Is Satiety the Enemy?

Ask ten overweight Americans about what the best course of action would be for their nutritional health, and I’d bet a majority of them would make some suggestion about not eating as much. “Portion control” seems to be the obvious struggle, right?

Well, maybe not.

I don’t want to fall victim to the Intelligent Design Fallacy, but could you imagine the consequences for our species if hunger was a misleading signal. What if we evolved to a place where eating until we are full would lead us to obesity and disease? Without saying it directly, the thinking that our obesity issue if one of portion control assumes this in some ways.

Consider this. Have you ever been stuffed full from eating a thousand calories of broccoli? A thousand calories of pork loin? I’d dare you to try. However, I can put down a thousand calories of Frosted Flakes right now and put down a thousand more for fun. We both know it’s an easy task via Ben and Jerry’s, too.

Before you subscribe to the notion that your best dietary move is to be slightly hungry forever, consider that satiety is your friend when eating real food. However, it’s the enemy when you’re eating the standard American (processed) diet.

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach