Ever heard someone utter the phrase “my eyes are bigger than my stomach” as they painfully try to finish off all of the food on their plate? Unfortunately, it’s true that we are more likely to consume food based on external stimuli including what time it is, what food is sitting out and visible, if other people are eating, rather than what our body is saying.
Use the following scale to identify your level of hunger before deciding when to eat.
- you don’t feel hungry at all
- food sounds good, but you couldn’t eat whole apple
- your stomach feels empty
- your stomach is growling
- your stomach and head hurt
- you are hungry and can’t focus, eating feels like an emergency
The ADA recommends eating when you are in the 3-4 range. At levels 1 to 2 you don’t need to eat and between 5 and 6 you’ll typically overeat and make poor food choices out of necessity. By aiming to eat when you are in the 3 to 4 range you are most likely to eat the appropriate portions.
Be Healthy. Be Balanced.
-Alicia and Nikki