Three Reasons We Overeat

1)  Your Body Isn’t Being “Fed”

Our bodies are begging us for the nutrients we need to function and thrive. Most junk food is calorie-rich and nutrient-sparse, so we overeat while our bodies search for those crucial vitamins and minerals that it can only derive from healthy food.  The constant need to search never allows our brain to receive the signal that you are full. This explains why downing a bag of chips seems so easy to do even though you mighthave just consumed 1000 calories or more.

2)  Your Brain Is Seeking Pleasure

The feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine is released in the brain when we overeat foods high in sugar and fat, which makes it habit-forming We continue to seek that pleasure over and over, even though we KNOW it is making us fat and unhealthy. It becomes an addiction.

3)  Your Body Confuses Stress With Famine

When the threat of famine presented itself, the brains of our ancestors released stress hormones which in turn signaled their brains that they needed to eat and store fat. This instinct is still present in our brains. When we get stressed our brains interpret that as “FAMINE!” and we instinctively begin to look not just for food, but for high calorie food that will help us store the most fat so we won’t starve

Understanding the physiological reasons why we overeat is the first step to overcoming it. You can then begin to work with your body instead of going against it.   No, it’s not your fault… but you must take charge of your physiology to once and for all overcome your weight loss
obstacles. 

Dr. Lisa E. Heuer provides a medically supervised weight loss program and has clinical expertise in the neurobiology of weight management, nutrition, and exercise physiology. Her office is located at 99 Main St. in Nyack. For more information, contact Dr. Lisa Heuer at 914-714-8957 or dietdoctormd@gmail.com or visit RocklandMedicalWeightLoss.com.