Hunger

 

Before I started on this path, one of the ways I justified my eating in excess was saying defensively that I honestly felt hungry, so I had to listen to my body. For me it was feel hungry? Then eat! But I’m learning that emotional eating can come from emotional hunger; which is very different from physical hunger. This week I want to share what I have learnt about this.

Emotional hunger hits you suddenly and with urgency, it can be overwhelming – for me it’s like someone lit a bulb in my head saying ‘GO EAT NOW!’ – I heard someone describe emotional hunger like a trying to take a bone from the dog – the dog just won’t let go! Physical hunger on the other hand, builds up in intensity- like a gently rising graph.

 

Most times after indulging in an episode of emotional eating I end up very remorseful and shamed by my lack of restraint. Do you feel ashamed or guilty after eating?

 

Ever felt like you were ‘hungry’, feeling not so much like your stomach needed food but like you just needed to eat something? Yes? That’s most likely emotional hunger. I am told (confession time) and I am still trying to learn the difference that real physical hunger feels like your ‘tank’ is getting empty, sometime there could be some growling (that’s possibly a sign of extreme physical hunger – don’t get to this point often).

 

Knowing my own patterns of eating, I know there are times when I eat, and eat, and eat, and eat…and eat long after my stomach is bursting. Chances are (in fact it is a safe bet) I have just indulged in some big time emotional eating. If it were physical hunger I was satisfying, chances are I would have known when to stop eating. I’m actually of the opinion that when you satisfy physical hunger rather than emotional hunger you are empowered to eat healthy.

 

Many times you will find me saying…’I am hungry and I want…[insert some very specific dish] now’. This could be a craving (twin sister of emotional hunger) and not physical hunger. Most times, only this very specific dish will ‘hit the spot’! When this happens, I do some self-talk to examine the nature of my craving/hunger and can make the choice to wait till I am really hungry before I indulge in the dish I want. This is easier said than done.

 

The amazing thing I have discovered is that emotional eating is a habit that we learn all through our lives to the point that it becomes an automatic response to whatever the root cause is. Even people who seem to have an ideal weight and good health can be emotional eaters – so don’t beat yourself up. The main point is finding out the reason why we have this destructive habit.

How do you differentiate between real (physical) hunger and emotional hunger in your own life? I’d like to learn from you. One thing that works for me is that I try to have fixed times for my meals - sometimes it works, other times not so much. I’ve also found that if I have a cup of tea or glass of water it controls the immediacy or urgency of what I am feeling and I am better able to make better decisions about my eating. It’s not easy -but I am working on it; because I am 100% committed to living a healthy life and to DROP IT 4 LIFE! You?

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