The most challenging thing to control during the epidemic is my appetite and weight. Have you ever felt that when you stay in a closed space for a long time; when you can only have limited social interaction, most of which are limited to family members; when you are incredibly bored, it is straightforward to reach into the refrigerator. And often, they are called "comforting" food—for example, casual chips, preserves, ice cream, etc. The exact meaning of "comforting" food is that these foods are not to meet our body's energy and nutritional needs; they are to meet our psychological and emotional needs. When choosing snack foods, the nutritional value is not the first thing our brain pays attention to. The first thing our brain pays attention to is whether these snack foods meet our psychological needs.
You may have questions. Isn't it true that I want to eat because I feel hungry?
Learning the clues is the easiest way to distinguish between emotional and physical hunger.
- Emotional hunger comes on suddenly. It hits you in an instant and feels overwhelming and urgent. Physical need, on the other hand, comes on more gradually. The urge to eat doesn’t feel as dire or demand instant satisfaction (unless you haven’t eaten for a long time). If you just had dinner, keep your fingers away from the ice cream.
- Emotional hunger craves specific comfort foods. When you’re emotionally hungry, you crave junk food (pizza, potato chips, and cheese crackers) or sugary snacks (cheesecake and ice cream) that give an instant emotional calm. On the other hand, physical hunger gives you time to choose your food more reasonably - including healthy stuff like vegetables.
- Emotional hunger often leads to mindless eating. Before you know it, you’ve eaten a whole bag of chips or an entire pint of ice cream without really paying attention or thoroughly enjoying it. When you’re eating in response to physical hunger, you’re typically more aware of the fulness in your tummy.
- Emotional hunger isn’t satisfied once you’re full. You keep wanting more and more, often eating until you’re uncomfortably stuffed. But physical hunger doesn’t need to be sealed. You feel satisfied when your stomach is full.
- Emotional hunger isn’t located in the stomach. Rather than a growling belly or a pang in your stomach, you feel your need as a craving you can’t get out of your head. You’re focused on specific textures, tastes, and smells.
- Emotional hunger often leads to regret, guilt, or shame. Eating to satisfy physical hunger makes you unlikely to feel guilty or ashamed because you’re simply giving your body what it needs. If you feel guilty after eating, it’s likely because you know deep down that you’re not eating for nutritional reasons.
Ah-ha! Did you score all?
It's time to learn how to deal with it. Wait for the next blog post.