Hunger hormone takes over the brain

You must consume fewer calories than you burn. It sounds easy, but your brain makes it an almost impossible challenge.

Cut 25 % off your daily calorie intake and consume 1,700 calories instead of the usual 2,250. That is the classic version of a diet, by which the calories are counted to avoid eating too much.

And although the method makes sense, it is almost impossible to stick to for long periods of time. The reduced calorie intake makes your small intestine, pancreas, and fat tissue liberate fewer satiety hormones such as leptin, whereas the stomach liberates more of the hunger hormone of ghrelin.

The result is that your brain is overwhelmed by hunger, forcing you to increase your calorie intake again.