Have you ever wandered around the kitchen looking for something to eat only to make the assumption you have nothing good in the house? I’ve totally been there too. For me when this happens it is more likely that I’m bored than actually hungry! Recognizing true hunger signs can be a great tool to have but it isn’t always easy. In this post we will talk about how to know if you are truly hungry or if maybe you’re eating for a different reason.
I’m sure I’m not the only one here who has eaten snacks or a meal for reasons other than being truly hungry. It happens all the time. And if I’m being honest, it’s going to happen again. This doesn’t make it “bad”. The best thing you can take from this post is being able to recognize your actions. I am definitely not telling you to avoid eating unless you are truly hungry and I’m not telling you that you are failing in your journey if you do. I am a firm believer in being intentional and understanding true hunger cues can be an important part of our journey!
So, Are You Hungry?
Your body will give you specific cues to let you know that it’s time to eat. Your stomach might start to growl. You may feel shaky or irritable or you may start to get a headache. I can tell you the exact moments my husband is starting to get hungry. He is not the best at noticing it but he for sure gets irritable when he is hungry. Sometimes I’ll just laugh and tell him, it’s time for a snack! My kids are the same way and honestly I am also but I have learned to be more aware of the signs and stay on top of it more than they do!
The problem with these signs is that they are signs of so many other things also. You can definitely feel irritable for other reasons besides just being hungry. It is just important to know that this is a sign of hunger. If you feel yourself becoming irritable it may be a good time to assess when the last time you ate was!
Is It A Need Or A Want?
Let’s be honest right from the beginning with this one, I want a donut I for sure do not need one. With that being said whenever I feel like I’m hungry and try and think it through. Am I actually hungry, or am I bored? I have a quick test to tell that works wonders on myself and on my kids.
Whenever I feel like I want a snack I go to the veggie/fruit drawer in the refrigerator. I’ll look for something in there and if I’m truly hungry I’ll find something to eat. If I “don’t feel” like eating anything in there I pretty much know I’m bored and am looking to snack. When that happens I go and do something else for 5 minutes. It could be getting a drink of water, stretching, reading, whatever you want, you just want it to be for about 5 minutes. If I’m still craving that snack after that 5 minutes, I’ll eat it! Most of the time I’ve moved on to something else and have lost interest
The point here isn’t to avoid eating snacks that aren’t fruits or veggies, the point is to be intentional about the choices you make. This helps me from mindlessly going through the snack drawer and grabbing whatever I see first. It gives me the time to think the snack through and decide if I actually want it rather than it being an impulse decision.
So there you have it friends, easy ways to notice actual hunger cues plus a quick tip to help be more intentional about your choices. This doesn’t mean you only eat healthy snacks forever! There is nothing wrong with indulging in a yummy treat now and again. The point of this is to help you make the right choice for you at that moment!
