Do you have a fear of feeling hungry?
Do you get anxious just at the thought of feeling hungry?
Do you eat just in case you might be hungry in a couple of hours?
If so, then you are not alone! Over the last 4 years, whilst working with clients, time and time again we find that a lot of their behaviours are to avoid hunger and they often don’t recognise it.
Dietary programs are often sold on the promise that you will lose weight whilst keeping cravings and hunger at bay…The simple truth however, is if you are looking to lose weight then you are going to feel hungry, it is unavoidable.
I’m not saying you should starve yourself and miss meals as this makes adherence and long term success very difficult. However, the gentle hunger that comes from not overeating or waiting 30 minutes for a meal, rather than snacking is something I believe you can learn to view with curiosity.
Why curiosity? Because once you start to understand and recognise a sensation, without any judgement, you can better manage how you respond to it.
When you start to feel the gentle rumble of hunger, pause and ask yourself:
– How uncomfortable does this feel? Could I sit with it a little longer?
– Does this hunger make me feel anxious, if so, why?
– Can I reframe this hunger away from discomfort to just a natural process.
Learning to live alongside hunger is a skill which takes practice and will make weight loss much more manageable. Eating tasty, satisfying food will also help you to manage your hunger and all my clients get personalised recipes to help them on their journey.
Ian Thomas is our resident dietitian at Courtyard and has a wealth of experience in all matters relating to diet and nutritional health. His programmes are realistic and sympathetic to the way we live our lives today, no crazy restrictions or piles of expensive supplements, just good, sensible advice. To chat to Ian about your needs, or to make an appointment, email reception@courtyardclinic.com or call 01453 548119 (Dursley customers) 01666 714119 (Malmesbury customers)