HUNGER VS APPETITE
Hunger – For those of you who are struggling with mind over matter, because the drive of hunger or to eat is so great, it’s important to remember that the feeling of hunger prior to surgery was avoided by eating. Also, hunger may have been associated with unpleasant diets, failure, regimens, stress, upset, fear, even relationship problems, and often only a small part of a diet was associated with happiness generally.
So, when we feel ourselves thinking about food, feeling we need it, despite dieting or bariatric surgery, those background associations can come to the surface. Fear of failure and not meeting expectations can thrive, and overwhelm you.
There are lots of ideas about combating this feeling; drink water, exercise, keep busy, try on old cloths that are the wrong size now, measure yourself. These are all very good at re-enforcing where you are now, but the appetite reminds you of where you have come from, and where you could end up if you fail.
What do we do with ‘the monkey on your shoulder’ ?
Understand hunger !
In politics, humanitarian aid, and social science, hunger is a state in which a person, for a sustained period, is unable to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs.
Does that mean that what you feel isn’t actually hunger ? Are your basic nutritional needs met ? Are you functioning, working, raising your children, meeting friends, carrying out day to day activities ? I think we can safely say the answer is yes.
Our perception of hunger has become distorted over the years, and because the word is associated with famine, lacking, deprivation, when we feel ‘hunger’ the associations kick in, leading to us feeling worse, and more deprived. We become fidgety; we start to question ourselves, and seek food.
Let’s take it step further then; what is it that you are feeling?
Appetite, this is gentler, natural and less negative. So are you experiencing appetite?
From my experience with patients I believe you are.
By saying ‘I have an appetite’ rather than saying ‘I am really hungry’, the association is different so the mind set changes. Trust me it does work.
Then if you do indulge in a little something, remember to remove an equal amount from your plate with your next meal. This then removes the 5% you ate due to your appetite.
By doing this you are being proactive, positive and retraining your subconscious and in return feeling better in yourself.
Try to differentiate between your hungers by remembering what hunger really is ............ and your urges.
And the suggestions earlier on in this article do work ....................
So get busy, keep positive and retrain that brain.
Hunger – For those of you who are struggling with mind over matter, because the drive of hunger or to eat is so great, it’s important to remember that the feeling of hunger prior to surgery was avoided by eating. Also, hunger may have been associated with unpleasant diets, failure, regimens, stress, upset, fear, even relationship problems, and often only a small part of a diet was associated with happiness generally.
So, when we feel ourselves thinking about food, feeling we need it, despite dieting or bariatric surgery, those background associations can come to the surface. Fear of failure and not meeting expectations can thrive, and overwhelm you.
There are lots of ideas about combating this feeling; drink water, exercise, keep busy, try on old cloths that are the wrong size now, measure yourself. These are all very good at re-enforcing where you are now, but the appetite reminds you of where you have come from, and where you could end up if you fail.
What do we do with ‘the monkey on your shoulder’ ?
Understand hunger !
In politics, humanitarian aid, and social science, hunger is a state in which a person, for a sustained period, is unable to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs.
Does that mean that what you feel isn’t actually hunger ? Are your basic nutritional needs met ? Are you functioning, working, raising your children, meeting friends, carrying out day to day activities ? I think we can safely say the answer is yes.
Our perception of hunger has become distorted over the years, and because the word is associated with famine, lacking, deprivation, when we feel ‘hunger’ the associations kick in, leading to us feeling worse, and more deprived. We become fidgety; we start to question ourselves, and seek food.
Let’s take it step further then; what is it that you are feeling?
Appetite, this is gentler, natural and less negative. So are you experiencing appetite?
From my experience with patients I believe you are.
By saying ‘I have an appetite’ rather than saying ‘I am really hungry’, the association is different so the mind set changes. Trust me it does work.
Then if you do indulge in a little something, remember to remove an equal amount from your plate with your next meal. This then removes the 5% you ate due to your appetite.
By doing this you are being proactive, positive and retraining your subconscious and in return feeling better in yourself.
Try to differentiate between your hungers by remembering what hunger really is ............ and your urges.
And the suggestions earlier on in this article do work ....................
So get busy, keep positive and retrain that brain.
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