The Hunger Games!
Are you hungry right now?
How do you know?
Take a minute. Check-in.
Put your hand on your stomach. What do you feel?
Do you need to eat right now?
Do you want to eat right now?
Do you feel like you should eat right now?
If you’re having trouble with this, you’re not alone. Most of us have forgotten what it’s like to feel truly physically hungry (or satisfied).
Today we’re going to play the hunger game as we work on learning how to stop at 80% full.
Touch and go
Hunger can be uncomfortable. Even a little scary, if we’re not used to it.
We wonder and worry:
What if I’m going to die? What if I can’t tolerate this empty feeling?
You won’t die. Nor will your muscles dissolve. Humans can survive for weeks without food.
And being a little hungry puts us in fat-burning mode.
You can tolerate the feeling.
Hunger comes and goes in waves. Most of the time it’s just a little uncomfortable.
Relax and breathe. You’ll be OK.
Try “touch and go” with being hungry, or anything else you notice today.
Pause, observe it for a few minutes, then move on.
Like this:
“Man, I could totally go for a cheeseburger right now! This is a serious craving! Huh. That’s interesting. Am I really hungry? [waiting] Kind of. OK, I’ll wait a little while longer and see how it goes.”
Think about stopping at 80% full — and observing your hunger and fullness — as merely pausing.
It’s not forever. Touch and go.
Today, try playing the hunger game.
- When you notice yourself wanting food, pause for a moment. Are you physically hungry? What are the body cues that would tell you?
- While you’re eating, pause. Are you physically satisfied? What are the body cues that would tell you?
We don’t want you to starve. We simply want you to pause.
Wait. Check-in.
Notice what your body is saying.
Enjoy the freedom of 80% full
This will feel weird — maybe even unsettling — at first.
Most of us have un-learned the instinctive appetite signals we had as babies. And we might feel like OMG! I’ll never get more food if I stop now!
Be patient with yourself.
Eventually using your physical appetite cues to get to 80% full will start to feel awesome.
You’ll finish every meal feeling leaner and lighter, instead of bogged down, burpy, and bloated.
And you’ll love the freedom this gives you.
Because now YOUR body is the boss. YOU are in control.
You won’t need a food scale, measuring cups, calculator, calorie counter, or any strict “food rules”. You’ll have your body and your own awareness.
Tomorrow, we’ll tell you what to look for. But we want YOU to start with learning YOUR own unique body signals.
Give it a try!
80% full overrides everything else
Eating slowly, to 80% full, is more important than any other habit in our program.
- At 80% full before you finish your veggies? Fine. Stop eating.
- Not physically hungry even after 4 hours of not eating? Fine. Wait until you’re hungry.
- Halfway through your protein when 80% strikes? Fine. You’re done. That’s why Tupperware was invented.
Get the idea? Slow eating, 80% full, and most importantly, eating according to your physical hunger cues, overrides everything else.
When in doubt, use this mantra: Feeling, not a formula.
- Eat when you feel physically hungry.
- Stop when you feel 80% full.
- Forget about any other “rules”.
Simple!
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