About will power

A lot of people here used to eat high-carb meals, and keep eating and
eating, never feeling full. We'd eat and then an hour later be hungry
again, even though our bodies had more than enough fuel already in them.

We must have been weak willed, huh?

And then, interestingly, once we went low-carb, after a week or two
those cravings went away, and all of a sudden we were satiated on a lot
less food, and we started losing weight. And some of us even felt like
we had so much more energy that we started exercising, whereas before we
were just too tired. So, now, since we are eating less and exercising
more, and the only way to do that is through will power, we therefore
must now be stronger willed than before, right?

I wonder what the scientific process is in the body by which low-carb
increases will power, moral fiber, etc. Maybe there is a will power
section of the brain that remains dormant in the presence of excessive
carbohydrates? ;o)

"Luna" wrote in message
...
I wonder what the scientific process is in the body by which low-carb
increases will power, moral fiber, etc. Maybe there is a will power
section of the brain that remains dormant in the presence of excessive
carbohydrates? ;o)


Yes, carbs activate the same brain chemistry that morphine does.
Fortunately, so does exercise.

--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes

None Given wrote:
Yes, carbs activate the same brain chemistry that morphine does.
Fortunately, so does exercise.


And exercise increases the number of dopamine receptors so it can lessen
your addiction response.

"Luna" wrote in message
...

I wonder what the scientific process is in the body by which low-carb
increases will power, moral fiber, etc. Maybe there is a will power
section of the brain that remains dormant in the presence of excessive
carbohydrates? ;o)

My theory is this: People who have successfully kicked a bad habit,
dependency or addiction have done so because at some point they have really
faced up to the need to do so and made that decision. Couple of examples:
at one time I was a three pack a day smoker; I knew perfectly well it was
bad for me but I still carried on. Then one day I decided to stop because
somehow the reality penetrated my denial shield. That was twenty something
years ago and I haven't had a cigaret since. Another one: an alcoholic who
was close to me checked herself into rehab because she finally realised that
she was ruining her life. I visited her there and talked to some of the
staff. They said the recidivism rate was about 90% and this corresponded
roughly with the percentage of people who were there not of their own
volition but because they had been sent by the courts or their employer or
their family, but my friend, who had made the decision herself hasn't had a
drink for almost ten years. So I believe that no amount of nagging or
threatening will really help a person to give up eating or drinking too
much, he or she has to come to that conclusion alone. Afterwards, support
is helpful, but without the internal commitment there will be backsliding.
I decided to lose weight almost three years ago after years of denial; low
carb works for me because I found it relatively easy to give up sugar and
starch but I've stuck to it because I have committed for myself, not because
I'm trying to please someone else.

You raise some great questions Luna.

"Willpower" is often used to refer to the illusion that our conscious mind
can assert itself against hunger and the regulatory process that controls
our calorie intake. IMHO that regulatory system, over time, is much more
powerful than "willpower." Some call the regulation an "Appestat."

My guess is that high carbs somehow either imbalance the appestat, or
perhaps cause fat storage to occur without the calories being counted by the
appestat.

Cubit
311/177.9/165

"Luna" wrote in message
...
A lot of people here used to eat high-carb meals, and keep eating and
eating, never feeling full. We'd eat and then an hour later be hungry
again, even though our bodies had more than enough fuel already in them.

We must have been weak willed, huh?

And then, interestingly, once we went low-carb, after a week or two
those cravings went away, and all of a sudden we were satiated on a lot
less food, and we started losing weight. And some of us even felt like
we had so much more energy that we started exercising, whereas before we
were just too tired. So, now, since we are eating less and exercising
more, and the only way to do that is through will power, we therefore
must now be stronger willed than before, right?

I wonder what the scientific process is in the body by which low-carb
increases will power, moral fiber, etc. Maybe there is a will power
section of the brain that remains dormant in the presence of excessive
carbohydrates? ;o)

Luna wrote in
:

A lot of people here used to eat high-carb meals, and keep eating and
eating, never feeling full. We'd eat and then an hour later be hungry
again, even though our bodies had more than enough fuel already in
them.

I have my own thoughts on that. Purely my own.

It seems to me that the wonderful track records associated with vegan
and vegetarian lifestyles is that they have finally gotten things right.
The way nature intended it. (dont get mad yet, I will get to the
low-carbs)

Vegans say, eat no animal and animal by-products. Exercise A LOT. Drink
alot of water. And eat 5 or 6 times a day. Now to me, from my ecology
studies in school, that says "herbivore". It fits the herbivore
lifestyle completely. Herbivores are quite active and eat all day to
support themselves. No problem. Quite natural.

