Intuitive eating is the act of understanding the signs and signals your body is sending you to determine things like hunger, cravings, fullness and so much more. That means slowing down and tuning into your body’s cues to interpret which messages are being sent. It can be used to manage how much you eat (tuning into hunger and satiety cues), what allows you to feel and function your best (energy, mood, sleep and more) and also what your body might be trying to tell you (food allergies, intolerances, disease, etc). Ultimately, there is A LOT to uncover and understand when it comes to your body and its intuition. The cool thing is that it truly can be a powerful tool to truly understand what works for you and what allows you to function at an optimal level.

Diving In To Understand Hunger vs Cravings

Today, we’re talking specifically about Hunger & Cravings. These are two of the most asked about and easily misinterpreted signals from your body. They are also things that most of us experience and are totally a normal part of life.

Hunger

Hunger generally comes on gradually. Like a slow build up, you may notice that your hunger increases hour by hour as you approach your next meal.
You might feel sensations in your stomach (rumbling, etc) or energy levels dipping. You may even notice a difference in your mood if you let yourself get too hungry or go too long between meals or snacks (hanger).
Hunger is typically felt in the gut (not the mouth).

Cravings

Cravings often times come on pretty quickly. They may arise “in the moment.”
Often times they are triggered by a specific event or emotion - work, family, career, relationship, etc.
The can also be the result of boredom or even a behavior pattern you’ve adopted over time. Ex: walk into the kitchen and crave the cookie that you always have at 3pm.
Cravings are typically felt in the mouth rather than the gut. This is where the specifics come in for something sweet, savory, salty, crunchy or gooey (or whatever your preferred foods/textures are).

How To Tap In Intuitively

Notice & Name - When you are finding yourself hungry or having cravings, slow down and tune into WHY. Can you notice the sensations?
Gut -or- Mouth - Is the feeling being generated from the gut or the mouth?
Gradual -or- Quick - Was there a specific event that caused you to want to eat or was it a gradual build up? What led up to this feeling?
What did you eat at your last meal? Did it hold you over long enough or could this be causing you to want/need more food?
Journaling can be a great way to note when you are hungry or having cravings. You can then jot down what you were craving or how you felt leading up to being hungry. Noting what happened leading up either event can help you establish any patterns and begin to understand the information behind these two cues. Check out this Intuitive Eating Journal for more direction.

We Are All Unique

We are all unique in our physiology, our psychology, our personal preferences and our practical circumstances so what works for one person may or may not for another.
What’s most important is that you learn to understand your own body and your own body’s cues.
Each person may have different experiences when it comes to hunger and cravings so there are unlimited ways that each individual may experience either.
Reach out if you need any support - click here for personalized health coaching or here to attend on of our wellness retreats.

Curious to know what you notice about your hunger and cravings? Share any cues you notice in the comments below!