You know when you’re SO full but need a lil somethin’ sweet?
This is mental hunger or more so commonly known as emotional hunger.
So what’s the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger?
- Physical hunger:
comes on gradually and is tied to the last time you ate. your stomach has fully digested your last meal and is now sending cues to your brain that it’s empty + that the body needs more fuel to keep functioning.
- Emotional hunger:
comes on suddenly after eating a meal and being properly satisfied. strong cravings, feeling of never being able to be full, wanting a new taste in your mouth / something to feel good.
I know at the end of the meal I ALWAYS need something sweet — no matter how stuffed I feel — and I know this is an emotional habit built up by continuous acts of giving into the craving.
…and sometimes it’s good to “give in” and have that sweet, but I also know that for many this can lead to binge type actions where if one cookie is good, then two more are better.
After a meal, wait 15-20 minutes. drink some water. talk to a friend. then ask yourself: are you full? do you feel you need more food? is the craving still all you can think about?
Usually, I forget about the craving after waiting that long, and usually end up realizing I feel completely fine.
OK, say you’re at a restaurant and the waiter dangles the dessert menu. If you feel full, but feel the craving, go to the bathroom, sip some water, and usually by the time you get back — you’re stomach has had enough time to fully send your brain the “I’m all good!!” signal.
It takes time. It takes practice. It takes building a new habit — but I promise as you continue it gets easier to discern whether hunger is coming from a physical need versus an emotional want.