 | Lisa Vermillion is President and co-owner of Get Fit Bee Fit and Thin and Healthy Weight Management. Lisa opened Get Fit- 4 years ago in Valley Center, after receiving certifications thorough the American Council on Exercise as a Weight and Lifestyle Management Consultant and Certified Personal Trainer. In January, she Grand Opened Thin and Healthy Weight Management in the same location. Lisa not only provides weight loss programs for individuals but she also implements business wellness programs for small businesses and large corporations. Additionally, Lisa is a Certified Life Coach providing guidance for individuals in the areas of career, relationship and personal development. She is available for speaking engagements in the areas of Physical Fitness, Weight Management, or any Life Coaching area (goal setting, positive attitude, sales, etc). Lisa can be reached for questions or speaking engagements by phone (316) 755-1115 or email at mvmillion@yahoo.com |
Diet & Nutrition
2006-05-01 16:01:00
Dealing with hunger feelings
Question: Sometimes I feel so hungry even after I have just had a meal. Usually, I want something salty or sweet. Why would I be hungry after a meal?
ANSWER: There could be a number of reasons you are hungry after you eat. One could be dehydration. Drinking plenty of water, at least 64 ounces is very important. When your body starts to get dehydrated (before you feel thirsty) it feels like hunger. Eating a meal that is not a balance of carbohydrate and protein can decrease satiety as well. Occasionally, a medical issue like a thyroid problem or certain medications can enhance the feeling of hunger. The most common culprit, however, is emotional hunger. Recognizing the true cause of your hunger, the root cause, and then creating an action plan will improve your feeling. It’s important to differentiate between physical hunger and emotional cravings unrelated to an empty stomach. Donna Krech founder and President of Thin and Healthy’s Total Solutions and author offers a few questions you can ask yourself to determine if your hunger feeling is physical or emotional.1.Emotional hunger comes on suddenly; physical hunger occurs gradually.2. When you are eating to fill a void that isn’t related to an empty stomach, you crave a specific food, such as chips or chocolate, and only that food will meet your need. When you eat because you are actually hungry, you are open to options.3. Emotional hunger feels like it needs to be satisfied instantly with the food you crave; physical hunger can wait a little bit.4. Even when you are full, you are more likely to keep eating if it’s an emotional need you are trying to satisfy. If you are eating because you’re hungry you’re more likely to stop when you are full or before.5. Emotional eating can leave feelings of guilt, eating when you are physically hungry does not.If you identify you are hungry for emotional reasons, the next step is to figure out what the source of the emotion is. Ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” and “What’s behind that feeling?” Examples might be an overbearing boss has piled yet another “to do by 5:00” thing on your desk and you don’t know where to start (lack of focus), you believe you’re “stuck” in a job you don’t like (negative belief), it’s your habit to grab something every afternoon (negative habits), a co-worker is gossiping about you behind your back (social), the kids are driving you nuts, you have a fight with your spouse (relationships/emotional), you feel you don’t have enough time to complete everything you need to do (time management), etc. Once you identify the problem, you can begin to take positive action steps to overcome it. That may involve learning to focus on the most important task, learning to change a belief, changing a habit, improving relationships, or learning time management skills. By identifying the cause of your hunger, finding it’s core, and beginning to work on improving yourself at the core of the emotional response, you can take control of your emotional eating.
