Over-eating is a symptom (not psychological) which leads to weight gain.

[Lex]

One thing I've been pondering lately, and reading about too, is that over-eating is a SYMPTOM of insulin/hormones gone wacky, perhaps from consumption of refined carbs or high fructose corn syrup. In many people (but not all) it wrecks some hormonal balances in the body that control hunger/weight/energy expenditure.

So there is a physiological drive to eat more. It's hunger and it's real, driven by physiological mechanisms.

The cure is not a willpower thing anymore than pulling yourself out of depression is a willpower thing.

That's why something like 90% of diet manipulation ends up in failure. You can lose weight certainly, but it may involve fighting your body tooth and nail.


*sigh* Now I've bummed myself out.

[Longhorn]

1. I believe this and this is what has led me to the lap band surgery.

The band doesn't just restrict how many calories you consume but it also makes you feel full when you normally wouldn't. The nerve endings for the stomach are in the upper part where the food sits because of the band, so the stomach thinks it's full even when it isn't. I've read that they're trying to study this concept of a "second brain" in the stomach and see if they can come up with a method to trick this second brain without surgery.

I do believe that they will never really figure out what's going on until they get over the belief that all a person has to do is "eat less and exercise more." :eyes:

[supernova]

2. I think so, Lex

Is this another concept that comes out of GC, BC? Just curious.

I've experienced this. Sometimes, it seems that when I've been heavier, my desire to eat has been greater also. And it always happens at times in my life when thing are going well. I'm not particularly worried or stressed out about anything, i.e. it's celebratory fat, not depression fat. Edit: and because I have more resources, my menu options also expand. So, in the past where I would have gotten by on meat and veg, my menu expands to include bread, pasta, take out, (all the stuff I've figured out I'm not supposed to be eating anyway!)

During leaner times, I lose weight and AM well, leaner. I don't think about eating. Too consumed with personal problems at those times. I really wish that phenomenon would kick in now. :crazy:

So, my ultimate goal is to keep my weight off even when I have plenty of money. :P

[Lex]

5. My desire to eat has been the same regardless of personal

circumstances, at least so far. It doesn't seem to respond to much going on around me.

I know that some people with depression can eat more, or sometimes eat less, than they normally would. The desire to eat seems chemically driven somehow.

Yes, the GC-BC book is full of interesting research that one never hears about in the mainstream of coverage of weight issues. Not all of it has been fully tested out with humans.

For instance, in mice that have been bred to have a genetic predisposition to being fat, they will gain weight on precisely the same caloric intake as mice without the genetic predisposition who remain normal weight.

[hedgehog]

6. I hear you about the depression/weight connection.

My depression left me craving carbs (I think 90% of depressed people lose weight, the other 10% gain)
SSRIs are very effective for depression, but also notorious for putting on the pounds.

[hedgehog]

3. Hey Lex - how about joining an attempt at the South Beach diet starting January 2?

I figure that gives us all a month to plan menus and heavens knows we aren't going to limit carbohydrates over the next month!

[Lex]

4. I've lost 60 pounds doing my own low carb plan (combo of things)

and walking 30 to 45 minutes most days. I'm now actually able to jog a mile now and on some days I do that instead of walking.

It's working well. The fundamentals of South Beach are sound for losing I think. Ridding myself of the bad carbs has helped me a lot.

But it is a constant, everyday struggle of portion control and food choices and sticking to some sort of exercise on a very regular basis. My body sends me constant signals of hunger, even on low carb, and even when eating an appropriate amount of calories.

:hi: I hope you journal your success with SBD here on this forum! I'd love to read it.

[hedgehog]

7. Wel, it's reassuring to hear that the plan should work, not so

reassuring to hear that you're always hungy!

[Lex]

8. I think it's different for everyone.

The hunger thing, I mean. I've just resigned myself to the fact that my body is more comfortable (for whatever unknown reason, some broken regulator) at a weight higher than what I need it to be and it tries to keep me there--and I fight it downward. I will win this battle down to a normal BMI. I have about 40 more to lose and I'll be happy with that.

[AZBlue]

9. I learned a lot by reading two books:

You! On a Diet and Ultrametabolism. Both explain the processes that occur in our body related to weight loss or gain and our metabolisms. It's fascinating to me - wish someone had explained it all to me sooner!