Do You Often Feel Hungry?
...you are not alone!
There are many reasons to feel hungry. Of course, the most obvious one is actually being physically hungry. Perhaps our stomaches are empty, our blood sugars have dropped, and our hunger hormones are having a party.
Other times, however, our 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.
In this week's blog post, I'm going to talk about the difference between both of these types of hunger, as well as give you some tips on how to figure out which is which. I will also share a very healthy, filling recipe with you at the end of the post, so keep reading!
There are many reasons to feel hungry. Of course, the most obvious one is actually being physically hungry. Perhaps our stomaches are empty, our blood sugars have dropped, and our hunger hormones are having a party.
Other times, however, our 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.
In this week's blog post, I'm going to talk about the difference between both of these types of hunger, as well as give you some tips on how to figure out which is which. I will also share a very healthy, filling recipe with you at the end of the post, so keep reading!
Physical Hunger Vs. Psychological Hunger
Our physical hunger is regulated by the body through our hunger hormones. And of course, it should be. We don't want to be completely drained of fuel and nutrients for a long time. So, we're programmed to seek food when our bodies physically need it. These physical need indicators include things like an empty stomach, or low blood sugar levels.
Psychological or emotional hunger include eating to overcome boredom, sadness, stress, and so on. This kind of eating is based on a thought or feeling, and is what happens when we see a great food commercial or smell a bakery, rather than from an empty stomach or low blood sugar.
Make sense? Let's delve into figuring out which is which...
Psychological or emotional hunger include eating to overcome boredom, sadness, stress, and so on. This kind of eating is based on a thought or feeling, and is what happens when we see a great food commercial or smell a bakery, rather than from an empty stomach or low blood sugar.
Make sense? Let's delve into figuring out which is which...
Am I Really Hungry?
1. The first thing we need to do is stop and evaluate. Scarfing down that protein bar at the first sign of hunger isn’t necessarily going to help us.
2. Now that we’ve stopped, we need to pay attention to where our hunger is coming from. Can we actually feel or hear our stomaches growling? Did we skip a meal, and haven’t eaten in hours? Or are we seeing and smelling something divinely delicious? Perhaps we’re bored, sad, or stressed? Take a peek into all these areas and really pay attention.
3. Have a big glass of water. Now we need to observe our hunger feelings for at least a minute. Really dig into the source of the feelings. It can be easy to jump to a conclusion, but that may or may not be the right one. So, listen very deeply.
4. When we feel like emotions may be the source of our hunger, we need to face them, acknowledge and observe them. They may just need comfort and recognition, even if they seem like they need food. Try deep breathing, having a stretch, or going for a quick walk to release some of these emotions. This also gives our minds a chance to focus on something other than the feeling of hunger.
5. When we feel sure that our bodies physically need nutrition, we should just wait a few more minutes to make sure.
6. At this point, we can be fairly sure whether our hunger was from emotions, boredom, thirst, or actual physical hunger.
7. If it's physical hunger, feel free to eat healthy and nutritious food. Foods that are high in protein, fibre, and water really fill us up. Foods such as eggs, oatmeal, fish, meat, yogurt & nuts are great. Eat slowly and mindfully. Chew well and savour every bite.
8. Repeat at the next sign of hunger!
2. Now that we’ve stopped, we need to pay attention to where our hunger is coming from. Can we actually feel or hear our stomaches growling? Did we skip a meal, and haven’t eaten in hours? Or are we seeing and smelling something divinely delicious? Perhaps we’re bored, sad, or stressed? Take a peek into all these areas and really pay attention.
3. Have a big glass of water. Now we need to observe our hunger feelings for at least a minute. Really dig into the source of the feelings. It can be easy to jump to a conclusion, but that may or may not be the right one. So, listen very deeply.
4. When we feel like emotions may be the source of our hunger, we need to face them, acknowledge and observe them. They may just need comfort and recognition, even if they seem like they need food. Try deep breathing, having a stretch, or going for a quick walk to release some of these emotions. This also gives our minds a chance to focus on something other than the feeling of hunger.
5. When we feel sure that our bodies physically need nutrition, we should just wait a few more minutes to make sure.
6. At this point, we can be fairly sure whether our hunger was from emotions, boredom, thirst, or actual physical hunger.
7. If it's physical hunger, feel free to eat healthy and nutritious food. Foods that are high in protein, fibre, and water really fill us up. Foods such as eggs, oatmeal, fish, meat, yogurt & nuts are great. Eat slowly and mindfully. Chew well and savour every bite.
8. Repeat at the next sign of hunger!
Recipe Time!
Overall, the feeling of hunger can manifest itself for many reasons. Of course, if we’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 we might feel hungry. Luckily, now we can refer to my eight steps to figure out when our bodies are physically hungry, or if we're bored, sad or stressed.
We can use this process over and over again until it becomes habit! That way, we will feed our bodies what they actually, physically need, and not overdo it.
But often, there is an underlying psychological or emotional reason we might feel hungry. Luckily, now we can refer to my eight steps to figure out when our bodies are physically hungry, or if we're bored, sad or stressed.
We can use this process over and over again until it becomes habit! That way, we will feed our bodies what they actually, physically need, and not overdo it.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef & Sweet Potatoes
Recipe: Filling, Slow-Cooker Roast Beef and Sweet Potatoes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Pro Tip: You can substitute different vegetables if you like. Try parsnips instead of carrots or cauliflower instead of sweet potatoes.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 onions, sliced (do this and go to step 1 before preparing the rest of the ingredients)
- 4 lb beef roast
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped
- 1 lb carrots, peeled & sliced
- 2 celery sticks, sliced
- 2 dashes dried thyme or sage or parsley
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 dashes salt & pepper
Instructions:
- Place a layer of sliced onion at the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the lid on and turn the heat up to high; this will start caramelizing the onions while you wash and slice the rest of the ingredients.
- When all ingredients are ready, take off slow cooker lid and add meat and the prepared vegetables, garlic, herbs, and spices.
- Cook on high for 3-5 hrs, or on low for 6-8hrs, or until done.
- Serve & enjoy!
Pro Tip: You can substitute different vegetables if you like. Try parsnips instead of carrots or cauliflower instead of sweet potatoes.
Start Managing Your Hunger!
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One of the most effective steps we can take towards managing our hunger and feeling energetic and satisfied throughout long, busy days is ensuring that we eat regularly and plan our meals effectively.
I have something to help you start doing just that! I created the Simple Swaps Guide to Meal Planning & Prepping to help give you some simple tips and tricks. This guide was created to offer my best suggestions to help you make small changes that will have a big impact on overall health. Click on the button below to access this free guide. |
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