People with excess weight don’t overeat because of being too hungry. The issue is that we eat when we’re not hungry. We believe that food will make us feel better. At the very least, food will make us feel different. When this pattern has been followed long enough, the feelings of hunger get confusing.
Do you know what it feels like to be hungry?
If your answer is no, then I challenge you to learn. For three consecutive days, only eat when you’re hungry. That may mean that you don’t eat at regular meal times. You may be surprised to see how long it takes for your body to give your hunger pangs. Don’t worry, they will come. The second day they will be really clear. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.
Hunger cues range on the scale from 1-10. One is not hungry at all. Ten is ravenous and not comfortable. In fact, it can feel like you’re going mad. Ideally, you will eat when you hit a six.
Keep a chart/log of when you eat for a month. Write what time it was, where you were on the hunger scale, where you were, what you were feeling, and what you ate. Don’t try to change anything, just keep track. This is not to judge and shame yourself; this is to bring light to your patterns.
So often we are trying to change things before we know what the patterns are. Once you see the patterns, you’ll know where you’ll need to intervene. Gently giving yourself what you really need.
The only problem that food corrects, is hunger.
Kerri