"I am very confident that when I FEEL hungry, it is actual hunger (my body requesting nutrients from my mouth)....and not emotional issues"
Man......where do these rationalizations come from?
Feeling hungry may have nothing to do with emotional issues. Appetite per se is regulated in a complex way (gut peptides, fat cell signals, neurotransmitters, etc.) and is very individualized. From what I see, most people that respond to their “body requesting nutrients from their mouth” are fat. Forget that concept.
That is the reason you use body composition assessment, not your body’s idea of what you should put in your mouth, same with your emotions.
Find the caloric intake that keeps you at the body composition you desire, within reason (12 – 17% lean for women) and then base your dietary intake on that. Eat what it takes to maintain that and I guarantee that your body will want more, or test your hypothesis. Eat what your body wants for a year, then tell us if your body composition is where you want it to be.
I’ll bet that you’ll end up choosing to weigh your food and base intake on body composition vs listening to your body at the end of one year, maybe much less.
“When I am extra hungry during the day I will eat a banana, apple, small box of raisins”…..
Bad choices, esp the small box of raisins. Can’t think of a better way to spike insulin, drop blood sugar in an hour and maintain the hunger cycle. Great way to make sure no fat is oxidized as well. Avoid simple sugars when you’re hungry. Use some vegetables and a little more chicken breast.
W6