Fat people really don't know this....

Yesterday I went through the United Animal Nations(UAN) Emergency Animal Rescue Services(EARS) training. So now I am an EARS volunteer and can be "deployed" next time there is a disaster and animals need help. It's kind of cool.

Since this is a health and fitness blog I must discuss the food issue. I'm in one of my stages where food just does not appeal to me. I get hungry and I eat but nothing sounds, or tastes, particularly great. I could eat an apple or key lime pie, they would both appeal to me the same and I would be excited about neither. So that's the state I'm in. I go to this meeting yesterday and they offer a vegetarian lunch. That's fine with me and considering the state I'm in it really doesn't matter anyway.

So we had some veggie wraps, roasted veggies, vegetarian chili, pasta salad, and fruit. It was all very good. I ate some because I was hungry and thought I'd be fine. About 30 minutes after eating I was hungry again. Huh??? So I had another little wrap and the only thing they had to snack on was candy. So all afternoon I kept getting hungry and ended up snacking on candy. I would eat the candy and 20 minutes later I was really hungry again. Hmmm, interesting.

This went on all afternoon. I drove home eating some stale almonds I had in my car and by the time I got home was ready to gnaw off an arm. Hubby had planned on going out to dinner so we went to Outback. We got seated and immediately ordered a beer and a an appetizer. When the crab cakes came I devoured them. After I ate them I felt 100% better. This got me to thinking.
Things like this have happened before and I'm finally seeing the pattern. When I eat I always make sure there is X amount of protein in what I'm eating. Whether it's a meal or a snack, I always make sure there is at least a certain amount of protein. I also try to include a little fat and some carbs. Eating this way fills me up without getting me stuffed and I don't get hungry quickly. Well, yesterday, eating basically carbs, I could not get filled up. Not at all. I find this absolutely fascinating for a number of different reasons.

First, I'm assuming this has always happened. But, until I started eating more protein I didn't notice it or realize it. Second, people who need to lose weight don't know this. I can guarantee it. I know, because I've been there, that people who are counting calories or points or whatever, try to get the most bang for thier buck. So they will take a carb snack that's low in points or calories or whatever, over a higher count protein snack. Little do they know that by eating that carb snack they won't get full and will want something more soon. But, if they ate the protein snack, they would stay full longer and therefore probably eat less overall.

Yes, people have been saying this for a long time. But, I don't think they've been saying it effectively - i.e. explain that I will be hungry in 20 minutes, don't tell me it won't last as long. Also, having been a Weight Watcher for year, I think too much emphasis is placed on points/calories/etc. I have found it much more effective to look at the components of what I'm eating, protein/fat/carbs, than the calories. There are days when I eat 1000 calories and could not eat another bite. Those are days where my ratios have been perfect. Other days I can eat 2000 and still be wanting more. On those days I've usually eaten more carb heavy with probably some empty calories in there.

That was my great revelation from yesterday. I've experienced this before but, as is typical, it takes a few times for it to sink into my thick skull :)