesity-prone people, prevention of weight gain through adolescence can permanently alter energy-balance mechanisms.
  • If you start gaining weight, push yourself to increase energy expenditure by exercising, even though you don't feel like it.
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