Hunger is the Best Seasoning
By Michelle May, M.D.
You were born knowing exactly how And you'll perpetuate this cycle if you Trust Your Gut Instincts
much to eat. Hunger is your body's teach your children the same things. To break out of the pattern of eating
way of telling you that you need fuel. Hunger is Your Natural Guide on autopilot, get in the habit of asking
By reconnecting with your instinctive yourself, "Am I hungry?" every time
signals, you can manage your eating Reconnecting with your hunger
signals helps you manage your eating you feel like eating. This simple but
without restrictive dieting or powerful question will help you
obsessing over every bite of food you effortlessly. Here's how:
recognize the difference between an
put in your mouth. You'll eat less food when you're urge to eat caused by the physical
eating to satisfy physical hunger need for food from an urge to eat
than if you eat to satisfy other caused by head hunger.
needs. Think about it. If you
Look for symptoms like hunger
aren't hungry when you start
pangs, gnawing, growling, emptiness,
eating, how do you know when to
low energy, shakiness, or headache.
stop? When the food is gone of
Notice that hunger is physical. It's not
course!
a craving, a thought or a temptation.
You’re more likely to choose By focusing on hunger as your guide,
foods that nourish you. If you you can become your own internal
aren't hungry but you're eating expert about when, what and how
because you are sad, mad or much to eat.
Perhaps you've ignored hunger for so glad, what kinds of foods do you
long that you've forgotten how to want? That's when you’re more Food for Thought
recognize it. Maybe you even blame likely to want chocolate, cookies, What specific signs of hunger do
hunger for your issues with food and chips, or other snacks and you usually have?
see it as the enemy. Perhaps you comfort foods.
What other thoughts and feelings
confuse hunger with all the other Food actually tastes better when do you confuse with hunger at
reasons you feel like eating, like you're physically hungry. Hunger times?
mealtime, boredom, stress, or tasty really is the best seasoning—so
food. you eat less but enjoy it more. What else could you do besides
At the same time, you may have eat when you feel like eating
You’ll feel more satisfied because
even though you’re not hungry?
learned to ignore the feeling of food is great for reducing hunger
satisfaction so you eat until you’re but not so great for reducing
stuffed and very uncomfortable. boredom, stress or other triggers. Michelle May, M.D. is a recovered yoyo
Perhaps you "clean your plate," dieter and the award-winning author of
You’ll notice you’re hungry before Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat:
"never waste food," and "eat all your you get too hungry; that
dinner if you want dessert," instead of How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat
decreases overeating! Cycle. Download chapter one at
stopping when you've had enough.
http://amihungry.com/chapter1.
Copyright MMXIV, Michelle May, M.D. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint, email [email protected]
