Peters blog

• #appetite
• #diet
• #exercise
• #fitness

Eating More to Feed the Machine?

Many people think that starting a workout program means they should eat more to help 'feed the machine.' Is that really how it works? The answer is probably not! The old stereotype of a lumberjack wolfing down a stack of pancakes along with sausage and eggs to maintain his muscles doesn't work. In fact, the opposite is true! Exercise actually depresses the appetite lowering the level by of ghrelin, the appetite hormone.  Additionally, when you exercise you divert blood away from your stomach to working muscles which slows food digestion, both these factors lead to a decreased desire to eat! It's true that people who exercise moderately have lighter appetites than those who work out, but be careful not to use a workout regimen as an excuse to overeat. Keep in mind that recreational exercise programs only burn about 300 calories per session and if you take in too many calories you could actually gain weight!