Eating is one of the greatest pleasures of being human. It’s also vital to continue your existence in this great adventure of your life. Eating ensures your body has the energy and essential nutrients needed to function. Unfortunately, eating too little or too much has negative consequences, such as malnutrition and obesity. However, you can strike a balance by knowing the signs of hunger and fullness.
The Hunger Scale
There isn’t consensus on where the Hunger Scale originated, but it likely evolved through the efforts of many people. In fact, a 1995 book about intuitive eating may have popularized it. Regardless, the scale draws upon common experiences around hunger and fullness to provide a frame of reference for being more mindful of your eating. Here is what the scale looks like:
| 1 | Starving, feeling weak, dizzy |
| 2 | Very hungry, irritable, low energy, and thinking about food a lot |
| 3 | Hungry, your stomach is growling, low energy |
| 4 | Slightly hungry, you’re thinking it’s almost time to eat |
| 5 | You’re neither hungry nor full |
| 6 | You feel satisfied and no longer feel hungry |
| 7 | Slightly full, feeling that you had just enough |
| 8 | You are full and slightly uncomfortable |
| 9 | You’re very full, uncomfortable, and sluggish |
| 10 | Stuffed, very uncomfortable, possibly feeling sick |
Only you know your body, so the hunger scale is a reference for comparing your body’s signals to the different levels of hunger and fullness you experience. The trick is identifying when it’s time to eat and when you’re full. Learning your body signals at any particular number from the scale may take time. However, knowing how you feel at various levels of hunger and fullness can go a long way to help you eat enough and maintain a healthy weight.
If you follow the hunger scale, you should eat between 3 and 4. This is when you’re hungry but not starving. At this level of hunger, you’ll help reduce your risk of overeating due to being too hungry. Conversely, you should aim to stop eating when you’re between 6 and 7. This is when you should feel satisfied but not overly full.
Factors That Can Throw Your Hunger Signals Off
When you’re in tune with how you feel at different levels of hunger and fullness, you have better control and awareness of when and how much you eat. Unfortunately, some factors can throw off your natural hunger and fullness signals, making it harder to determine when and how much to eat.
Your lifestyle can interfere with your body’s ability to signal hunger and fullness, such as following a restrictive diet, intense or prolonged exercise, lack of sleep, stress, certain medications, caffeine, and alcohol.
Other factors than your lifestyle can interfere with your hunger cues. Eating can be comforting, so you may eat to respond to your emotions instead of being hungry. You may also snack out of boredom instead of hunger. Additionally, you may eat more than you would typically in a social setting.
Many things are within our control to help our body stay on track with the correct hunger and fullness cues. However, some things are out of our control, such as hormonal changes and medical conditions. In any case, being mindful when you feel hungry or full can help control whether you are eating out of genuine hunger instead of some other factor.
How Your Body Signals Hunger and Fullness
Your body relies on a complex process involving many hormones and different regions of your brain that tell you whether you’re hungry or full. At a high level, two hormones are the main drivers of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin triggers appetite, which is released when your stomach is empty. This is your brain’s cue telling you it’s time to eat and activates the feeling of hunger. Once you begin to eat, Ghrelin levels drop, and feelings of hunger subside. Your body produces Leptin as you eat, which tells your brain that you’re full and should stop eating.
Ghrelin and Leptin work together to maintain a healthy balance between hunger and fullness. However, when these two are out of balance, it could lead to overeating. For example, your body releases cortisol when you’re stressed. Cortisol can increase appetite and cause a particular craving for high-calorie sugary or fatty foods.
Unfortunately, the effects of these hormones aren’t instant, and it can take time before you become aware of these signals. If you get too hungry, you may eat quickly and consume excess calories before Leptin kicks in and your brain tells you to stop eating. By then, you may feel too full, sluggish, or sick.
Be Mindful As You Eat
Eating is more than just fueling your body. It’s an experience to enjoy. Before you eat, check in with yourself to see how hungry you are. You should be hungry but not starving. You can also ask yourself if you’re eating because you’re bored or stressed. If so, you might want to do something else instead. On the other hand, don’t eat if you’re not hungry, even if it’s your typical time you normally do unless you’re following the instructions of a health professional.
When eating, take smaller bites. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly to help your body digest your meal easier and give your brain enough time to recognize when you’re full. You will want to avoid distractions, which may make it harder for you to recognize your body’s sensations. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, and avoid eating while working. Eating peacefully can help you concentrate on your meal instead of outside distractions.
Engage your senses and frequently check in with yourself to see if you’re still hungry or feel full. It’s okay not to eat everything on your plate. Instead, focus on how full you feel. Allow yourself to enjoy your meal without any guilt or shame. There are no good or bad foods. When you eat mindfully, you will learn to listen to your body instead of relying on societal rules about portion sizes or when to eat.
However, learning the right time to start and stop eating takes practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself as you shift your mindset to eat more mindfully. In time, you’ll better understand your body’s signals and enjoy eating more, which can include your favorite foods. You’ll also learn which triggers may lead to mindless snacking, allowing you to address it before you eat.
The Takeaway
Eating ensures your body has the energy and essential nutrients to function. It’s important to learn your body’s signals to let you know when you’re hungry or full. Paying attention to your body’s sensations will teach you when to start and stop eating. Additionally, you can enjoy the experience without guilt or shame because you rely on your internal cues instead of external rules.
FitTrend’s mission is to help you along your self-improvement journey, promote an active lifestyle, and help you achieve your goals. Our journal can help you track your weight. Also, FitTrend allows you to connect certain scales to your account to make it easier for you to track your weight automatically. Create your account today and start using FitTrend for free!
Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
