GetGoing NC!

If you embark on a new exercise program on Jan. 1 don’t be discouraged if you find yourself hungrier than before. The upside: You’re likely to feel more satisfied after a meal — especially breakfast — which should help keep you from overeating at a meal and snacking. This according to a study at Australia’s Queensland University of Technology and published in the October American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The 12-week study followed 58 overweight and obese adults who began an exercise program. In general, the group was hungrier before breakfast. However, after a breakfast of cereal and toast, they reported that they were more satisfied by their morning meal than before they began exercising. There was a curious side note within the study. Thirty-two participants lost the amount of weight they had hoped to, 26 percent did not. While both of those groups reported greater hunger before breakfast, the 32 who lost what they wanted to were more sated after breakfast than the 26 who did not. Why exactly that occurred the researchers can’t say. But from the study in general they think that physical activity — among its many other benefits — may make your body more sensitive to when it feels full.

In short: Pay attention to all the signals your body is sending after embarking on an exercise program, not just the ones that may, especially at first, be discouraging.