The Hunger
There’s a theory of diet and weight loss that contends you shouldn’t let yourself get hungry. That if you get hungry you will overeat. I disagree. Sometimes hunger happens no matter what you’ve already eaten.
I submit that if you are trying to lose weight there are times you are going to be hungry. Further, I submit that sometimes you have to live with hunger, ignore it, and even move past it without eating.
I’m not talking about meals. I’m talking about The Hunger that some days creeps up out of nowhere and other days hovers over everything.
Most times I don’t need food. But The Hunger wants it. Intellectually I know I’m not going to pass out on the spot if I don’t have a sandwich but The Hunger isn’t an intellectual. I can hear The Hunger screaming GET SOME PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY IN HERE NOW! I’m afraid of what The Hunger will command. What if it screams START A CAREER AS A RAPPER? WEAR A TUBE TOP!
While I do believe learning to make good food choices and enjoy healthy snacks is important, occasionally you just have to not snack. No matter what The Hunger is screaming. I used to think that mowing (rhymes with cowing) on popcorn or veggies when I’m calorie counting or cheese when I’m carb counting meant that I wasn’t cheating. But make no mistake it was a binge, on plan or not, it was appeasement of The Hunger.
I’m trying to learn to ignore the irrational demands of The Hunger. The Hunger can sit there a minute. The Hunger can simmer down until lunch. The Hunger can put a tube top on its own self ’cause I’m not doing it.
So come get me. What do you think? Do we have to learn not act on every passing thought of eating? OR do you feel if you deny yourself food (snacking remember, not meals) it will lead to big trouble?
***DISCLAIMER** I’m not recommending skipping meals. Skipping breakfast, working through lunch, or neglecting a nutritous dinner isn’t healthy. As I’ve said before I’m not a doctor I am a dieter.***DISCLAIMER***
I agree wholeheartedly. Some days, I eat a complete and satisfying healthy lunch, and when I’m done, I’m STILL hungry. I know I could eat the whole lunch ALL over again, easily. But I know, rationally, that it was enough food for me. Most days I ignore the hunger (it goes away, if you don’t acknowledge it)… but on those days when I’m feeling “bingey”… it can get ugly.
I can SO relate! Especially lately. I just posted my plans to lose weight over Thanksgiving. (I’ve got to get rid of six pounds that aren’t lost any more. They found me.) I’m going to ignore The Hunger and become like Edward of Twilight fame. If he can resit biting Bella, surely I can resist biting a roll, pie, a little stuffing. (I’m a low-carber.) And you’re right. It doesn’t matter if we’re reducing fat or carbs, The Hunger wants us to just keep eating. Thanks for this reality check. Oh, and as I was finishing up today’s post I saw the great graphic from the day before. Snort! I laughed right out my nose. You are great!
Christies last blog post..Approaching Thanksgiving like a vegetarian vampire (think Twilight)
I do believe a little hunger is a good thing, too. In fact, I like the feeling of my stomach being a little empty. It feels flatter that way……………..:)
Hilarious. Whoever thought of tube tops was no
friend to women.
Amy in OHios last blog post..Meet Gwen and Be Inspired
That’s the same voice that’s telling me to throw caution to the wind and have baby #3! I hear it tell me all sorts of crazy things. Percocet works better when taken with a beer? Well, ok, maybe that’s true. But most of the stuff it says is crazy! Skip the binge/snacking. It’s a bad behavior, even if the snack is “healthy.”
Reegs last blog post..I Miss Coca Cola
I don’t like being hungry. It doesn’t seem to be much of a problem with my new way of eating, but sometimes I just feel like eating. I don’t have a problem eating popcorn, or a carrot and celery, I don’t think those things are capable of causing weight gain, unless you manage to add fat/oil somehow.
julies last blog post..Diet Food
I agree. Hunger is there and sometimes it makes no sense that it’s there.
I’m hungry right now. sigh
zenmommas last blog post..File this under things I wish I didn’t know
Im with the GOOD TO FEEL THE HUNGER BUT THEN I KNOW TO EAT crowd (is there a crowd?) in that if Im hungry and feel the pangs I always eat.
) but I eat.
clean healthy foods perhaps (*perhaps*
intuitively.
Snacking does not prevent me from inhaling mass quantaties come meal time. So I say DOWN WITH SNACKS!
Tootsie Farklepantss last blog post..Vacation. Like National Lampoon’s Only With 99% Less Chevy Chase
I can’t get over how spot on this is! The Hunger is my constant companion. No lie. For the last month or so I’ve been trying to drown him with herbal tea and stick it to him with gum. That does manage to at least lower his volume to the point I can pretend he’s not there, but he’s never completely disappeared. So annoying!