What Signals Hunger?

What signals hunger? 

• In the middle of an activity you start thinking about food.  Often this is the first sign that your body needs food.

• You feel a slight emptiness in your stomach.  That’s hunger.  Try not to ignore this signal.  If you ignore it, your hunger will go away for a while as your body draws on its fuel reserves.

• You feel queasy, irritable, light-headed or tired.  That may be low blood sugar.  Feelings of hunger may have passed, but you need to eat even if the food isn’t very tempting.

• It’s time for a meal.  It’s been more than four hours since your last meal and you are probably hungry, unless your last meal was huge

What does not signal hunger?

• Your stomach growls.  Air is passing through your intestine.  That does not always signal hunger.

• You crave certain foods.  Cravings are often emotional.  If you are truly hungry, you will not want only one certain food.

• You have the opportunity to eat something good.  If you walk by a bakery and smell fresh bread, that may trigger a desire for bread.  You might possibly be hungry, but probably not.  You probably are feeling a craving.  And if you’re not truly hungry, the food won’t taste as good as it could.

• You’re not hungry but are eating anyway.  On occasion, we all do this.  But it’s often a signal that you really want something other than food. 

Ask yourself what you really want.  If you often use food to soothe your emotions or keep boredom at bay, food becomes less satisfying because you are eating for the wrong reasons.  Ultimately, the food will not satisfy you emotionally either.

Adapted from Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD, FADA.