Why do you eat and still feel hungry: the reason

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the site makefitness.pro.
2021-06-02

Eating but not feeling full is a common issue for overweight people, even if they eat a lot. This problem can also occur in fairly average people who do not have a significant amount of excess weight. That is, there may be some fat, but not enough to be substantial. Both categories of people have one thing in common: fat deposits.

In overweight individuals, these are subcutaneous fat deposits. In less overweight or even slim individuals, this is visceral fat (fat around internal organs). Due to a large accumulation of fat under the skin or around the organs, problems arise with the perception of the satiety hormone — leptin.

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Leptin Resistance: Eating but Not Feeling Full

Leptin is the hormone of satiety (it suppresses appetite). It is produced during meals and after eating. A large amount of fat (whether subcutaneous or visceral) provokes leptin resistance.

Resistance means stubbornness or resistance. That is, the receptors that leptin binds to (to signal to the brain that the body is full) are resistant to it (they don't allow it to bind). Because the body cannot get a signal from the receptors about fullness, it continues to produce more leptin. As a result, leptin resistance increases significantly.

As a consequence of this mechanism, you eat a lot and feel hungry even though logically you should feel full. Why does resistance to leptin develop?

Resistance to leptin develops due to excess weight (roughly speaking) — subcutaneous or visceral fat (often both). Our fat cells are filled with fat and produce leptin (to signal that there is already plenty of fat, and there's no need to eat a lot). This results in leptin resistance. The mechanism is as follows:

- Due to leptin resistance, the brain thinks it lacks leptin;
- For more leptin production (to signal the brain adequately), resources — food — are needed;
- Fat cells fill up with more fat and produce even more leptin;
- Because the brain perceives that it is always short on leptin, normal food portions no longer provide a feeling of fullness (larger and more frequent portions are needed);
- With a significant amount of food, the brain will finally receive an adequate level of leptin (get the signal of satiety).

You finally feel full, but objectively speaking, you have overeaten. As a result, you gain even more weight and, strangely enough, find yourself wanting to eat more.

But the most interesting part is still ahead! Now, for the brain, an increased level of leptin is the norm. Having a lot of subcutaneous or visceral fat is also considered normal. If you want to lose weight, the brain perceives this as a transition into anorexia (even though this is not true) and will resist weight loss in every way possible:

- Wild hunger;
- Lack of energy for workouts;
- Laziness.

This is why overweight people tend to want to lie around, do nothing, and eat a lot.

By the way, leptin resistance is one of the precursors to developing type 2 diabetes.

Remember that leptin resistance can affect not only overweight individuals but also quite average ones? Science states that the causes of developing resistance to leptin depends on:

- High and prolonged levels of sugar in the blood (a lot of sweets consistently, many simple carbohydrates);
- Fatty liver;
- A weakened immune system.

What to Do: Training and Nutrition for Leptin Resistance

As strange as it may sound, with the loss of excess weight, the sensitivity of receptors to leptin normalizes. Weight loss can be achieved through diet and physical activity.

1. Training. You don’t necessarily have to buy a gym membership. And you don’t have to lift heavy weights and work to exhaustion. Many find this prospect intimidating. How about this option: here are some home training programs, among the best found on the Russian-speaking internet. Do you still prefer the gym? Training programs for the gym are found here.

Start small. Half an hour a day. With your own weight, no added weights. Trust me, this will be sufficient to begin with. You can find more training programs on our YouTube channel:

2. Nutrition. For those who don’t like medical treatments, visiting doctors, having tests done, and waiting in long lines, we have placed professional meal plans on our site. Everything is detailed: your caloric intake, selected products, and additional recommendations. Let's go here.