The hunger and fullness scale is a useful tool for assessing hunger and fullness levels before, during, and after a meal
INour last installment, we discussed the common phenomenon in which women are afraid to let themselves indulge, even a bit, for fear they won’t be able to stop. We discussed learning to trust our bodies as a healthier alternative to this fear-based method of avoiding food.
Women often wonder: How much is too much? How do I stop when I want more? Why do I feel like I can’t control myself when it comes to carbs?
To answer these questions, it’s helpful to first differentiate between physical hunger and emotional hunger. Physical hunger can sometimes be confusing to recognize; some of us fear being too hungry or too full, and sometimes we just don’t trust our body to tell us what it needs. As we discussed in the previous column, our tendency to seek external solutions — whether rules, limitations, programs, or meal plans — can hinder our ability to trust our body’s wisdom. When we shift our focus inward and listen to our body’s hunger and fullness cues, we will be better equipped to navigate our eating.
The hunger and fullness scale is a useful tool for assessing hunger and fullness levels before, during, and after a meal. The scale serves as a compass, guiding us to recognize physical hunger cues, to notice how different amounts of food affect us, and discern when the desire to eat is rooted in emotional needs.
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