From the moment we’re born, nature has programmed us to eat and enjoy food. Our bodies are designed to seek nourishment for growth, repair, and energy. But over time, our conscious decisions can begin to override the natural signals our body sends us—leading to unhealthy eating patterns and unwanted weight gain.
How Our Nutritional Needs Change Over Time
Our need for nutrients changes at every stage of life:
- Infancy: A newborn consumes enough to triple its body weight in just one year.
- Toddler Years: Nutritional needs decrease compared to infancy due to slower growth. Many parents worry their toddlers aren’t eating enough, but this is often normal.
- Teenage Years: During puberty, there’s a major growth spurt. Teens eat more as their bodies build muscle and bone, but often don’t gain much weight due to rapid energy use.
- Adulthood: As we reach our 30s and 40s:
- Metabolism slows
- Energy needs decrease
- Unwanted weight gain often begins
Why We Overeat as Adults
If our bodies are so well-tuned to regulate nutrient intake, why do so many of us gain weight as we age? The issue is not biological—it’s behavioral.
Our conscious mind often overrides natural hunger cues, leading us to eat more than our bodies actually need. Here’s why:
Behavioral Triggers for Overeating
- Social Influence: We mirror the eating habits of family, friends, and culture.
- Environmental Cues: Restaurants, events, or social gatherings make it harder to control portions or choose healthy options.
- Taste and Pleasure: We often eat for flavor and satisfaction, not for nourishment.
- Portion Justification: “Getting your money’s worth” can encourage oversized portions.
- Speed Eating: In busy lifestyles, we may eat quickly, barely chewing or tasting our food.
- Fullness as a Goal: Many eat until they’re stuffed, rather than satisfied.
The Role of the Brain in Hunger and Fullness
The brain does have the ability to track nutrient needs. There’s no strong evidence suggesting it loses this ability with age. So what’s happening?
The answer is simple: our conscious choices are overriding our brain’s natural balance system. Our behaviors interfere with the signals telling us when to start and stop eating.
For example, being in a restaurant might tempt you to eat foods you wouldn’t normally choose. Or, when eating at someone else’s home, you might feel obligated to eat more than you’re comfortable with. These situations demand self-awareness and self-talk to stay in control of what and how much you eat.
The Social Acceptance of Weight Gain
Many people accept weight gain as normal because they see it happening to everyone around them. This mindset can make it harder to break unhealthy habits.
But just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s healthy or inevitable. With awareness and effort, you can make better choices.
How to Stay Aligned with Your Nutritional Needs
To avoid letting your conscious mind sabotage your health, try the following:
- Pause and ask yourself: Am I actually hungry?
- Eat mindfully: Slow down and savor each bite.
- Watch for flavor cues: A drop in taste often signals you’ve had enough.
- Be aware of social pressure: It’s okay to politely decline extra food.
- Don’t eat just to “clean your plate”: Listen to your body’s fullness signals.
- Plan ahead: When eating out, look at the menu in advance and choose wisely.
The Bottom Line
Your body knows what it needs. But your habits, environment, and social settings can cause you to ignore those cues. If you’re serious about avoiding unwanted weight gain, it starts with saying no to unhealthy impulses and yes to mindful, intentional eating.
The author of the award-winning book, Diabetes: The Real Cause and the Right Cure, and Nationally Syndicated Columnist, Dr. John Poothullil, advocates for patients struggling with the effects of adverse lifestyle conditions.
Dr. John’s books, available on Amazon, have educated and inspired readers to take charge of their health. You can take many steps to make changes in your health, but Dr. John also empowers us to demand certain changes in our healthcare system. His latest book, Beat Unwanted Weight Gain, reveals the seven most essential strategies for shedding pounds—and keeping them off for good.
Follow or contact Dr. John at drjohnonhealth.com.
John Poothullil practiced medicine as a pediatrician and allergist for more than 30 years, with 27 of those years in the state of Texas. He received his medical degree from the University of Kerala, India in 1968, after which he did two years of medical residency in Washington, DC and Phoenix, AZ and two years of fellowship, one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the other in Ontario, Canada. He began his practice in 1974 and retired in 2008. He holds certifications from the American Board of Pediatrics, The American Board of Allergy & Immunology, and the Canadian Board of Pediatrics.During his medical practice, John became interested in understanding the causes of and interconnections between hunger, satiation, and weight gain. His interest turned into a passion and a multi-decade personal study and research project that led him to read many medical journal articles, medical textbooks, and other scholarly works in biology, biochemistry, physiology, endocrinology, and cellular metabolic functions. This eventually guided Dr. Poothullil to investigate the theory of insulin resistance as it relates to diabetes. Recognizing that this theory was illogical, he spent a few years rethinking the biology behind high blood sugar and finally developed the fatty acid burn switch as the real cause of diabetes.Dr. Poothullil has written articles on hunger and satiation, weight loss, diabetes, and the senses of taste and smell. His articles have been published in medical journals such as Physiology and Behavior, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal of Women’s Health, Journal of Applied Research, Nutrition, and Nutritional Neuroscience. His work has been quoted in Woman’s Day, Fitness, Red Book and Woman’s World.Dr. Poothullil resides in Portland, OR and is available for phone and live interviews.To learn more buy the books at: amazon.com/author/drjohnpoothullil
Visit drjohnonhealth.com to learn more. You can also contact him at john@drhohnonhealth.com.
Or follow us on:
Instagram: instagram.com/DrJohnOnHealth
Facebook: facebook.com/JohnOnHealth
Youtube : @DrJohnPoothullil
For more great health and lifestyle content, see here.
