Home  >  Ask the Expert  >  Metabolism and Hunger Q.I am bothered by an extremely large appetite. I am a little overweight (6'1" 210lbs), but my weight is stable. I am 29 and in the last 10 years I have talked to 3 doctors about this. None of them found any medical problem. When I don't eat I lose weight quickly, but I get ravenously hungry. Is this an appetite problem or a metabolism problem? If I just have a "high metabolism", why can't I lose weight? How can I lose weight without becoming hungry? Exercise is the best way to increase your resting metabolic rate. Specifically strength training. Strength training will increase your muscle mass. Increasing your muscle mass will increase the amount of calories you burn while you are resting. Imagine putting in three days a week at the gym, pumping iron, and over time, notice that you are burning more calories while you are watching T.V.! If you add an aerobic component to your exercise plan, you can increase the amount of calories you burn and increase the success of your weight loss program. While these above examples of exercise and weight loss are scientifically valid, we can't leave out the most important part of the picture. Namely, a personal nutritional plan. Having a personal nutritional plan designed specifically for you, can help you avoid the "guessing" game that occurs with nutrition, and greatly increase your chance of weight loss success! Imagine having a nutritionist specifically design a nutritional plan based on your likes, dislikes, health and diet history, medications, current state of health, height, weight, age, and sex, and that's just to name a few. The result is a tailored plan, incorporating the best macronutrient percentage (amounts of protein, carbohydrate and fat) for your body type, within a set calorie structure. The macronutrient component is where we can stop your appetite problem. Balancing macronutrient proportions can stop you from feeling a ravenous hunger. Plus, supplements can be recommended that can help you with your appetite. One such supplement that I use as an appetite suppressant is called 5-HTP. The best part of one of our nutritional plans, is that all of the "counting" is done for you. You will never have to count calories, or try to figure out percents of food groups. All of this work is done, and easy instructions show you how to reach your goals. Add the aforementioned exercise program to such a diet plan, and you are on the right road to a slimmer, trimmer you! Good Luck! Robert L. Pastore, Ph.D., CNC, CN Senior Nutritionist at Metabolism.com
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