Food is delicious. Sure, it can keep your body healthy and help you maintain a desirable weight. But, we’re not really reaching for that extra handful of chips for the nutrition. Or that box of gummy bears for the weight-loss. Food is more than just its nutritional value – it’s comforting, it’s tasty, and sometimes, it’s just something to do. When you’re sitting in front of the tv after a long day at work, or trying to wait for dinner to finish cooking, it’s easy to just munch on a little something here or there. And when you’re sad or stressed, or even happy and excited, you might reach for the comfort of a nice chocolate cupcake, or reward your success with an extra large fry!
Now, don’t get me wrong, eating and food definitely doesn’t have to ALL be just for fueling your body. And it shouldn’t be! But, mindless eating can sabotage not just our weight loss efforts, but also your health. So, how do you stop the cycle? How do you make sure you provide your body with the nutrition it needs, still enjoy your eating experiences, and avoid going overboard on calories and nutrient-poor junk?
Now, there are certainly some nuances to the strategy, but, the first, and really only, “rule”, is this – Are you Hungry? Yes, you should definitely make mostly healthy food choices when you’re hungry. No, even if you’re starving, candy bars and chips shouldn’t be your go-to. But, at the end of the day, if you’re not hungry, you really shouldn’t be eating, period. Upset? Take a walk or a bath. Excited? Call a friend, plan a fun celebration dinner out for when you’re ACTUALLY hungry. Bored? Do something! Ok, but how do you know if you’re hungry, right? Food sounds good, isn’t that enough? When you have a desire to eat, ask yourself these questions…
H – Hunger or Thirst? Have a glass of water and see if that makes things better.
U – Understimulated? (Bored?!) – take a walk. Call a friend. Take up knitting.
N – Not feeling good? (sad? Lonely? Stressed?)
G – Growing? Is the “hunger” getting stronger? True hunger grows over time.
R – Reflex (everyone else is eating; feel compelled to clean your plate)
Y – Yearning (want something crunchy, sweet, etc.)
None of these are TRUE hunger. So, DON’T eat! Make some herbal tea. Read a book. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re not. And when you are hungry, choose healthy, nutrient-dense foods 90% of the time, and indulgent foods the other 10%. Save room for dessert, if that’s what you want. Make chips part of the meal. You don’t have to restrict yourself all the time, and shouldn’t! As that will lead to binges and overeating. But, when you’re going to indulge, don’t make it worse for your waistline or weight by doing it when you’re already full. Remember, eat when you’re hungry, don’t if you’re not!
*Originally posted at CoreLifemd.com
Now, there are certainly some nuances to the strategy, but, the first, and really only, “rule”, is this – Are you Hungry? Yes, you should definitely make mostly healthy food choices when you’re hungry. No, even if you’re starving, candy bars and chips shouldn’t be your go-to. But, at the end of the day, if you’re not hungry, you really shouldn’t be eating, period. Upset? Take a walk or a bath. Excited? Call a friend, plan a fun celebration dinner out for when you’re ACTUALLY hungry. Bored? Do something! Ok, but how do you know if you’re hungry, right? Food sounds good, isn’t that enough? When you have a desire to eat, ask yourself these questions…
H – Hunger or Thirst? Have a glass of water and see if that makes things better.
U – Understimulated? (Bored?!) – take a walk. Call a friend. Take up knitting.
N – Not feeling good? (sad? Lonely? Stressed?)
G – Growing? Is the “hunger” getting stronger? True hunger grows over time.
R – Reflex (everyone else is eating; feel compelled to clean your plate)
Y – Yearning (want something crunchy, sweet, etc.)
None of these are TRUE hunger. So, DON’T eat! Make some herbal tea. Read a book. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re not. And when you are hungry, choose healthy, nutrient-dense foods 90% of the time, and indulgent foods the other 10%. Save room for dessert, if that’s what you want. Make chips part of the meal. You don’t have to restrict yourself all the time, and shouldn’t! As that will lead to binges and overeating. But, when you’re going to indulge, don’t make it worse for your waistline or weight by doing it when you’re already full. Remember, eat when you’re hungry, don’t if you’re not!
*Originally posted at CoreLifemd.com