We’ve all been there, you’ve had a long day, you finally lay in bed and suddenly you are ravenous. Your stomach is growling and you’re maybe wondering, “Where did this come from?”
With everything we have going on in our lives-school, work, relationships, family, it can be easy to neglect our hunger cues. Not to mention, we have diet culture around every corner telling us to ignore our hunger in the name of thinness.
Here’s the thing – to do all these things on your to-do lists, you need consistent fuel. The more you neglect your hunger cues, the easier it is to forget to put “take care of yourself” on your to-do list.
Plus ignoring hunger cues always backfires – either resulting in extreme fatigue or extreme hunger at the end of the day.
Here’s where listening to our bodies comes in as the golden tool! Did you know feeling hungry doesn’t just show up as your stomach growling? Hunger manifests differently for everyone, but here are some ways to identify it if you’re a little out of practice noticing your cues!
-
You’re thinking a lot about food. What are you going to eat at your next meal? What are you going to eat tomorrow?
-
You’re feeling really fatigued/tired, having difficulty focusing, and/or feel dizzy and have a headache.
-
You feel on edge, irritable, or the classic term “hangry.”
-
Your stomach feels empty (first stages of hunger) or is growling or in pain (advanced stages of hunger).
It’s important to listen for these cues and be ready with something to eat when hunger strikes. Also, notice your hunger patterns.
At what time of the day does hunger usually hit? And what do you usually feel like eating at that point of the day? What foods make your body feel best at that hour? With a little planning ahead you can be ready to address your body’s request for food with a delicious and satisfying meal or snack.