Are you in tune with your appetite?

Monday, 08 October 2012

How in tune are you with your appetite?  Do you eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied?

We know that appetite and food intake may be affected by a host of factors including age, sex, body composition, physical activity levels, environmental factors, individual differences and also the palatability of available food.

Understanding the effect of exercise and its influence on appetite is also important, for both athletes wanting to optimise their performance and individuals interested in maintaining a healthy body weight. The latest research in this area indicates that exercise can actually have a beneficial influence on appetite and appetite regulating hormones, especially after vigorous exercise. So the fear that exercise may cause overeating appears to be unfounded, as it is more likely to actually suppress appetite.

So the bottom line?  Ensure you are adequately fuelled for exercise and avoid over-indulging afterwards.  Think about whether you are actually hungry or in fact just rewarding yourself after training.  The best bet - stick to your nutritional plan!