Guys, food is literally everywhere. It’s in ads, menus, social media, in the streets, even in our conversations!
It’s gotten SO hard lately to tell if you’re really hungry or if it’s just a day-to-day habit.
Now, before you pft! Medspurs, please, I can tell when I’m really hungry and close this article, real hunger isn’t just about a growling stomach. It’s a mix of three things. They are your biology, your psychology, and your habits.
And to know if you’re truly hungry, you need to really listen to your body’s signals and understand WHY you want to eat. Stay with me.
The Key Takeaway.
True hunger is your body’s way of asking for energy, not your tummy’s craving habits. Knowing the difference? It’d help you eat with intention and mindfully. Trust that your body knows what it needs.
It Starts In The Brain, Not Your Tummy.
Real hunger starts in your brain, not your stomach.
Ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” tells your brain you need food, while leptin, the “fullness hormone,” says you’ve had enough.
Guess what? These hormones are greatly affected by your sleep, stress, and diet. Bad sleep? Or Bad diet? Ghrelin goes up, leptin goes down, and out of the blues, you’re hungry when you don’t need to be.
Practice The Pause.
Next time you feel like eating, pause for a second. Imagine eating plain rice or boiled potatoes. Does that sound good, or does it make you uninterested all of a sudden? Real hunger is about giving your body fuel, so, of course it’d sound good but cravings on the other hand? It is usually about those treats.
Make Sure It Is Physical.
Real hunger shows up as a light growling in your stomach, a bit of tiredness, or trouble focusing here and there and some feelings of tummy emptiness. As for cravings? It’s sudden and urgent, it demands for attention right away and is usually triggered by something.
Give It 5 Minutes.
Before you eat, sit with that “hunger” for five minutes. This little pause lets your body’s signals either get stronger or fade away. If it’s real hunger, it’ll stick around and get more intense. If it’s a craving, it’ll disappear when you do something else. Mindfulness is the name of the game. Have you heard that before?
If It’s A Habit, Disrupt It.
Sometimes, your “hunger” is just a habit. If you always eat at 6PM or have dessert after dinner, your body starts expecting food at those times, even if it doesn’t need it. It’s like setting an alarm for 6PM and expecting it not to ring.
So, try taking a quick nap, walking, or calling a friend during those usual times. This way, you will shake up the pattern and teach your body to ask for what it needs when you truly need it.
