Page 33 - The Skinny On Your Diet Plan

performance may decline.

• People recovering from surgery or major injuries (such as broken

bones) may need more energy than healthy people, as energy is
going to tissue repair and rebuilding.

Because energy balance is so important physiologically, our bodies have
systems in place to regulate it.

We have sensors and complex feedback loops throughout our bodies that tell
our brains (particularly our hypothalamus, aka Mission Control) how much

energy is available.

Our brains can then respond by adjusting the dynamics of these biological
systems, to either maintain balance or try to make changes.
For instance:

• If energy intake is consistently too low for a person’s needs, that

person may eventually start to struggle with hunger, appetite, and
food cravings. They may also feel cold or have sluggish

digestion. Their bodies are slowing metabolic rate and increasing
the desire to eat, in order to compensate.

• If energy intake is consistently too high for a person’s needs, that
person will likely store the extra energy as fat. However,

depending on the person, excess energy can also be used for

recovery, repair, and growth (for instance, in building muscle);
or thrown off as heat. They may also want to eat less or move

more, in order to compensate.
Some macronutrients, or types of foods, are more satiating than others.

For instance:
• A high-protein, high-fat, and/or high-fiber diet tends to make

people feel fuller, and consequently eat less.

• Diets high in processed foods (such as pastries, sweets, cereal,

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