This month we’ve been talking about intuitive eating. Today, we’ve got a CRAZY COOL tool for you that you’re going to love.
We already talked about how intuitive eating is all about learning to tap into your body’s own cues … but if it has been a while since you’ve tuned into them, that can take a little practice.
I’ve got a Hunger Scale that I thought might be helpful! It’s adapted from one used by the Derbyshire Healthy Futures Service in England.
It helps you rate (on a scale from 1-10) how you’re feeling on the hunger/fullness scale. Most people feel best when they stick within the 3-6 range. Here’s the scale:
- You’re beyond hungry. You feel absolutely ravenous, might feel light-headed or headachey, and your body is weak.
- Uncomfortably hungry (or “hangry”). You’re grouchy and might feel a little tired.
- You want to eat and your stomach feels empty.
- You are thinking about food and starting to feel hungry.
- You’ve eaten enough food to stop the hungry feeling, and your mood is good.
- You’re satisfied and feeling full.
- Your body is full but your mind wants to eat more, so you take a few extra bites.
- After taking a few “extra” bites, you begin not to feel as well. You begin to regret your decision. You know you should probably stop eating.
- You keep eating, and with even more food, you feel bloated, tired, and uncomfortable.
- You STILL continue to eat. You might be sweating, your heart pounding, and you feel miserable.
Here’s why this scale matters ...
When you get too hungry, it sets you up to overeat … and when you overeat, you feel tired, sick and tempted to skip meals. It can turn into a yo-yo cycle.
Finding your sweet spot is a big part of intuitive eating.
It might take a little practice … but it’s definitely worth it!
How hungry do you get before you eat – and how “full” do you feel before you stop? It can take some retraining to live within the 3-6 range, but it’s definitely worth the effort!
REFERENCE:
www.dchs.nhs.uk/assets/public/dchs/llb/tools/tools_1-11/4_DCHS_A5_4pp_The_Hunger_Scale.pdf
