Why a Big Meal Makes You Hungry

This article on the Wall Street Journal caught my eye. According to the article, refined carbohydrates and foods with high sugar and fat content promote "fullness resistance." "They interfere with the complex hormonal messages the body usually sends to the brain to signal that it's time to stop eating. People feel hungrier instead."
This is interesting because I can releate to this from my experience last night. A friend of mine was celebrating her 21st birthday, and she did it with a bang. We started with supper at a local sports bar and she had a salad, a turkey club wrap, french fries, onion rings (shared with others) and a Coke. Then she had some shots, some hot wings, some more shots, a slice of pizza and a cookie, then more shots. When we finally drug her drunken self back home, she claimed she was starving. Now, I know alcohol is a factor, but it was amazing how much she was putting into her body within 6 hours. She typically doesn't eat that much. This article was just interesting, so for all of us out there that wonder why our waistbands expand as our tolerance level goes up (no matter how much we diet for bikini season) this may explain it more clearly.

8 foods we eat too much

I saw this on MSN and it caught my eye, I think it describes our campus well when looking at the Union (especially the 1st floor.)

These are the top eight foods we eat too much:

1. Pizza
2. Salad Dressing
3. Ice Cream
4. Orange Juice
5. Soft Drinks
6. White Rice
7. Potato Chips
8. Burgers

After reading the descriptions, I found it was mostly talking about how too large of servings are being consumed and those foods that should be healthy are not what they're all cracked up to be. For instance: orange juice. Seems pretty harmless, right? Yet, according to the article, one 8 oz. serving contains 112 calories. In addition, a study found that a serving of OJ has increased 40% in the last 20 years. Instead, the article suggests that you have one glass a day and eat whole, frozen or canned fruits for the rest of the day because the fiber in the fruits is more filling.

I liked the suggestions the article gave, but another thought popped into my head: These foods are all relatively cheap and are easy to find. No wonder we have too much! With the expense of groceries, people are having to choose cheaper meals, which isn't always the best for us. Even trying to stay healthy with something as innocent as a salad is corrupted by the dressing.

So basically the way I see it, watch your portions and read the labels. If there is a lighter version of your salad dressing-go for it. If your pizza is shiny with grease, blot it with a paper napkin or wring it out-whichever you choose.