Physical vs. Emotional Hunger: How To Tell The Difference
Are you really hungry or are you just bored? How many of us have admitted to being “emotional eaters” or caught ourselves in the middle of stress eating? How often do you eat when you’re truly hungry? Or do we mostly let our emotions, habits, compulsions, etc drive our eating patterns?
While I’m all about listening to our body’s hunger cues, it’s fascinating how long we can actually go without food. In fact, many people fast for days or even weeks for religious or spiritual purposes all the time. While most of us can hardly go two hours without putting food in our mouths (including yours truly). So are we genuinely hungry? Let’s decode what triggers our eating habits and how to handle those impulses.
Emotional Eating
I’ll admit, I can be an emotional eater.
And I’d bet a lot of us are! A shot of dopamine when we’re feeling stressed, anxious or sad can feel quite beneficial in the moment.
However, in the long run, it provides no benefit, especially considering the root of what is causing these emotions hasn’t been dealt with. Although it can be comforting temporarily, it often comes with negative consequences.
Most of us aren’t sitting down with a well-rounded homemade meal or salad when we’re stressed. We’re reaching for those high fat, loaded with sugar processed foods for instant gratification.
Instilling this habit can lead to a myriad of negative consequences for our physical, mental, and aesthetic well-being.
So, how can we hit pause when we’re searching for a quick-fix comfort food while emotions are running high? There are a number of tricks and they all have one thing in common: creating space between us and the temptation.
Maybe this is creating an environment where you don’t allow certain types of food in your house. Or practicing a few minutes of mindfulness like going on a walk, journaling or meditation.
Don’t be afraid to sit with the emotion. Recognize and allow yourself to feel and let the emotion pass - what’s the real solution to XYZ problem? Hint: it’s not eating.
This won’t always be easy, and there will likely be times where you slip up - and that’s okay. Nobody is perfect all the time. But recognizing emotions don’t have to dictate our actions is a powerful first step towards healthier habits.
Compulsive Eating
Have you ever eaten when you know you’re not hungry?
Especially during epic restaurant outings or holiday feasts where you’re more likely to eat until you’re uncomfortably full. Likely a good sign we should have stopped eating about 10 bites ago.
Compulsive eating can start as true hunger but turn into a snack-attack while we scarf down just about anything we can get our hands on. It can also look like letting boredom help us polish off a bag of chips or popcorn while mindlessly watching TV.
Trying to pump the brakes on a compulsive behavior mid-ride can be incredibly difficult and often leaves us feeling discouraged.
The best way to avoid compulsive eating is to have a plan. Understand the environments where you’re most likely to indulge and plan accordingly.
If you’re going out to eat, take a look at the restaurant’s menu ahead of time and plan what you’ll order before you arrive.
Returning home late and you know you'll be starving? Meal prep in advance so you just have to heat it up and enjoy.
Home office has you feeling snacky throughout the day? Pack your kitchen with health conscious snacks and portion them into single-serving bags so you’re likely to munch mindlessly.
With compulsive eating, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Set yourself up for success by recognizing your triggers and planning accordingly.
True Hunger
When you’re truly hungry, you’ll eat anything.
A plate full of plain veggies should sound delicious to you! However, it’s possible to have dysregulated hunger signals from lack of sleep or poor hydration. Pure hunger isn’t always the easiest to identify.
So how do we ensure we’re only eating when we’re truly hungry? Check in with yourself.
How are you feeling emotionally?
What sounds good to you?
Could you eat just about anything or are you craving a specific food?
When was the last time you drank water and hydrated yourself?
All of these are questions to ask yourself to confirm if the hunger you’re feeling is physical or emotional/mental.
With that said, I’m all for honoring your hunger signals and not villainizing food. If you feel hungry, eat something. But do your best to make sure that something is wholesome and nourishing to ensure it will satisfy and fuel you.
