If you often feel hungry, you are not alone!
There are many reasons to feel hungry. Of course, the most obvious one is that you are actually physically hungry. Perhaps your stomach is empty, your blood sugar has dropped, and your hunger hormones are having a party.
But other times, the hunger may not be physical hunger. It may be a craving or an emotional trigger. These are common reasons why some people eat too much. It could be brought on by a certain type of diet, stress, or other things going on in life.
It’s easy to mistake “psychological” hunger for “physical” hunger.
Let’s talk about the difference between both of these types of hunger, and give you some tips how to figure out which is which.
And, of course, I will give you a recipe to help with the craving!
Physical hunger vs. psychological hunger
Your "physical" hunger is regulated by the body through your hunger hormones. A very good thing! You don't want to be completely drained of fuel and nutrients for too long, so you're programmed to seek food when your body physically needs it. Some of those physical needs are that your stomach is empty or your blood sugar has dropped.
"Psychological" or "emotional" hunger is eating to overcome boredom, sadness, stress, etc. It's based on a thought or feeling. It's what happens when you see a great food commercial or smell a bakery. It's not from your empty stomach or low blood sugar.
So, here’s how to tell which is which.
Six steps to figure out if you’re physically hungry or psychologically hungry.
1 – A good place to start is to just stop and evaluate. Reaching for a protein bar at the first sign of hunger isn’t necessarily going to help you.
2 – Next, pay attention to where this hunger is coming from. Ask yourself the following:
· Can I actually feel or hear your stomach growling?
· Did I skip a meal, and haven’t eaten in hours?
· Am I seeing/or smelling something divinely delicious?
· Am I bored, sad, or stressed?
Take a peek into all these areas and really pay attention.
3 - Have a big glass of water and then observe your hunger feeling for at least a minute. Really dig into the source of the feeling. Listen to your body and mind very deeply.
4 - If you do find that your feelings are the source, then face them. Acknowledge and observe them. They may just be needing comfort and recognition (even if they sound like they need food). Try some deep breathing, stretching, or going for a quick walk to release some of these emotions. This will give your mind chance to focus on something other than the feeling of hunger.
5 - If you’re pretty sure that your body physically needs nutrition, and it's not from emotions, boredom or thirst, feel free to eat healthy and nutritious food. To fill you up the food you eat should include protein, fibre, and healthy fats.
Eat slowly and mindfully. (Put the phone down). Chew well and savour every bite of it.
6 - Rinse and repeat at the next sign of hunger.
Conclusion
The feeling of hunger can manifest for many reasons. Of course, if you’re physically hungry and need the food and nutrients, then this is what it’s for.
But often, there is an underlying psychological or emotional reason you might feel hungry.
Now you know my six steps to figure out if your physical body is hungry, or if you’re bored, sad, or stressed. Use this process over and over again to feed your body what it actually physically needs (and not overdo it).
Click the link below to download one of my favourite smoothie recipes to cure your physical hunger deliciously and healthfully!
Send me a message or CLICK HERE to book a FREE 15-minute Discovery with me.
In great health,
Jodi Forestell CHN,NNCP
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