HUNGERI think many of you have forgotten that hunger is actually a totally natural thing. It is not something that you need to worry about, highlight or cover up, be ashamed of, be angry with or analyse too much. It just happens. Like feeling cold..You’d add a layer of clothing. Or feel too hot …you take off a layer of clothing.
Hunger. It its simplest form, your brain is telling you that your body is running low on nutrients and needs a top up. Like the fuel gauge in your car telling you it’s time to fill up. And you always respond to that……without attaching an emotion to it.
Let us s continue with the somewhat childish car comparison, because it’s an easy one for me to use.
- #1 So the fuel tank says it’s nearly empty.
You drive into a petrol station [your kitchen]
Go to the fuel pump [pantry/fridge]
Let us pretend your car is running on Diesel. [Healthy mix of foods]
But instead of the Diesel pump [healthy foods] you decide to take the petrol pump [wrong foods for your body] and fill up your car with that. 🤔
You pay …you drive a few metres and then BOOM.. 😳
Car [your body] breaks down. It cannot run on the wrong fuel. Your car [your body] gets sick and it will take a long time to fix it, if you are lucky and have not done irreversible damage to your body or the car…
- #2 Your car is telling you that the fuel tank is running low. But you ignore it. Ha! Not gonna give in. 😛
What happens?
BOOM…fuel runs out. Car [your body] stops. It cannot, under any circumstances, run without its proper fuel. Impossible.
- #3 You just filled up your car. [eaten] You paid and drive off around the corner for a few meters and think…
‘Hmmm..I think I better top up..[eat again] The fuel gauge is already down a smidgen…better top up now or else I may run out.
You go to the next petrol station and start filling up the car. Again. 😨
But of course it is fairly full and the fuel just spills over instead of going into the tank to be used for energy [unnecessary food goes into your system and you gain weight]
Full tank? You don’t need to fill up again. Does not work for your car or body.
So, how can you stop yourself from these scenarios occurring to your body?
Scenario #1 Choose the right fuel/foods for health. Food that was meant for your body to stay healthy
Scenario #2 Eat when your body is low on fuel. Eat. But choose good food and the right amount. Eating is a must. it’s not something that you can avoid, need to be ashamed of or angry with.
Scenario #3 If you’ve placed the right fuel into your car/body just a little while ago…the right amount [not just a drop of fuel or a lettuce leaf] then you know you can drive along for a while without having to top up.
You should be able to go without any more food after your last decent meal for about 3 to 4 hours. Unless you are a diabetic, nothing bad will happen to you if you do NOT eat for three to four hours after having had a well balanced meal.
Depending how active you are and your unique body, for a few hours you will be totally fine. If after one hour of eating you want to eat again, then something has gone wrong.
Either you did not eat enough. OR you are thirsty but are mistaking it for hunger…OR you got into a habit of eating something all the time….
Think about it. Do you really need to eat an hour or two after a main meal? Maybe not. Ride the wave, have a tea [fixes everything] and wait another hour or so and then have a snack. Done.
If you cannot wait, then eat something sensible and be done with it.
Hummus and veg sticks, a protein shake, a veg soup with a cracker…anything that is on a list of foods that is good for your body.
Main thing is: do not attach emotions to eating.
Hungry? Eat!
Peckish? Eat something little.
Bored and in a bad habit of picking at food?
Drink some water, disregard the cue and paint your nails or go for a walk.
If afterwards you are still wanting to eat: an apple and nuts sound good to me
Until next time.
Yours in Health,
Nicki.