Tune into your hunger and fullness cues.
We’ve all been there—staring into the fridge or pantry, unsure of what we’re actually hungry for. Or, on the flip side, continuing to eat even when we’re no longer hungry. Our relationship with food is complex, and it’s not always easy to tune into our hunger and fullness cues.
On a basic level, hunger is our body’s way of telling us that it needs energy. When we’re hungry, our stomachs may rumble or we may feel lightheaded or irritable. These are all physical cues that our bodies need nourishment.
Fullness, on the other hand, is our body’s way of telling us that it has had enough. We may feel like we can’t eat another bite, or our stomach may feel stretched.
Tuning into our hunger and fullness cues can be difficult, especially if we’re used to ignoring them. Maybe we’re used to eating when we’re not really hungry because we’ve been told it’s important to eat three meals a day. Or, we may find ourselves snacking more often than we’d like because we’re bored or stressed.
It can be helpful to ask ourselves a few questions before we eat:
· Am I actually hungry?
· What am I feeling?
· What do I need in this moment?
Answering these questions can help us to become more aware of our hunger and fullness cues, and ultimately make better choices about food.
If we’re truly hungry, it’s important to eat a nutritious meal or snack that will give our bodies the energy it needs. If we’re not actually hungry, we may need to find a different way to cope with whatever we’re feeling. Maybe we’re bored, so we can find a different activity to do. Or, if we’re feeling stressed, we can try some deep breathing exercises or take a walk.
Tuning into our hunger and fullness cues may not be easy at first, but it’s a worthwhile practice. It can help us to become more in tune with our bodies and make better choices about food..Read Full Report
Determine what triggers your binge eating.
Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of compulsive overeating—eating large quantities of food in a short period of time—accompanied by a feeling of loss of control. A person with binge eating disorder may feel distress about their binge eating but feel unable to stop. Binge eating episodes are often triggered by certain triggers such as stress, boredom, or sadness.
When trying to determine what triggers your binge eating, it can be helpful to keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, when you eat it, and how you feel both before and after eating. Over time, you may start to see patterns emerge. For example, you may notice that you tend to binge eat when you’re feeling stressed or down.
There are a number of different ways to deal with binge eating triggers. One approach is to avoid trigger foods altogether. If you find that you tend to binge eat when you eat sugary or high-fat foods, for example, you may want to avoid those foods altogether. This can be difficult, however, and may not be sustainable in the long-term.
Another approach is to try to address the underlying emotions that may be triggering your binge eating. If you’re binge eating because you’re stressed, for example, you may benefit from stress-reduction techniques such as yoga or meditation. If you’re binge eating because you’re bored or sad, you may benefit from finding more fulfilling activities to do or spending time with supportive people.
If you’re struggling to determine what triggers your binge eating, or if you’re finding it difficult to cope with your binge eating disorder, it’s important to seek professional help. A therapist can help you to identify and address the underlying causes of your disorder and develop a plan for coping with your binge eating.
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