Hunger vs appetite: let’s learn the difference.
Do you often find yourself at the door of the refrigerator when the feelings you avoid catch up? What is the first thing that crosses your mind when you’re upset, stressed, anxious or maybe even just bored? If your one answer to all of these is “food”, well, we might have a look at the efficiency of our coping mechanisms. Without a doubt, some feelings can be uncomfortable, misleading but unavoidable at the same time. We often see ourselves stuck in one emotion and suppose it will last forever. When they get too complicated to handle, our mind seeks some distraction, in most of the cases, something yummy.
What is Emotional Eating?
It’s simply using food to feel better, searching for a sense of comfort. Eating to encounter emotional needs rather than physical, bodily needs. Occasionally celebrating with food is more than okay, but the main problem lies deeper down when it comes to emotional appetite.
When you don’t pay attention to what’s going on inside your head, you may not be aware of the root cause underlying your eating episode, or even that you are having an eating episode. Asking yourself what you are craving, what it is you really need at that moment would be more beneficial. The reply might be some attention, compassion, courage or sense of relief rather than salt & vinegar chips, overindulgent ice cream or your favorite childhood candy.
Emotions can be very attention-seeking signals, showing you what’s going on in yourself. They carry valuable information from the stimuli you are subject to or the situations that you are in. Sometimes it may be a bummer to experience them intensely, however, in the essence, there is a meaningful intention to support you and to motivate you. Good or bad, feelings are there for a reason. While they are there, it is wiser to acknowledge and open up to them.
Hunger vs Appetite: Find the Difference
Hunger is a natural response to food deprivation. When the body senses that you’re hungry, it sends out signals to your brain telling it to start eating. But appetite is not just about wanting to eat; it also includes the drive to seek food. In addition, hunger may cause people to feel irritable, anxious, depressed, or tired.
We summarized the difference between hunger vs appetite below:
Hunger occurs in the body as a need gradually. It is not trigger-oriented and causes the body to eat most things to process as fuel.
Appetite occurs in the brain as a sudden craving. A trigger often causes it and makes the body want specific foods.
For most of the time, it is not easy to identify whether your hunger is physiological or emotional. Here are some questions that you can easily ask yourself when you feel hunger:
● Am I okay to eat …?
Remember the the difference between hunger vs appetite and fill the blank with your least favourite meal, something you’d skip a free lunch for. If your answer is an immediate “yes”, it means your body “needs” food.
● How long have you felt hungry for? Did hunger just hit you out of the blue or have you felt the hunger gradually?
As we summarized the difference between hunger vs appetite, immediate hunger is linked to emotional appetite.
● Did something happen in the last couple of hours to trigger my emotions?
If it is a yes, check how you are feeling exactly and try to pinpoint your feels. Naming the emotion is the first step to accept it without repressing it.
● Are you craving something specific or does anything sound good?
If only pizza can satisfy your hunger, postpone your meal as much as possible as that’s not urgent, physical hunger checking in. Waiting for bodily hunger will be a lifesaver.
● Is your stomach rumbling? Do you feel low in energy? Is it the time to refuel your body? Are you just trying to satisfy your mind or your heart?
Investigate the hunger in your body parts. Where in your body do you feel the hunger most? If you find it in your stomach, bon appetite!
● Can you get enough of your food? Are you feeling the fullness signals?
If it is an emotional episode, it’s rather difficult to stop yourself when you are full.
Remember the food might give you some temporary relief in a short run, but it can’t meet your emotional needs. Find some alternatives to nourish your feelings like calling a loved one, hugging your best friend, playing with your pet. Enjoy your emotions and and remind yourself the difference between hunger vs appetite.
If you’re looking to lose weight and get healthy, then it’s time to start thinking about what you should be doing differently in your life. The good news is that there are many ways to make changes to your lifestyle that can improve your health and lead to better overall wellness. If you want to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle, download wannawell app for free.
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