If the phone rings, the first thing you do is pick it up, simple enough, you don’t really think about this action. The same thing usually happens when we “feel” hungry. We are inclined to eat or drink something to satisfy that hunger (usually sugary). But are we actually hungry? Can we control it?
Well here is a quick insight to hunger.
When you get that hungry feeling, are you really hungry?
We can be overwhelmed by the smell of breakfast cooking as we walk by a cafe in the morning, the food adverts plastered all over the streets and of course, others around us scoffing their faces on bakery goods. All these ‘messages’ are basically saying to your brain ‘TIME FOR FOOD!’ even though we might not be hungry. It’s important to remember that hunger happens over time (within a few hours) not in a few minutes, at a time like this ask yourself, am I really hungry or is it the environment? If the temptation is strong, remember that the feeling is likely to pass once you’re out of that environment.
After an overnight fast the last thing the body wants to do is start the day on an empty tank. Skipping breakfast is likely to lead to hunger pangs during the mid morning which is usually solved with high calorie sugary snacks and energy drinks. So if you’re skipping breakfast to help you lose weight, there is a chance that the opposite could be occurring.
Keeping on the topic of high sugary foods (sweets, chocolates and biscuits), after an initial binge your blood sugar levels shoot up, followed by a sharp decrease due to the presence of insulin trying to get your blood sugar levels stable (the sugar crash/comedown). There is a point where your sugar levels go down below the stable range, which is usually when you start to feel hungry again and consume more sugary treats to get it back up again, this vicious cycle can lead to diabetes in the long term. Moderation is key!
It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register fullness which signals you to stop eating, but many of us eat too much, too quickly and by then we are full. It is important to eat slowly and chew your food as digestion starts in the mouth. By being mindful of each bite we can enjoy our food more and avoid overeating by stopping when we are full.
Sometimes your stomach can play tricks, we might have this feeling of hunger but recall eating less than an hour ago, why might you suddenly feel hungry? It is possible that you’re thirsty instead. Try drinking a glass of water and then see whether you really are peckish.
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