Vegetarians tend to say that fish and fowl are ok. And big on milk,
eggs, cheese, etc. But mostly non-meats. Not quite so big on exercise
unless you are trying to lose weight, just a "normal day" thing like 30
minutes 3x a week. And 3 "normal" meals a day. The basic government
recommendation. And ecologically, omnivore. Which probably (dont shoot
me on this) is what nature meant for man to be.

Now we get to low-carbs. And why I wandered in here. It would seem
logical along that same line that if the vegans (herbivores) and the
vegetarians (omnivores) are getting it right, that the low-carbs should
also IF my assumptions are correct that low-carb diet would be molded
after carnivores. What would that be? Mostly meat and meat by-products.
One meal a day (or even less). Not as much NEED for exercise altho
healthy and quite capable of it. At other times than the one meal there
would be roughage (which many carnivores get by eating more than just the
meat of a creature) and water.

And now why I decided to tag this onto your post.

A lot of people here used to eat high-carb meals, and keep eating and
eating, never feeling full. We'd eat and then an hour later be hungry
again, even though our bodies had more than enough fuel already in
them.

We must have been weak willed, huh?

And then, interestingly, once we went low-carb, after a week or two
those cravings went away, and all of a sudden we were satiated on a
lot less food, and we started losing weight. And some of us even felt
like we had so much more energy that we started exercising, whereas
before we were just too tired. So, now, since we are eating less and
exercising more, and the only way to do that is through will power, we
therefore must now be stronger willed than before, right?

Do you see how my thoughts fit along the lines of what you brought up? A
high carb diet must eat all day because (as any biologist, zoologist,
ecologist would tell you) its a less efficient food source. And they must
move all day to balance it out properly. A carnivore is getting the
results of that activity in a more effecient processed package.

Anyway, my thoughts about why some people DONT get low-carb diets to work
is... unlike the vegan diet which says 5-6 meals, and the vegetarian
which recommends 3, it would seem to me that low-carb 3x a day might not
work as well as it could. Personally, Ive been quite happy with one high-
protein meal a day and my doctors have no complaints about my health. Im
not losing any weight but then Im not trying to either.

Granted, Im not any kindof expert nor do I wish to be. It just seemed
worth getting a reponse on.

Gandalf Parker
-- 20 years in the military. No weight, no hair, no beard, no fun.
Then I retired and made up for all that.

Perdu wrote in
:

It's all social. We had lost our way. Some of us are finding this out
consciously or not, and making our way back to nature and finding a
balance between social circumstances and natural body management.

Ummmm ok. But Im not sure if you meant all that to be in support or in
disagreement with what I said. I understand the social thing. My theory is
that it would be very difficult to come up with a healthy lifestyle which
does not mesh with a one developed by nature ovver such huge periods of
time.

Gandalf Parker
-- If I knew more about the subject I could charge more for my answers.
What do I charge now? Oh this was offered for free.

"Gandalf Parker" wrote in message
...
Now we get to low-carbs. And why I wandered in here. It would seem
logical along that same line that if the vegans (herbivores) and the
vegetarians (omnivores) are getting it right, that the low-carbs should
also IF my assumptions are correct that low-carb diet would be molded
after carnivores. What would that be? Mostly meat and meat by-products.

Huh? I'm eating more veggies than ever before.

One meal a day (or even less). Not as much NEED for exercise altho
healthy and quite capable of it.

And 4 meals a day, plus 1-2 hours of exercise daily.

Your low-carb model doesn't work for me.

Nicky.

--
A1c 10.5/4.5/6 Weight 95/76/72Kg
1g Metformin, 100ug Thyroxine
T2 DX 05/2004

Anthony wrote:

My theory is this: People who have successfully kicked a bad habit,
dependency or addiction have done so because at some point they have really
faced up to the need to do so and made that decision.

What makes food more difficult is that you must eat. With the
environment around us always tempting it's amazing people with a genetic
bias towards obesity aren't all obese. Though i guess we are getting
pretty close to that in the near future.

Perdu wrote:

It's all social.
We had lost our way. Some of us are finding this out
consciously or not, and making our way back to nature and finding a balance
between social circumstances and natural body management.

This natural eater line is just that, a line. Your body naturally eats
with abandon and has always counted on exercise to balance it out.
That's what going back to nature really means.