This is how you know you're spending too much time in the gym.

[Sharla]

What's your theory?

[donnydarkoIRL]

What's your theory?

I was just experimenting the past few days.

I had heard a theory before that there was a diet that relied on the smell of food to satisfy cravings.

My theory is that if you spend the time to prepare food, cooking or whatever, sit down to enjoy the meal and have a little repose time after, your hunger will be satisfied so much more than grabbing food, and eating it on the fly.

The prepartion will allow you to savour the texture and aroma of the food - both are helpful in quenching appetite.
Food is the eaten slowly in comfort, allowing mechanical and chemical digestion to work, but not as quickly as if the food was eaten quickly and shortly before or after exertion.
Some time afterward is allowed for slow digestion.


Theoretically this seems to quench hunger for a longer duration than pre-prepared food.
I think it really works and although it seems basic, I neglect it everyday.

[Sharla]

I've read that smelling sweet foods can help seet tooths loose weight because they don't need to eat them as much.

I think for me it'd only work if I still ate at the same time - so would have to be able to prepare it earlier - which would be hard because I wouldnt' usually be home.

If I postpone eating when I'm hungry I just get hungrier and then want to eat more - with a sort of tragic, frantic desperation especially with specific cravings oddly enough!

Just recently though i've noticed I don't get chocolate cravings on days when i eat mixed nuts at some stage in the morning.

I'm thinking either the nuts are low GI and have an ability to stop the sugar cravings associated with higher GI intake or there's something in them somewhere I'm lacking that I crave in chocolate.

[donnydarkoIRL]

Thats really interesting and I can apply much of it too myself.

As you mentioned, I think that if food is not timed correctly it will result in one becoming far hungrier.

I find that if I eat directly before or after training it will be completely useless as I'm always straving after training regardless!

I find I can eat far less during the day, but much greater volumes after training in the morning and evening.
And I mean far greater!

I too get specific cravings, but I'm really keeping away from chocolate as best I can

[Salty]

The worst cravings I get are when I'm studying, thank god for peanuts and sultana's or I could lose control sometimes I think.

[RDJ]

I always take food with me when I go to the gym. After boxing I have to bike about 7 miles home, if I don't have some food in my bag I'll go insane.

[Trainer Monkey]

I swear to god,my mother in law bought us a ton of pork.
My first reaction was,"Does she know how much fat is in this?"