Listening to Your Body’s Hunger Signals

I was talking with a new client the other day and I asked her to describe her appetite.  She thought for a minute, then told me, “I can’t really say that I ever get hungry.”  She ate frequently throughout the day (maybe a little too frequently), and on a fairly set schedule.  So she relied on the clock – not her hunger – to tell her when it was time to eat.  And when I asked her how she knew when she’d had enough –that it was time to stop eating – she was completely stumped.  “I don’t have a clue,” she said.  “I’ve never really thought about it.”

When I ask questions like this, what I hope to hear someone say is that they eat when they feel hungry and stop eating when they feel satisfied – not stuffed – and their hunger is gone.  But when clients tell me that they don’t get hungry – or that the signal to stop eating is that “there’s no food left” – it tells me that when their body is speaking to them, they’re just not listening.

Your body sends clear and unmistakable signals when it needs attention.  You know what it means when your mouth is dry, your eyelids are heavy or your bladder is full.  And while you might be able to ignore those signals for a little while – sooner or later you’ll be driven to drink something, get some sleep, or make a trip to the restroom.

If you think of hunger and fullness the same way – as clear signals from your body that it’s time to eat or time to stop – it can really help to regulate your how much food you eat.  To be fair, not everyone feels hunger quite the same way – most feel a little rumble in the stomach, but some get a little lightheaded or their thinking gets fuzzy when their blood sugar dips between meals.  But these are still very clear signals coming from within – your body is telling you that it’s getting low on fuel. And when your stomach begins to fill, nerve impulses are sent to the brain, telling you that you’re satisfied – at which point, it’s appropriate to stop.

When we’re thirsty, we generally will drink – not to excess – but until our bodies tell us that we’re not thirsty any more.  But when you eat, do you stop eating when you’re not hungry any more? Or do you stop because you’re stuffed?  Or do you stop because your plate is empty, or because you’ve scraped the last helping out of the serving plate?

Learning to recognize your body’s natural signals of hunger and satisfaction – and responding appropriately – are skills worth practicing.  Try keeping a food diary for a couple of days.  Each time you eat, rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 means you’re weak and starving, and 10 means you’re so stuffed you almost feel sick) both before you start eating and after you’ve finished.  Ideally, you want to start eating when your hunger is at about a 3 or 4 – your stomach is growling a little and you feel ready to eat – and you want to stop when you’re at about a 5 or 6, which means that you’re satisfied and pleasantly full.

It’s amazing how this little exercise can help to put you back in touch with your body. When your body starts to tell you it needs fuel, don’t ignore the signals.  If your usual habit is to let yourself get too hungry (a 1 or 2 on your hunger scale), you’re likely to overeat (hitting a 9 or 10).  Train yourself to eat just enough so that you’re comfortable, satisfied and no longer hungry – not until you’re stuffed.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

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Did your New Year’s resolutions include a vow to “eat right”?  Many of us make that promise to ourselves in January, but by about March we find our old eating habits sneaking back up on us. Maybe you tried to tackle too much – or maybe you hadn’t really thought about what ‘eating right’ really means.  Eating right involves more than just  making the right food choices – it’s also about eating the right foods at the right time.  So here are seven tips to help you to ‘eat right.’

 Eat right when you get up.  You don’t need to eat immediately upon awakening, but it’s really important to eat in the morning.  Those who eat breakfast regularly are better able to control their weight, while breakfast skippers are likely to over-compensate and eat too much at lunch. If you can’t face much in the morning, try a bowl of oatmeal with a bit of protein powder stirred in, some fresh fruit with a scoop of cottage cheese or yogurt, or a protein shake made with protein powder, milk and fruit. 

 Eat right before you grocery shop.  If you do your shopping on an empty stomach, you’ll be like a kid in a candy store – everything will look good to you.  Grab a protein bar, a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts before you go out the door so you’ll be less tempted.  And make a list – and do your best to stick to it.  

 Eat right when it comes to fats.  We need small amounts of fat in the diet, but most of us eat too much.  And, some fats – like the ones naturally present in fish, tree nuts, olives and avocados – are healthier than others. Healthy fats add flavor, so add avocado or nuts to your salad, or a dab of flavorful olive oil to steamed veggies.

 Eat right before you work out.  You need to fuel up before your exercise – especially if you work out first thing in the morning.  If you don’t have much time to eat beforehand, easy-to-digest foods like smoothies, soups or yogurt do the trick.  If you have a few hours to digest before you head out, have a regular meal with plenty of healthy carbs – whole grain breads, brown rice, pasta, fruits and veggies – to keep you going strong.  

 Eat right after you exercise.  After a good workout, your body might be low on fuel, so try to eat something within 30-45 minutes after you finish your exercise.  Your muscles are looking to fruits, vegetables and whole grains to help replenish their stock of carbohydrates – and a shot of protein to help them recover.

 Eat right when you eat out.   We eat so many meals out these days that dining out isn’t the special occasion it used to be.  Resist the urge to splurge when you’re out.  If you’re trying to cut your calories, split an entrée with a friend and order an extra salad.  Or, skip the starchy sides and double up on veggies.  Ask for dressings and sauces on the side so you can control how much you eat. 

 Eat right at night.  A lot of people eat lightly or skip meals during the day, only to eat huge amounts of calories between dinner and bedtime.  But when you do most of your eating at night, your brain and muscles don’t get the fuel they need for your daily physical and mental activities.  Instead, distribute your calories over fairly evenly over your meals and snacks.  If after-dinner snacking is piling on the pounds, try brushing your teeth right after dinner  – it’s one of the best ways to signal that you’re done eating for the day.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

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