Do you ever find yourself eating because you might get hungry?
This is what I call preventative eating. Actually my daughter and I made up this term when we noticed she would be snacking because she was just worried about being hungry. She wasn’t actually hungry! Preventative eating is a form of emotional hunger.
Hunger is a physical sensation letting you know it’s time to bring some food onboard. It’s not an emergency.
Let’s repeat–hunger is not an actual emergency.
Our lower (or primitive) brain believes it is because it has no idea that there is a grocery store within a mile and a restaurant on every corner. Not to mention the full refrigerator and pantry most of my clients have, the vending machine in the break room, the free food brought in by a coworker, etc. We know there is plenty of food around. But our primitive brain is always worried about where the next meal will come from because that’s it’s job. That’s your brain working correctly.
When you stop worrying about getting hungry and focus on actual hunger, (not emotional hunger) using the Hunger Scale, you will be surprised by how many times your brain suggests that you eat. You will start to notice that the physical sensation of hunger actually happens way less often that you think. Take long breaks between meals or try not snacking and see when you start to feel some physical hunger. Not based on the clock and how long ago you ate. Or how long it will be till your next meal. Not based on what you ate that you have thoughts about like “it won’t keep me full very long.” Not based on desires or urges for foods not on your protocol.
I’m talking about true physical hunger. The sensation that starts in the body and travels to the brain. Not the thought that starts in the brain and travels to the body. Be on to your brain! Notice when it offers you thoughts of hunger when you aren’t feeling physical hunger.
Preventative eating is common with my clients. They worry they will get hungry later so they eat now. They think they need to eat every few hours. I promise this is not necessary.
Let’s just stop eating when we are worried we might get hungry and eat only when we are hungry!
Having trouble identifying physical hunger vs. emotional hunger? Book a free strategy session with me and I’ll show you how to do it!
