Today I began thinking about how when I was sick I used to drink copious amounts of tea and black coffee as well as water to try to numb the hunger pangs. I was drinking 8 cups of black tea and several cups of black coffee, trying to 1) get energy, 2) warm up and 3)numb the hunger. It worked back then... but now? I don't understand how people can drink water and feel full or drink some coffee and then "still their hunger ". I mean actual hunger is there for a reason. (Mental cravings or being thirsty instead of hungry is one thing, but actual hunger... that should be listened to.)
When your body is hungry it is telling you to give it energy, and actual food energy not stimulants. You won't satisfy that hunger with liquid or with calories free drinks or calories free noodles. Your body wants energy and that's why you are supposed to eat.
Hunger is a basic human instinct and something you don't need to feel embarrassed about or guilty about or try to suppress. Your body wants fuel.
Of course now a days most people eat for more reasons that hunger, I. E eat because your tired, eat because you're stressed, eat just because the food is there, eat extra because the food is delicious, eat because you're mentally craving it. And these don't have to be bad, they only become negative when food becomes something you abuse or you lose the balance with food and eating.
But I can tell you from experience that trying to numb hunger with liquids won't work. It's not supposed to work either, unless the "hunger feelings" are actually a sign that you need water.
Stop feeling guilty for being hungry. Stop feeling ashamed for needing food. Stop trying to surpress your bodies signals. Just like when you are tired, you should nap or rest if possible. That's a much better option that relying on caffeine!!
Listen to your body and try to figure out what it needs and if it tells you to eat more then do that. I.e if you hace days where you feel like your stomach is a black hole... well then maybe you just need to eat double the amount and accept that you need extra energy that day instead of trying to avoid the hunger and drink lots of water instead... that's not a good idea.
Of course I know people can struggle with binge eating and then it can feel like you are never full and always hungry, but that hunger is often a mental hunger or triggered by certain things and if you really try to focus on real hunger and mental hunger then you will know the difference and be able to know when you need more fuel and when binge eating is being triggered.
Anyway.... just some of my thoughts now when I'm cooking dinner and my stomach is growling and I tried drinking water to numb the hunger but instead I'm just going to eat sole snacks while I wait for my dinner to cook because that is what my body needs!!!
I still struggle with this :/ and it's not even intentional. I'm just thirsty 24/7 and I drink water/tea/sparkling water constantly. And I end up just not being hungry. It sucks, especially when I have to essentially "force" myself to eat and my stomach feels full already. If I am eating a meal, I make sure to NOT DRINK ANYTHING while I'm eating to make sure I'm actually full. It's hard though.
ReplyDeleteI tend to drink a lot too and its not because I want to fill up on fluids rather than eat - I just get very thirsty! One tip I have learnt is to use a smaller cup/glass and that has worked out pretty well for me. Like you I never have a drink with a meal, I tend to have a drink afterwards so I know I`m full on food rather than fluids.
ReplyDelete