Overeating Has This One Effect Potentially More Damaging Than Weight Gain

It’s pretty much common sense that overeating is bad for you, but based on new research, there could be worse consequences than potentially packing on the pounds.

Unfortunately, even if you put in hard work to fight weight gain, you could be doing a number on your body by taking extra bites you don’t need. We’ve all done it, but here’s how it could screw up your health.

A new study by the Thomas Jefferson University pointed out the way in which the gut communicates with the brain might affect someone’s ability to keep up healthy eating habits.

The researchers paid close attention to an important hormone called uroguanylin, which tells your brain your stomach is full enough to stop eating.

During testing on non-obese mice, the hormone functioned properly, and it caused the feeling of fullness to occur. However, this wasn’t the case in obese mice.

Looking closer, the researchers noticed the small intestines of the obese mice weren’t producing the hormone, even though the receptors in the brain for uroguanylin weren’t damaged. When put on a diet, however, the hormone became present once again.

So basically, overeating can stop production of uroguanylin, meaning if you make a habit of going for seconds and thirds, your body won’t tell you when it’s full.

And the researchers found that no matter what size you are, if you consume too many calories, the production of uroguanylin will cease. Obese or not, overeating can mess with that important hormone.

Yeah, you might want to consider this risk before going for that third slice of pizza, even though you’re not hungry. I personally don’t believe in counting calories, but I guess this could be another reason to watch calorie intake closely if you’re worried your body won’t tell you to stop eating.

Your body knows when it’s full.

It’s just a matter of tuning in and asking yourself, “Am I eating because I’m bored, sad, happy or stressed right now? Or am I actually hungry?”

Here’s Why You Should Try A Soup Cleanse Before A Juice Cleanse

After doing 2 Juice Cleanses in 2 Weeks, I figured I had seen it all in the world of cleanses, but boy, was I wrong. Enter Soupure, the most delicious and satisfying soup cleanse known to man (or woman in my case). They “believe in feeding the body, not starving it,” which is how they developed 20 soups with the help of nutrition experts and creative chefs.

Having already done two cleanses this month, I also was a proponent for feeding my body, not starving it, which is why we teamed up and I embarked on a 3-Day Soup Cleanse. And let me tell you, “souping” really is the new “juicing.”

Each day there was a broth in the morning, a thicker, chilled smoothie-esque soup, a warm lunch, afternoon broth, a filling dinner soup and two alkalizing waters. All of the soups are vegan except for the bone broths which in my case were substituted for vegetable broth and “ENERGIZE” contains honey, but can be requested otherwise.

Day 1: The soups have arrived.

They recommend starting each day (on or off the cleanse) with a warm cup of lemon water. It alkalizes the body and gets it ready for detoxing. I’ve always wanted to get in the habit of doing this because it’s like lemon tea and wakes me up more than coffee — yes, you read that correctly. I downed it the first day because I was just so excited to get to the soups.

I heated up the broth and was eating it with a spoon until I got frustrated and just started drinking it like tea. Yes, this warm veggie water was good enough to sip on from a mug. Feeling like a million bucks, I decided to go on a jog (I don’t run so this was big) and lift some weights.

Post-workout was the “SUPERHERO nuts & seeds” drink. Pretty much like blending 20 nuts & seeds and adding some reishi (mushroom superfood, but don’t let that scare you). It was so rich and creamy that it was a long time until I was hungry after that and went for a light alkaline water to start.

I LOVED all three of the lunch soups more and more each day. The only soup I wasn’t super crazy for was the “CALM lemongrass consomme” but only because it was a little too spicy for me.

Day 2: So far, souping > juicing.

Since Day 1 went so smoothly I was excited for Day 2. I started out the day with another run, (what?! maybe I should eat soup everyday) an ab workout and squats. My friends and I then went strawberry picking which was fitting since I was sipping on the chilled “ENERGIZE strawberry cashew” drink, my favorite from the cleanse.

However, as the instructions said, I was “listening to my body” and my body said, “eat that freshly picked strawberry you’re holding, it’s no different than the blended ones in your soup.” So I did it. I cheated but it’s not like it was something bad so I’m fine with it. How could you go strawberry picking and not eat one straight from the bush?!

As if the perpetual squat of strawberry picking wasn’t enough, we had a quick lunch (I brought my “PROTECT split pea“) and then went on a 4 mile walk/run. Again, souping made me run.

Day 2 of juice cleanses meant the daggers came out and crankiness set in. That’s not the case with souping, because you’re feeding your body, not starving it. So far, souping > juicing.

Day 3: Souping? 10/10.

The third day of the cleanse was a regular work day and since I overdosed on exercise, I didn’t “indulge” on this day. The soups kept getting tastier and I never was hungry or thirsty.

However, temptations set in on Day 3. After being tempted by a fresh coconut and Vegetarian Zucchini Meatballs in my kitchen, the worst was yet to come.

The third and final temptation was movie theater popcorn. We went to see Finding Dori (amazing by the way) and I had to sip on a “REBOOT pear yuzu” alkaline water while every kid and their mother double fisted buttery goodness.

Overall, this cleanse was incredible. Unlike juice cleanses, I was never hungry, it was easier to consume since it was hot, I could be social because I was never in a bad mood, I was motivated, inspired and overall excited about healthy eating. And I lost 3 pounds. Souping? 10/10.

The next morning called for an epic Coconut Cherry Smoothie bowl.

Want to try out Soupure like me? Get 10 percent off of your order using the promo code “Spoon10” from now until the end of July. #HappySouping