Jan 12
5
Are You Hungry? How Hungry?
The Hunger Scale
Did you know that there is a Hunger Scale that can help you determine just how hungry you are? The scale ranges from 1 to 10, and if you aim to stay at 5 or 6, your eating will likely remain under control.
But how do you do that? It’s best to eat when you’re at 3 or 4, so that you don’t get down to 1 or 2 and overdo it. Also keep in mind that when you first feel hungry, it’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger, so reach for a glass of water.
Here’s the Hunger Scale:*
10: Stuffed. You are so full you feel nauseous.
9: Very uncomfortably full. You need to loosen your clothes.
8: Uncomfortably full. You feel bloated.
7: Full. A little bit uncomfortable.
6: Perfectly comfortable. You feel satisfied.
5: Comfortable. You’re more or less satisfied, but could eat a little more.
4: Slightly uncomfortable. You’re just beginning to feel signs of hunger.
3: Uncomfortably hungry. Your stomach is rumbling.
2: Very uncomfortable. You feel irritable and unable to concentrate.
1: Weak and light-headed. Your stomach acid is churning.
*From Bob Greene’s The Best Life Diet
Slow down when you eat
Eating should not be a race. Hurrying through a meal causes you to miss most of its delicious flavors, not to mention that you’re likely to eat way more than you should. That’s because your body doesn’t recognize it’s full until twenty minutes after you’ve eaten too much.
So instead, go slower. Put your phone down. Turn off the television. Chew slowly and focus on each bite, putting your fork down between them. By doing so, you’ll reach that feeling of satiety without ever feeling like you need to unloosen your belt a notch.
Watch When You Eat
Don’t “graze” yourself fat. It’s easy to eat 600 calories of yummy food by cleaning up what’s left over from your kid’s meal, or by grabbing a handful of something from the pantry every time you go into the kitchen.
If you’ve been having a hard time figuring out why you’re working out but not losing weight, even though you think you’re eating right, consider using the Team Beachbody® Meal Planner or keeping a food diary for a week. This way you can face the music on how much you’ve really been consuming, and adjust your habits accordingly.
