Is It Really Hunger?

“Hungry” is a catch-all

What does hungry even mean? We say it when we're actually hungry — and when we're bored, angry, nervous, restless, or sad. So much of what we call hunger is really an attempt to numb a feeling or fill an empty space. Learning to tell the two apart is one of the most freeing things you will ever do for yourself.

True hunger vs. emotional hunger

If it's true hunger, chances are: the feeling came on gradually; you're open to several different foods; you'll put your fork down when you're full; and you feel good when you're done.

If it's emotional hunger, chances are: it hit all of a sudden; there's a sense of urgency; only one particular food will do; you keep eating even though you're full; and you feel guilty or uncomfortable afterward.

Name it, then feel it

When the urge comes, pause and ask: is this true hunger, or a ritual? If it's real, eat something. If it's not, try to name the feeling — bored, lonely, anxious, tired — and then allow yourself to actually feel it. This small mind-expedition goes a long way. It raises your awareness and quietly ends the cycle of eating when you aren't really hungry. As you tune in to yourself, the cravings soften on their own.

Three things to try first

1. Hydrate. Drink water, or a warm cup of herbal tea. It fills you, gives your body a real alternative, and very often ends the craving all by itself. Try it. Please?

2. Switch gears. Go outside, take a walk, phone a friend, or lose yourself in a project for a few minutes.

3. Just feel what you feel. If you stay with the feeling and don't start snacking, it will pass — and you get to notice how strong you actually are. Go you.

And when you are hungry, listen

Real hunger deserves real food. Have your snack — hummus and vegetables, guacamole, nut butter with apple slices, a fresh green juice — and have it mindfully, in a peaceful spot, not standing over the counter. Then let that genuine hunger teach you something: maybe you need more protein at dinner, or a little more healthy fat through the day. Your cravings are often just your body asking for something it's missing.