This is part 3 in a 5 part series about mindset shifts that changed my life (and of course, my body). To catch up on the first parts of the series, click here to read part 1 and click here to read part 2.
The third shift we’re going to explore today is considering if I’m even hungry. I know, it sounds super obvious, but it wasn’t even a consideration for most of my life. If it was offered or it looked good, I ate it (especially if I had been over restricting for a while).
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play. Otherwise, keep reading below.
Before we look more closely at that, I want to point out a trend in all 3 of these shifts we’ve talked about so far. They have one important thing in common:
Paying attention.
These are all really about shifting from not paying attention – being influenced and even ruled by impulse – to paying attention and asking great questions and, because of that, being more in control.
Back to hunger. For most of my life, I was always living in one of two extremes:
Over restriction or over indulgence.
It was never about hunger or if my body needed fuel. I was either trying to eat as little as possible, concerned only with the rules & restrictions of the diet-du-jour or I was overindulging – again, not worried about hunger, but just what I wanted.
Over-indulgence was, for me, usually a response to over-restriction.
I would get to a point where I just didn’t want to tell myself “no” anymore.
Here’s one of the beautiful things about asking myself if I’m hungry…
I’m never telling myself “no”, I’m just saying, at worst, “maybe later”.
I know I’ll feel hungry & need fuel again soon, so I’ll consider whatever it is then.
If I see some salted cashews and they look delish, it’s not about allowing myself or denying myself. It’s far simpler than that.
Am I hungry?
Does it make sense for my body to need more fuel right now?
When it comes to hunger, remember that it’s a spectrum. You can be kinda/maybe/a little hungry or you can be legit feed-me-now hungry.
I use the second question to help me navigate the hunger spectrum.
Does is make sense for my body to need more fuel right now?
Sometimes I don’t know the answer. If I’m not sure, I turn to common sense.
- When did I last eat?
- What did I last eat?
- How much did I last eat?
- What have I been doing since?
That gives me so much clarity and takes about 10 seconds to consider.
When I ate 20 minutes ago and have been sitting & writing since, I know the answer is no.
When it’s been an hour since a full meal and I’ve been sitting in front of the TV, I know my body doesn’t need more fuel.
Those questions go together. Am I hungry? Does my body need more fuel?
If I feel pretty confident the answers are yes, I eat.
Otherwise, it’s simply: maybe later.
Often, asking these questions gives me enough of a pause to go beyond impulse & desire into rational thinking.
Rational thinking was missing in my life for quite some time.
Give these questions a go!
Am I hungry?
Does it make sense for my body to need more fuel right now?
- When did I last eat?
- What did I last eat?
- How much did I last eat?
- What have I been doing since?
Win the day, friend!!
To read part 4, click here.