Hunger and Exercise
Put, “hunger” is a signal by the organism that it needs fuel. Fuel is circulated throughout the body via the blood. Energy is stored within the muscles of your body and your liver. If the fuel levels in your blood fall, the body responds and triggers a reaction by making you hungry to fill up the power.
Exercise may cause you to be hungry or reduce your appetite based on your training level. Activities that are low-intensity trigger hunger responses within the body. Swimming at a low power will cause you to be hungry. However, high-intensity workouts typically decrease your appetite. When you exercise at high intensity, signals are released, which indicate the body is filled with energy, which reduces hunger.
All in all, more intense workouts tend to decrease hunger; however, this isn’t always the situation in the pool. After a long, extreme swim, you’ll be hungry due to the temperatures in the collection. The water’s cold temperature causes a contradictive impulse that overrules the signal that signals hunger suppression which creates hunger. What is the mechanism behind this?
Temperature affects appetite
Usually, in any workout, blood flows from the stomach to the skin to eliminate heat from the body. The process of digesting food to fuel your body is put off, and this reduces the cravings. However, many swimming pools are 10 degrees below the body temperature. Thus, when you swim, blood flow isn’t pushed away to the surface to let out heat, but blood flow toward the stomach area is kept. Thus, the stomach can perform as usual, which means you are hungry!
Additionally, two studies in which participants were exposed to cold showed increased appetite. In both studies, the amount of food consumed was measured and compared to participants who were in an area with an average temperature (26degC) or a temperature of 18degC. In both cases, the food consumed in the first 2.5 minutes in the colder environment was more significant. The body burns more energy when it is hard to keep the body warm. This appears to cause a reaction that increases appetite to offset the extra energy burned. It is crucial to remember that the heat loss in water is significantly more than in air, so in a room that is 26degC, the body can maintain its temperature without any additional heat production. But in water with a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, the body must create heat and burn extra energy to offset the heat loss from water.
In all likelihood, cold water will cause a reaction that causes you to be more hungry after swimming, compared to other endurance activities where you expend an equivalent amount of fuel.
What should I consume?
Since swimming can make you hungry, it is essential not to overeat after swimming. Make a plan for your post-swim nutrition before me and adhere to the program so this doesn’t indulge in a binge-like meal after your swim. The post-swim meal should contain healthy fats and proteins to boost your appetite. You can, for example, take a bagel sandwich with avocado and salmon, some yogurt with nuts, or egg toast. If you don’t have food following your swim, Bring a healthy snack to prevent hunger post-swim, like peanut butter jelly protein-rich nuts or an assortment of trail mix. It’s also helpful to eat a high-carbohydrate breakfast before your workout. It is easy to digest, such as fresh fruit, a sandwich with lean meat, jam, oatmeal, and bananas, or a granola bar. If you are still struggling with hunger, you should try adding the time for a quick post-swim or HIIT exercise that triggers the body to reduce appetite.
