Why does eating leave me hungrier? I’ve been trying to lose the same 43 pounds for months now. My main problem is that I always want seconds—and thirds—after finishing my meals. It’s like I’m never satisfied! To make matters worse, I’m so exhausted that I can barely move. What wrong with me?
Don’t be so hard on yourself. These are signs that your adrenal glands are over-worked, a condition that affects up to 30 percent of women. Normally the glands produce just enough of the hormone cortisol to regulate appetite, metabolism and wakefulness. But when factors like stress or nutritional shortfalls strain the adrenals, cortisol levels can spike or plunge, producing symptoms such as an insatiable appetite, a sluggish metabolism and fatigue. The good news is that you can heal the adrenal glands just by increasing your intake of zinc and vitamin B5, a nutrient pair proven to improve the glands’ resiliency. Aim to consume three to five daily servings of zinc and b5-rich foods such as beef, fish, chicken and eggs. Adrenal function should start to bounce back within 14 days, normalizing cortisol levels to curb appetite, speed metabolism and restore energy for a weight loss of up to five pounds per week.
