{"id":13596,"date":"2020-11-05T06:00:47","date_gmt":"2020-11-05T11:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=13596"},"modified":"2020-11-02T05:37:17","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T10:37:17","slug":"is-it-hunger-or-an-emotional-craving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2020\/11\/is-it-hunger-or-an-emotional-craving.html","title":{"rendered":"Is it Hunger or an Emotional Craving?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>You are home and bored. There must be something to do. Look around. On the counter, you see a bag of opened chips. You are not really hungry but so what! \u00a0Boredom gets the best of you and you reach for the bag. A few minutes later, you have polished off the entire bag and \u00a0you weren’t really hungry. Yes, it’s another episode of mindless eating. Guilt sets in and you decide it’s time for a change.<\/p>\n

A starting point to break the habit of emotional or mindless eating is knowing the difference between physical hunger and emotional cravings. This may help you understand difference:<\/p>\n

Physical hunger\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Emotional Craving<\/strong><\/p>\n

Builds gradually\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hits suddenly, “I just want something.”<\/p>\n

Stomach rumbles and grumbles \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Anxious but no physical symptoms<\/p>\n

Feel full and stop eating \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Eat when full<\/p>\n

Any food will satisfy \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Want a specific food or type (salty, sweet)<\/p>\n

Physically feel empty \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mouth and mind are tasting the food<\/p>\n

Eat and feel better \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Eat and feel guilty<\/p>\n

Choose foods purposely \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Eat whatever is there<\/p>\n

Once you know the difference, press pause and ask, “Do I really want this food or am I eating for other reasons?” The pause may be enough to delay the impulse to eat. And if the pause isn’t enough, try to distract yourself. Leave the room, go for a walk, read a book or do something to get your mind off the food. Then notice…did your “hunger” go away? If yes, it was a craving and not real hunger.<\/p>\n

Now let’s say, you still want the chips. You see them sitting on the counter calling your name. Drink some water, put a few chips in a bowl and put the bag away. Then, slowly eat the few chips in your bowl. Enjoy every bite! This should satisfy the craving.<\/p>\n

So when the urge to eat hits, first determine if you are hungry. If the answer is no, it’s most likely a craving that can be managed by pausing, distraction or eating a small amount.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You are home and bored. There must be something to do. Look around. On the counter, you see a bag of opened chips. You are not really hungry but so what! \u00a0Boredom gets the best of you and you reach for the bag. 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