It is highly unlikely that anyone reading this post has experienced true hunger. I’m talking gut wrenching, energy draining, headache inducing, hunger. The kind that makes you scared for your life.

The kind that makes you panic because you literally do not know how or when you are next going to eat.

That is hunger.

When we diet, the hunger we experience “I had to eat something I was hungry” for example is by comparison a joke.

We have no idea what hunger is, truly. So let’s put this in perspective…

STOMACH HUNGER
Physical or Medical necessity to eat. This REAL HUNGER, this is stomach rumbling, feeling weak and faint. You need to eat.

MOUTH HUNGER
Cravings related to senses (smell, taste etc), this is get a grip territory, you don’t need it, you just WANT IT. This is a hunger that stops you losing weight and is simply weakness on a dieters part, it’s just desire and greed.

HEART HUNGER
Emotionally triggered (Happy/Sad etc). This is habit and routine. It’s an emotional association with certain feelings. Hooray I got the job, let’s celebrate. Boo I didn’t get the job, let’s have some cake to cheer us up.

At the end of the day, successfully dieting means finding a way to control your MOUTH HUNGER and your HEART HUNGER.

STOMACH HUNGER is not an issue (if you have eaten in the last 48 hours you do NOT have STOMACH HUNGER)

So when you are next thinking, “ooo I am hungry” think about WHICH TYPE of hunger you have.

If it is anything OTHER than Stomach Hunger, and eating something is taking you OFF plan, stop and think.

If you are eating because you want to emotionally, or are bored, or are simply craving something then that is the time to exert some willpower and overcome the desire (which can be done). Learning to recognise, manage and master those feelings will put YOU in the driving seat and give you much more control over your progress.