Week 8: Individual Challenge

 Use the Intuitive Hunger Scale

 

I have also emailed this document to you...I recommend printing it out if you can.  I'll also have some copies available at the box on Monday.

 

Let me explain this scale.  It obviously goes from 1 to 10 with 1 being "starving," you are so hungry, you don't care what the food is, you are going to eat!  This is when all "willpower" goes out the window and your body's physiological response kicks in. 

 

On the other end is the 10, "overfull" put on elastic-waisted pants and lay down.  This is not a pleasant state to be in. 

 

It is very easy to go from a 1-2 to a 9-10 in a matter of minutes, 20 minutes to be precise, because that's how long it takes for your stomach to get the message to your brain that you are no longer hungry and you can stop eating.  So, if you are starving, you can clean a whole plate of food in under 10 minutes and still feel hungry.  So, you keep eating.  When that 20 minutes ticks by, you may find yourself at a 9 or 10 and in a world of hurt.

 

Ideally, you want to eat when you are at a 3: hungry, ready for a meal and stop at a 7:comfortably satisfied.  It's not when you are "full," which is typically more like an 8: too bites too many. And you can feel okay about stopping when you are at a 7 because you are going to eat again in just a few hours.  (You can also eat at a 4: hungry, ready for a snack and stop at a 6: satisfied after a snack.)

It's also ok to leave a little food on your plate.  (What?  Gasp!  No!)  Yep, it's true. 

 

Did anyone grow up hearing this from their parents?

 

Two things I want to say regarding this issue of "cleaning your plates." 

 

First, if you have guilt associated with leaving food or throwing food away, just remember this little comparison:  waste vs. waist.  You can either throw it in the garbage as waste, or you can go ahead and finish it off, even though you will pass that 7 on the hunger scale, and it will become garbage on your own waist.  If you continue to eat, even though you are no longer hungry, you simply do not need that food anymore, and it becomes garbage to your body...or fat storage.  The win-win to this problem is stop eating when you are no longer hungry and simply save the rest as left-overs.

 

Second, even if you decide to keep eating because that food item tastes so good and you just can't stop and you are sooooo full it hurts to move...and you swear you won't have to eat the rest of the entire day.  Well, guess what?  You'll still be hungry again in 4 hours.  It's true.  So you might as well stop eating when you're comfortably satisfied and keep your body from turning all that extra food into waste on your waist. 

 

What you want to avoid on this hunger scale is the dreaded 5...you're not hungry, you're not full...you are having a craving or wanting to eat for another reason.  You may want to eat because you are sad, happy, mad, frustrated, bored, or lonely.  You may eat because you are with friends and the food is just "there."  This week I want you to be eating on purpose, not "just because." 

 

One suggestion I often give clients is to hang the hunger scale on their fridge or pantry door or somewhere visible.  If you start fishing around for food, ask yourself "What number am I?"  If you are at a 3 or 4...eat.  If you are at a 1 or 2...eat very slowly and ask yourself what happened that you let yourself get soooo hungry.  If you are at a 5, stop and do something else.  Here are a list of my suggestions:

 

I will have copies of this as well to post next to your hunger scale or you are welcome to print it off yourself.  Just right click on it and select, "Print Picture."  

 

The idea is to get your mind off of food and distract yourself long enough until you legitimately at a 3 or 4 and then ready to eat a meal or a snack.  If it's later at night then just brush your teeth and go to bed.

 

So, this week, to earn your 10 individual challenge points, here's the deal. 

 

1.  Post the hunger scale and alternatives somewhere visible in your home.

2.  Use this scale throughout the week as you decide when to eat and how much to eat.

3.  Do not let yourself overeat.  Stop when you are at a 7.

 

If you can do those three things, you will earn your 10 points for the week. 

 

Now, as of right now you are earning daily points for eating every 3 to 4 hours.  If you have been cosistently doing this, you have likely noticed that you are hungry that often.  However, if for some reason 4 hours comes around and you are still hanging out at a "5" on that hunger scale...go ahead and wait until you hit that 3 or 4.  I don't want you forcing yourself to eat when you are not hungry.  You can still earn your daily points even if it's not every 3 to 4 hours if you are honestly using the hunger scale and waiting until you are.

 

Kapeesh?

 

If you have any questions about this challenge, please post them in the comments section.  If something is confusing to you, it likely is for someone else too.