When I am preoccupied with a long and tedious project, I tend to eat more than when I am doing something much more interesting and enjoyable. The feeling of hunger may come as a result of boredom, but it is important that one distinguishes hunger from thirst; it has been my experience that, in times of boredom, thirst will misrepresent itself as hunger so that I am forced to do something more enjoyable – like eat!
According to Livestrong, true hunger is not sudden; hunger gradually occurs over the span of three to four hours. So, if it has been less than three hours since you ate to the point of satisfaction, then you are most likely not hungry. It should be noted that, when you are truly hungry, any food will satisfy you. Sudden feelings of hunger, on the other hand, tend to be associated with cravings. So, if you suddenly feel for chocolate or for something sweet, you are probably just having a craving for the food item or the desired taste and not really hungry. Regardless, cravings should not be ignored; search this website for the post called “Craving, Craving, Go Away and Don’t Come Back Another Day!” for more information.
Thirst, on the other hand, is a little more deceptive. By the time you feel thirsty, you may be close to dehydration. Instead of waiting to feel thirsty, you should make it a habit to just drink water regular throughout the day, but not with your meal; search this website for the post called “Warning: Avoid Water with Meal” for more information.
The reason for the body’s confusion as to thirst and hunger may stem from the brain’s commingled responsibilities – the same part of the brain is responsible for interpreting hunger and thirst. Stay one step ahead by choosing thirst over hunger. In other words, whenever you feel hungry within the four hour window after a meal, opt for water instead of food. If the water satisfies your hunger, then you know that you were really thirsty and not hungry; if, however, after 10 minutes, you are still feeling hungry, then you should eat your next meal.
The other consideration is your meal size. If you are not eating until you feel satisfied (not to be confused with stuffed), then you will likely feel hungry before the end of the three to four hour window. You should still opt for water first as noted above, but, if you are consistently hungry before the three to four hour window, you may want to increase your meal sizes. Search this website for the post called “Feelings: Food Satisfaction Level” for more information.
