Part one: Tuning into your Body's Cues
Is it hard for you to know when you're hungry and when to stop eating? Are you frustrated because you're finding it hard to control portion sizes?
How did food and eating get so complicated and confusing? As babies, we knew exactly when we needed nourishment and how to get fed. We were in tune with our bodies and reacted to the signals it sent us. Today, with all the distractions and stress, it can be challenging to listen to the daily feedback our body provides us: cues to eat, cues to stop eating, cues to rest . . .
The good news is that we all have the innate ability to eat in response to internal cues. Consider using the hunger-fullness scale below to learn more about your eating patterns.
- Empty- You probably haven't eaten in 7+ hours. Maybe you're feeling nauseous, weak, or dizzy. These are all signs that your body is begging for food.
- Ravenous- All you can think about is food. Because you're so hungry, once you do eat it's likely you will over-eat probably on high-carbohydrate foods because your brain desperately needs your blood sugar to increase. This is not about willpower; it is a strong survival mechanism.
- Over-hungry- You've been thinking about food for a while now. You might be irritable or have trouble concentrating. Maybe you feel tired or have a headache. Your stomach might also be aching by now.
- Hunger pangs- It's time to eat. Your body is trying to tell you it needs food. You start to salivate when you think of something that tastes good, and your stomach might be growling. It's likely your energy level is starting to decrease.
- Hunger Awakens- Eating isn't your biggest priority, but you're planning to do it in the next hour or so.
- Neutral- You aren't really hungry but you might have a light snack if someone offers you something.
- Just satisfied- You aren't hungry anymore, but probably will be again fairly soon.
- Completely satisfied- You got your fill of the food you wanted and probably won't need to eat again for 3-5 hours.
- Full- You had just a couple bites too many. You might feel a bit bloated like you need to undo the top button of your pants.
- Stuffed- Your eating experience has surpassed pleasure and is now uncomfortable.
- Sick- You feel like you could throw up or like you need to lie down.
How to Use This Scale- Record your patterns using this example as a guide:
The Exploring Your Relationship with Food continued next month with PART TWO: The Connection between Thoughts, Feelings and Food Choices.
Written by Julie Taborsky, M.S. R.D