When we’re hungry, we’re supposed to eat, right? 

But is that necessarily so all the time? Actually, no. 

It’s a good idea to let yourself get hungry sometimes and to avoid eating right away. It can help you learn the scale of hungry – from “I could nibble” to “I want to shove anything edible in my face right now!” 

It can help find the happy medium of being just hungry enough — staying with the feeling instead of letting it drive us to the refrigerator right away — and ultimately making more mindful choices about what we eat.

 ·    Sometimes a glass of water is all we need. 

·     Sometimes we’re just stressed when we tell ourselves we’re hungry. 

·     Sometimes – admit it – we’re just bored and grab something to eat reflexively. 

Fortunately, most of us don’t really know what true hunger is, when the body is crying out for nutrients and energy. We have access to food all of the time, unlike many people in the world. 

So, if you can learn to experiment with hunger levels, the self-knowledge you gain can help you sustain healthy eating habits and manage your weight. Give it a try the next time you think you’re getting hungry!