What You Consume is Influenced by Brain Signals

Obesity rates in the United States (and other developed nations) have been steadily growing for the past 30 years. It's also no secret that Americans consume more calories than they used to; by over 425 calories per day since the early 1980s.

For decades, fitness professionals, researchers, and government officials blamed this on a lack of willpower - people's inability to "push away from the table." Gluten, according to TV physicians, diet book authors, and other nutrician and psychology experts, is causing us to gain weight. 

But all of this pointing never actually explains why. Why do humans consume so much food? And why is it so difficult to stop?

Our minds hold the key to the solution. What your brain tells you to eat is what you consume.

Enjoy you ever opened a bag of chips expecting to have a modest snack only to find yourself staring at an empty bag a few seconds later?

It's your brain's fault.

Our logical, aware brain believes it is in command. "I eat anything I want, whenever I want." And I only stop when I want to." But we have far less power than that. Nutrition psychology USA factors that we are unaware of are at work behind our decision-making processes.

Deeper brain physiology, together with its co-pilots of hormones, body fat, glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids, dictates what, when, and how much we eat. Our conscious selves, for the most part, are merely along for the trip.

Why do we choose to eat?

To put it simply, we eat for two reasons.

• Hedonic eating occurs when we eat for pleasure or to control our emotions.
• We eat to receive the energy our bodies require and to maintain our biological system balanced.

For a couple of weeks, keep a food journal, noting what you eat and how you feel. You can also scribble down what you're contemplating and what else is going on in your life.

Simply being more aware of your body's cues — and how they connect to other circumstances — will assist you in better regulating your food intake. Being aware allows you to make judgments that are more in tune with your body's true demands.