To Eat or not to Eat

Article from Michelle Fowler.

"Am I hungry?" Trying to come up with the answer to this question can really be tough. You think you're hungry, but maybe that's just because the clock says it's lunchtime, or because you're bored or anxious about a work project.

It's important to be able to discern when you are actually in need of some re-fueling, and when you're about to eat "just because." You are the only one who can decide. But making the call as to whether or not you're actually hungry doesn't have to be agonizing or tedious. It just takes a little vigilance.

Listen to your hunger signals

By asking yourself how hungry you feel on a scale of zero to five — zero being famished and five being stuffed — you can really gauge your level of hunger. Aim for feeling satisfied, meaning you shouldn't ever let yourself get too hungry or too full (which normally comes from overeating because you were too hungry when you sat down to a meal).
Whether you're couting POINTS® values or using the Simply Filling technique, the benefits of the Momentum™ plan are maximized by listening to your hunger signals. Still unsure about whether or not you are truly hungry? Try these tips:

1. Wait 30 minutes. If you're still hungry, then you should probably eat. But if going for a walk or reading a magazine helped get rid of your hunger signals, you probably aren't ready for more food just yet.
   


2. Identify environmental cues. Is it the smell of the fast food fries in the mall that made you hungry? If so, that's probably not true hunger.


3. 
   Measure your emotions. Is that hunger — or boredom, stress, anxiety, etc...?


4. 
   Ask: When did I eat last? If it was more than three hours ago, you're probably ready for something to eat again.


5. 
   Take it slow. It takes a while for fullness to register, so don't overdo it before your stomach has a chance to tell your brain it's full.