Home
» mindful eating » Hungry
Hungry
| May 15, 2012 | Posted by Carrie under mindful eating |
I finally found a bone to pick with my favorite Fat 2 Fit Radio guys. They’re always talking about how they get to eat all this food while maintaining their healthy lifestyle and they’re never hungry.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to not be hungry. I really believe in the philosophy of Intuitive Eating. I’ve talked about it before, but here’s a fantastic article on the principles of Intuitive Eating from Katie Heddleston, RD. She’s written a whole series that I would highly recommend to read.
Here’s the thing – if you aren’t hungry, don’t eat. If you’re hungry, eat.
Now, I’m not saying that you should let yourself get to the point of being starving, but hunger is a good thing. I used to fear my hunger. I would eat before I got hungry because I hated the feeling of being ‘over hungry’. But hungry and over hungry are not the same things.
When you’re hungry it means that your metabolism is fired up and ready to go. If you don’t allow yourself to get hungry, I don’t think you can also recognize when you are full.
Nutrition professionals recommend that you evaluate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10. It’s okay to feel a 4. You shouldn’t let yourself get to 10 – that’s the danger zone of being so hungry you can’t stop eating. Everyone is going to be different, but it’s recommended that when you reach a 6ish, that’s when you should eat. Intuitive Eating experts suggest pausing during your meal to reevaluate your hunger. This way you won’t eat to the point of being overstuffed.
It’s not okay to just eat because it’s been a set amount of time since your last meal. You should eat when you are hungry. Yes, that hunger should appear after 2-3 hours if you are eating small meals and your metabolism is working in a healthy way. But don’t eat just because the clock tells you to.
Eat because you’re hungry. Eat to nourish your body. Eat to enjoy the flavor and experience of the food.
I’m hoping that my Fat 2 Fit friends are using the term ‘you’re never hungry’ to mean that they feel satisfied between meals and then get hungry in time to eat again.
Do you agree? Is a decent amount of hunger a good thing?
I am not a trained nutrition professional. I am working towards that goal. Please consult a professional before making important changes to your diet. This blog is my opinion.
I love this post!! I’ve never really declared myself an “intuitive eater” – but I think it’s pretty clear that I am. It’s just one of the elements of my lifestyle, and I’ve learned to listen to my body. Especially on those weekends when it says it wants pancakes
What I find so interesting about Intuitive Eating is watching how good my kids are at it. They won’t eat if they aren’t hungry. That’s why I loved Katie’s article on how we lose out IE skills. Great job on listening to your body. Especially on the pancakes.
When I am alone, it’s much easier to eat when I am hungry. However, with work and other people to consider, I often eat when the clock deems it to a certain extent.
I heard an interesting bit of info on one of the podcasts I listen to; the study was about plate size and how people will feel full if their plate is full, so they filled up a 9 inch plate vs what most of our plates are, a 12 inch plate and both times the person felt the same amount of “full”. It’s amazing how the brain can trick us!
I agree that it’s hard to eat completely intuitively when trying to fit in the day (work, school, etc).
That study is interesting. I do try to serve meals on the smallest plates possible. If it’s just tacos or like a rice and meat, then I’ll totally go for the smaller plates. It’s such a good idea.
I agree with Kyria that it’s easier to do when alone versus with others. My youngest is really good at just eating when he is hungry. Even when offered ice cream, if he is full, he will say no. I love it!
I love that for your son! My kids are like that too. I love when they get dessert and then say “oh, I’m full, I can’t finish it”. I wish they will remember that forever.
YES! i definitely agree. this was a great post. i still struggle with this myself at times but it has been something i have made a point of working on as it is one of the key components that i usually include in the treatment i do with individuals with eating disorders!
I totally struggle at times with this, too (as in today and the added stress of final exams – bad move).
I don’t like to feel hungry. When I get to that point it’s not fun for anyone!
It’s so true that kids know their own hunger/full points. Along the way it gets lost. I’m a constant work in progress in intuitive eating.
I’m a mess when I’m over-hungry. The trick is that point when you’re hungry, but not over-hungry. With a busy life, it can be hard to stay on the healthy side of the line. Thanks for commenting.
I really enjoyed this post. Thank you! I’m not even sure if I know what (real) hunger even feels like anymore.
You’re welcome. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I love hearing from fellow dietetic students.
I like to eat when I feel hunger coming on…because if I wait until the point when I’m super hungry, I find that I have trouble satiating myself. It’s a tough balance!
It is such a tough balance. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
It is eye opening. I’ve been learning how to take deep breaths when I’m done with something yummy. I remind myself to savor it and to know that there can be more another time. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, I do agree. I’ve recently gotten much better at gauging and respecting my body’s hunger levels. Now, I enjoy preparing a snack or sitting down to a meal much more when I am actually ready for it!
Yes! Food is so much more enjoyable when you take the time to savor it. Yum!
[...] Hungry – Carrie discusses the idea of intuitive eating and the debate over whether or not it’s okay to allow yourself to get hungry. Very interesting discussion – warning: this post may be triggering for those who have suffered or are suffering from eating disorders. [...]