Are you really hungry?

Are You Really Hungry?

Article By: Diana Kelly




We'll help you determine whether you're really hungry or just feel like eating because of your surroundings.

It's 8 p.m. and you're relaxing in front of the TV. You ate a healthy and satisfying dinner and are proud of how well you stuck to the plan today. Then a commercial comes on for a new chocolate candy and your mouth starts watering. You have to have something sweet now. You're craving it, right?

Not exactly. What you've just experienced is an urge, a desire for food after a situational or emotional stimulation (like an advertisement). You weren't thinking about sweets until that commercial came on. A craving is a longing for a specific food, often one you've been denying yourself (perhaps a favorite cookie you have "given up").

Urges and cravings are two of the most common reasons most of us overeat. By learning how to identify which is which, we can create strategies for how to handle these desires when they crop up.

The next time you experience an urge after watching an enticing commercial; ask yourself if you're really hungry. If the answer is no, try to manage the situation by having a glass of water or brushing and flossing your teeth and waiting for the urge to pass. Then pat yourself on the back for not giving in.

Handle a craving by having a few strategies up your sleeve for when the feeling strikes. Let's say you've given up a favorite peanut butter cookie. Lately you've been thinking about the cookie throughout the day. Attempting to satisfy that craving with low-fat peanut butter and crackers isn't working. Should you give in and indulge?

Consider the consequences of eating the cookie. If it's just one cookie and you have room in your weekly PointsPlus™ Allowance for it, then enjoy the treat. Maybe you want to explore recipes through our Recipe Search feature and find an alternative with a lower PointsPlus value. Either way, acknowledge that you thought about your options and be proud of strategizing your way through a craving.