Website owner:  James Miller

Discovery about appetite

   I have made a discovery about appetite.  I have discovered that 
   when I eat less my appetite decreases and when I eat more my 
   appetite increases.  I find if I start eating doughnuts, 
   snacks, sandwiches, etc. at coffee breaks my appetite is 
   awakened for them, I become hungry for them at these times of 
   day, and I feel I need them.  What usually happens then, after 
   relaxing my guard and indulging my appetite like this for 
   awhile, is that I step on the bathroom scales and find I have 
   gained six or seven pounds.  I then decide I have to get tough 
   and austere with myself.  And I find that if I deny the hunger 
   pangs that come at coffee break time and don't appease them 
   they will soon go away.  Moreover, if you keep doing it they 
   will stop coming after several days.  Thus if you deny your 
   appetite it goes away;  if you appease and cater to it, it 
   increases.  

   And I have discovered something else.  I have discovered that 
   this is true not only for appetite for food, it is also true 
   for sexual appetite.  Abstinence and denial of the appetite 
   causes it to decrease and go away.  Playing up to it, 
   gratifying it, causes it to increase. 

   What is the implication of these discoveries with regard to 
   people who are obese, who have tremendous appetites, who have 
   tried many times to lose weight but have failed every time?  
   What is the implication for people who have great and 
   uncontrollable sexual appetites? 


   Oct 1983