Can’t Stop Eating? (Blame your genes!)
You know how this guy called “Homo Erectus” would eat if you invited him over for Thanksgiving dinner? He’d eat until he was stuffed, and then he’d eat some more. Just like I do if I don’t force myself to stop. Or at least that’s what I infer from Can’t Stop Eating When You’ve Had Enough? a story published at ABCnews.com. Yep, it seems that after eating turkey, corn, cranberries, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes gravy, brussels sprouts and corn bread, he’d eagerly rush to the desserts and slice himself some pumpkin pie and cover it with cream. Yes, he was genetically programmed to stuff himself when food was available. And so are we. You know why Homo Erectus isn’t fat but we tend to be? I’m not going to say it’s because he ate low carb! (My understanding is anthropologists disagree on that. Some think our ancestors ate mostly protein; some think they got a large fraction of their calories gathering roots and fruits, and had diets no one would call high protein today.) No. The main reason Mr. & Mrs. Homo Erectus had to hunt or gather every morsel they ate. Unlike us, he couldn’t just drive to the grocery store, fill their carts and bring home enough food to feed a family of 10. So, even though they was programmed to over eat when they could, Mr. and Mrs. Erectus didn’t get fat. Because they missed a lot of meals. But the fact that The Erectuses had to work so hard to get food meant that, to survive they needed to want to eat until they was uncomfortably full. That way, they would have some fat reserves to use on days when the pickin’s were slim! And individuals who had a tendency to over eat on feast days tended their genes down to their descendants. So, the upshot is we, their descendents, are genetically programmed to eat when we feel full! But now, food is so easy to get. (At least around my house!) Ahem… and that’s why I work on teaching myself portion control, and figure out portion control tips. I know if I serve enough food to feed ten people, Jim and I will eat for ten. Then, the two of us will end up weighing as much as ten people combined! Serving only enough for two (or at worst, three) is so much better for my waistline!