2863: The Hunger Scale: Recognizing Hunger and Fullness by Rachel Trotta on Mindful Eating

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[00:01:45] The Hunger Scale, recognizing hunger and fullness, by Rachel Trotta of racheltrotta.com. Today's topic may seem obvious, but it's really not. In fact, this relates to an incredibly simple subject, mindful eating. Today, we're going to focus on one aspect of mindful eating that is oddly difficult to master. Recognizing hunger and fullness, by using a self-driven hunger scale.

[00:02:11] Before we get started, though, I want to inject one side note. Mindful eating is often held up as an alternative to formal portion control methods, like calorie counting, or measuring and weighing foods. However, it's important to remember that strategies work extremely well in tandem, and are often not mutually exclusive. Mindful eating is not a get-out-of-jail-free card that overrides the science of nutrition.

[00:02:38] Just like calorie counting doesn't get you off the hook for addressing behavioral habits, like binging and self-soothing with food. Mindful eating and other behavioral modifications work really, really well together, and will probably combine to make you happier and healthier in your relationship with food. In short, do what works for you, and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. The Hunger Scale The easiest way to use a hunger scale is to give yourself a spectrum from 1 to 10.

[00:03:08] 1 being ravenous, and 10 being uncomfortably stuffed. A good practice on any given day is to not let yourself get hungrier than a 3, and not fuller than a 7. If you want to be even more moderate, you could set up an expectation of staying between 3 and 4 on the bottom end, and 6 at the top. Anytime you start to get hungry, ask yourself, Where am I? Then, as you eat, you ask yourself throughout the meal, Where am I?

[00:03:37] It helps you to learn the physical cues of hunger, a rumbling stomach and a dip in energy, for example, as well as the physical cues of satisfaction, no rumbling in the stomach, and an increased heart rate, for example. Appearances can be deceiving. The reason mindful eating can be tricky to implement is that we are often not in touch with our body's real cues. Some cues can be deceptive, if we're not habituated to interpreting signals accurately.

[00:04:05] For example, cravings and thirst can often masquerade as hunger. Having several large glasses of water between breakfast and lunch can be enough to eliminate the need for a morning snack. Similarly, cravings may represent a preoccupation with a specific food, and can't be satisfied with just any food. For example, if you really, really need that granola bar, but wouldn't be happy with an apple, you're probably not really hungry. You're just bored and procrastinac-ing.

[00:04:33] Similarly, fullness can be slow to show up, especially with specific foods. Instead of waiting to feel full, try to stop eating when you're simply not hungry. It may take experimentation to ensure that you're eating enough food using this system, but it's an effective way to learn the difference between enough and too much. Also, just because a food is still tasting good and is pleasurable to eat does not mean you are still hungry. With extremely delicious foods,

[00:05:01] I highly recommend that you pause even more often to ask yourself where you are on the hunger scale, because it's harder to tell. Again, smart preparation can help significantly with this. Packing a well-portioned lunch is key to promoting healthy eating habits. It's a great start, but be sure to practice mindful eating while eating your healthfully prepared lunch. The sensation of hunger is not dangerous or deadly. Finally, it's important to note that hunger can be a complicated topic

[00:05:31] for two primary reasons. One, many areas of the world and even parts of the U.S. struggle with food security. Hunger is a serious problem. And two, similarly, people who struggle with eating disorders can have a complex relationship with hunger. I just want to say that anytime I talk about hunger, I'm not referring to these two situations. I'm speaking directly to the average listener who would benefit from fine-tuning their relationship with hunger and fullness cues

[00:06:00] in favor of consuming a more nutrient-dense diet and eating less overall. As I said to a client during a coaching call last week, the sensation of hunger is not dangerous or deadly. Feeling your stomach rumble a little is not an unhealthy or undesirable experience. It's simply slightly uncomfortable, and you should attend to it. But the fact that you're feeling it at all is not a bad thing. In developed countries like the U.S., we often do not wait long enough to become hungry,

[00:06:29] and many of our eating habits are aimed defensively at not becoming hungry. Even though I caution clients against becoming too hungry, like when decision-making deteriorates after hours of hunger, I also think it's a mistake to never be hungry at all. Experiment with letting your stomach rumble, and learn to space out meals so that you're eating at the sweet spot of hunger. You just listened to the post titled, The Hunger Scale,

[00:06:58] Recognizing Hunger and Fullness, by Rachel Trotta of racheltrotta.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Have you ever wondered if your calendar age truly reflects your body's health? I'm passionate about taking control of my well-being, which is why I joined 23andMe Plus Total Health, a revolutionary longevity platform that's transforming how we approach preventive care. What makes this different from traditional health care? It starts with advanced genetic screening,

[00:07:27] giving you insights into potential health predispositions. But it doesn't stop there. You'll get comprehensive blood testing throughout the year, helping you understand how your health changes over time. One of my favorite features is the biological age tool, which I found fascinating, and I think you will too. It measures how your major body systems and organs are aging. And the best part? With lifestyle changes, we could potentially reverse this number. You'll also work with clinicians who have specialized genetic training

[00:07:56] to create a tailored preventive health plan that fits your unique needs. It's like having a roadmap for your health journey. Advocate for your health today. Go to 23andMe.com slash OHD for 10% off. That's 23andMe.com slash OHD. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. As Rachel mentioned, we often have complicated relationships with food.

[00:08:23] We may eat just because we're sitting in front of the TV and that's our habit. We may eat because we're bored or stressed or anxious. But as Rachel also mentioned, hunger is not necessarily something that needs to be treated right away. In fact, when I counsel those that want to lose weight, I often tell them, it's okay to feel hungry. In fact, you're probably going to feel that way quite a bit of the time, especially in the beginning, but you'll get used to it. And eventually, those hunger pangs will feel less intense.

[00:08:53] Now, of course, in no way am I trying to starve my patients or am I purposefully making them feel uncomfortable. They don't need to be like Cosmo Kramer from the sitcom Seinfeld and completely get rid of their refrigerators to remove all temptation and to come to the realization that deprivation and pain is bliss. In a conversation with his sitcom neighbor, Jerry Seinfeld, Kramer says, I am loving this no refrigerator. You know what I discovered? I really like depriving myself of things. It's fun.

[00:09:23] Very monastic. End quote. None of my patients ever need to get to this point where they feel like depriving themselves of food is fun. Instead, I'm trying to normalize these feelings. After all, the body will not be used to consuming fewer calories. So I let them know it's okay and very normal to feel hungry a lot of the time during their weight loss journey. But as I said, eventually, these feelings start to go away. They start reconnecting with their body.

[00:09:52] They listen and hear their body's hunger signal and now know how to effectively cope and deal with it. Oh, and you might be wondering, whatever happened to Kramer from Seinfeld and his no refrigerator experiment? Well, like most of Kramer's schemes, it failed miserably. All right. That'll do it for me for today. I hope you have a great weekend if you're listening in real time and I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.