8 Clues: Emotional or Physical Hunger?
Start writing a post
Relationships

8 Clues: Emotional or Physical Hunger?

Think you're hungry? Find out if you are stuffing down emotions.

37

Do you really need that cheesy bread?  Or are you just stuffing down some unbearable emotions?  Read these clues to discover whether you eat emotionally, or because you are truly hungry.Emotional Hunger:


1.Is sudden…
One minute you’re not even thinking about food, the next minute you’re starving.

2.Is specific…
You crave a specific food like pasta, chocolate, or a cheeseburger.  You have trouble substituting the food for something else. 

3.Starts in the mouth and mind…
Your mouth wants to taste the food and your mind wanders through thoughts about your desired food. 

4.Is urgent…
Emotional hunger urges you to eat now.  There is a desire to instantly ease emotional pain with food. 

5. Is paired with an upsetting emotion…
You’re having roommate conflicts.  Your grades are suffering.  Emotional hunger is in conjunction with stress or emotional situations. 

6. Involves automatic or absent minded or automatic eating…
You may not realize that you have eaten a whole bag of cookies. 

7. Doesn’t respond to fullness…
May stem from a desire to cover up painful feelings.  You stuff yourself to deaden emotion and may eat so much that their stomach may start to hurt. 

8. Feels guilty…
The paradox of emotional eating is that the person eats to feel better, and then berates him or herself for eating.

Physical Hunger

1. Is gradual…
Your stomach rumbles.  One hour later, it begins to growl.  You have progressive clues that you’re hungry.

2. Is open to different foods…
You may have food preferences, but they are flexible. 

3.Starts in the stomach…
Your hunger starts from stomach sensations.  You feel gnawing, rumbling, emptiness and even pain in your stomach with physical hunger.

4. Is patient…
Physical hunger would prefer that you ate soon, but doesn’t command you to eat right at that very instant.

5. Happens out of physical need…
Hunger occurs because it has been 3 or 4 hours since your last meal.  You may have light headedness or low energy if you’re extremely hungry.

6. Involves deliberate choices and awareness…
You are aware of the food on your fork, in your mouth, and in your stomach.  You can make the choice whether to eat half of your sandhich or the whole thing.

7. Stops when full…

Physical hunger stems from a desire to fuel and nourish the body.  As soon as that intention is fulfilled, then you stop eating.

8. Realizes eating is necessary…
When the intent behind eating is based in physical hunger, there is no guilt or shame associated with the eating.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

12177
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

943420
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

120918
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments