[yksin]

Originally Posted by Alan Aragon

The cravings following high-carb meals could be due to a number of variables. One of them is the possibility that the meal simply isn't large enough to make a dent in hunger. And as you mentioned, an increase in protein, fiber (& fat) per meal would also contribute to satiety/craving reduction. Appetite is a problematic area of study, since the related measures are subjective.

It's a pretty bizarre area, really. At the moment I'm using Lyle McDonald's Rapid Fat Loss, his adaptation of the Protein Sparing Modified Fast -- eating about 800-900 cal/day mostly in protein, just 10g omega 3s & incidental other fats, plus nonstarchy veggies which is all the carbs I get (aside from free meals a couple times a week) -- now most people would say that wouldn't be enough to dent hunger, but no complaints here, or from most of the people who are keeping logs on the PSMF over at Lyle's forums. Then, some report, they go back to adding carbs into their diet, usually while maintaining the same levels of protein/nonstarchy veggies/omega 3s -- & all of a sudden their appetites take off. More so for some people than others -- I can eat a normal maintenance meal without going nuts, but at least one other person reports almost instantly being hit by carb cravings.

Unless, of course, you draw these trials out over a period of weeks or months and measure bodycomp & other endpoints that are more concrete. In the latter case, things such as glycemic index & glycemic load - which you'd think would have a substantial impact on satiety & bodycomp - for the most part do not.

I was a big cheerleader for glycemic index when I first learned about it a couple years ago, & actually once I started paying attention to it & tossed all the high GI stuff out of my diet, I immediately had a cessation of longstanding problems with acid reflux. But I've lost my conviction about most of the benefits that are touted about it -- & I'm not so sure that it was low GI in & of itself that ended my acid reflux. (Glad as I am that it's gone.)

Thanks for the reply.

-- Mel