At my high weight of 250 pounds, I was never really hungry. I was constantly eating and stuffing myself beyond fullness. The single thing that started me on my journey to losing 100 pounds was waiting to eat until I was actually hungry and stopping when I was satisfied.
What is the Hunger Scale?
I like to think of hunger scale as a number line. Zero is neutral, without a feeling of hunger or fullness. The negative part of the scale represents hunger and the positive part represents fullness. There are extremes to each side of the hunger scale too. At the negative part (-10), you have extreme hunger where you might have a lot of dizziness, nausea, headache and a depletion of energy. The other extreme would be stuffing yourself (+10) where you might feel like you can’t move without making yourself sick and have extreme stomach pain.
Only eat when you are hungry (-2)
The goal is to start eating when you are at a -2. This means you have clear signs of hunger. Your stomach might be lightly growling, you might be more distractible or you might have a slight dip in energy. This is the time that you want to eat. Please remember that every person’s signs can be different and you should define these signs for yourself.
Stop eating once you are satisfied (+2)
Once you begin to eat, your hunger lessens then disappears and you begin to enter the positive side of the Hunger Scale. At satisfied (+2), your body may feel light and energetic. Your stomach will not feel empty any more but it also will not feel the pressure of fullness. At this point of satisfaction, you are able to do light activity such as go for a walk without feeling uncomfortable.
How to define your -2 to +2
There is no right way to define your hungry and satisfied points. These points are going to be as unique as you are. A great way to get better acquainted with your body’s cues it to check in with yourself before you start eating and ask yourself:
- Am I hungry?
- How do I know I am hungry?
- What signs is my body giving me?
If the answer is I am hungry, then ask yourself to identify two or three ways that you know that you are hungry. Start using a journal to keep track of those hunger cues so you can identify patterns and really hone into what your -2 looks like.
The very same can be done with your satisfied (+2) point. Stop halfway through your meal and evaluate the sensations in your body. Ask yourself:
- Do I have signs of physical hunger?
- Am I satisfied?
- What cues is my body giving me?
If the answer is you do not have any feelings of hunger and you feel satisfied, then identify two or three ways that you know that you are satisfied. Track these signs in your journal too. Knowing the signs of satisfaction in your body will help you stop overeating and allow your body to shed your excess weight.
What if I eat past +2 or -2?
As with learning any new skill, you are likely to make mistakes along the way. This is expected and perfectly OK. Be sure to note the signs from your body and how you felt in those situations. Always be kind and reassure yourself that you are learning from this experience so you can stay within -2 to +2 in the future.
Be patient and keep checking in with your body.
Finally, be patient with yourself as you discover what signs your body gives for each side of the scale. You may also find, as I did, that during your weight loss journey the amounts of food that once brought you to satisfied are now taking you to a more full state (+4). This will happen as your body adjusts its need for food based on your new smaller body.
Your Coach,
Andrea
Here is my gift to you. This is a printable Hunger Scale resource that you can use. I hope you enjoy it!