As one of the most hardcore types of roadies, I’ve experienced many of the extremes of human endurance. Like the need for sodium, magnesium, and potassium from massive leg cramps, or calorie crashes when it feels like your tank runs so empty you hit a massive wall where your body all but quits.

One of the things I’m only just becoming self aware of is the need for iron/protein as a direct craving, not some common indirect theoretical knowledge.

I’ve been on the same basic daily diet for a year with very little variation. I’ve noticed times when I crave eating extra stuff. I used to be massively overweight, so I’m super aware of avoiding binge eating and most junk food. However, I’ve found a pattern where sometimes I need a fresh fruit, and others–I need something with protein and iron. If I go straight to those resources at the right time, the cravings stop. If I get it wrong, I feel hungry again and crave something more in a short amount of time.

I get the impression I was overweight when I was younger because I lacked the awareness to connect these dots… along with a nutrient poor base diet.

It is just a thought I’ve been mulling over in the back of my mind for a few days. I wonder if others are either more subconsciously able to crave a better available food that meets their needs, or if I just failed to RTFM when I was born and most people are aware of this kind of connection. So… are you self aware of different types of hungry where eating a small amount of the right thing can make the issue go away when you would otherwise eat too much?

  • @[email protected]
    9•3 months ago

    Honestly I think it’s more of just becoming responsible as you age and your body’s requirements get more specific. When I was young, I could eat anything and anything. Now, dairy is fully off the table, breads and carbs in general need to be of a minimum quality, and volume of consumption absolutely cannot be what it used to be. I think the key of it is to just be cognizant of what works and what doesn’t, and have the self control to direct yourself to the right choices (especially when options are limited). It certainly comes with experience that aging provides. I’m sure there are some people that are so well tapped into their bodies that it’s automatic like muscle memory, but for the rest of us it’s definitely learned and steered.