How to stave off hunger pangs
Last night, I wrote a rant post about the quote below. I ran across it in the July issue of VOGUE. (I’ve been checking out back issues of VOGUE from our public library, in an attempt to spend less money on magazines, and learn a little more about fashion.) I interpreted the quote as “Starve Yourself!”
My intent was to publish the post this morning, but at the last minute, I didn’t. I figured you’d had enough of the health stuff for awhile. And I also figured I was being a bit extremist about the whole thing. I thought, maybe I was the only person who thought there was something a bit off about this quote (it was not followed by an article).
BUT! Today, after NOT posting that, I actually saw this in the “Letters from Readers” section of the October issue of VOGUE:
I am not alone!
After reading this, my passion came back all of a sudden, and I wanted to share my thoughts again.
First things first – I DO NOT think VOGUE is the place to go for health advice! Of course not! But, the way that quote is written, it DOES make me feel like they are saying “It is okay to not eat when you are hungry.”
SO MANY PEOPLE, myself included, do not eat when they are hungry. They eat all the time. They eat when they are emotional. They eat when they are bored. They eat when they are sad. They eat when they are happy!
I am trying (SO HARD) to learn to eat when I am hungry. To eat a small amount right before hunger hits, then stop when I am satisfied.
I don’t know A TON about how the human body works, but do you think it knows when you are hungry? I mean, if you are gorging yourself everyday (like I WAS), it won’t know, BUT it relearned with time.
So, I say, if you are hungry – then EAT, goddammit!
Okay. Now. How do YOU interpret it?
(Edit: A “pang” is a “a sudden feeling of mental or emotional distress or longing.” Does that mean that it is not true hunger? Did I misinterpret this completely? AH! My anxiety just came back!)
(Edit 2: Oh. And “Picturing my last meal” would make me feel more hungry. If I am feeling “snacky” but NOT hungry, the best thing for me to do is distract myself with something else not food-related!)
Themocracy
Yeah, I’m with you: if I picture food, I’m going to start going crazy to eat ANYthing!
I think it’s good, once in awhile, to really feel hunger. Most of us in this country don’t recognize true hunger, as opposed to “feeling like eating.” And, like you, I eat for so many reasons that have absolutely NOTHING to do with fueling myself.
good one VOGUE!!! um, no, for me, picturing my last meal wouldn’t work, it would make me more hungry…. i’m working on what you’re working on, learning to eat when i’m hungry, not just emotional eating or eating when bored, and learning to stop when i’m full, not cleaning my plate… it’s hard!!! i agree with you though, if you’re hungry then eat!!!
=^..^=
Picturing my last meal wouldn’t work, it would make me think of food more. Then I would think I was hungry wether I was or not.
Yeah Vogue should stick to fashion LOL 🙂
A lot of it depends on how strong the signal is when I am hungry and what I am doing. If I’m busy with something I like to do, I can go a bit longer before eating…. even if I’m picturing my last meal. But if it’s something I’m not all that excited about doing, then that last meal is front and center.
Agreed and VOGUE shouldn’t have diet or healthy eating tips.
Cat. – So true. I didn’t realize what real hunger was until I started eating healthier. It’s kind of a dull headache (for me!) that instantly goes away when I start eating.
CourtneyInControl – It seems counter intuitive, but Steven and I have been eating out more to practice NOT clearing our plates. Wow. It’s hard. But we have had (small) success!
Felicia – I was surprised to even see the quote in there! But hey, what do I know? 😉
martymankins – I am the same way. If I want to finish a task before I eat, I’ll finish it. I like to be at a “stopping point” with things!
I have trouble knowing when I am hungry because emotional eating is one of my major issues. This happens to a lot of people but that doesn’t help me feel better about it.
I wouldn’t even know where to go with my comment. This post made me hungry 🙁
Heee-heeee-heeee 😉
Have a great weekend!
sizzle – I think it’s a life-long struggle. Because even when you are NOT doing it, the temptation is always there. Well, for me anyway!
javaqueen – HA! I hope you have a great weekend too 🙂
I have not that problem, I have this problem: I find it waaaaay too easy to not eat, not bother, not think of it. Often, when I’m hungry, I just brew a cup of coffee and I’m fine for quite a while. As a result, my metabolism is stupid slow, and it’s slow genetically and due to not enough exercise to begin with. When I’m hungry and I eat, i feel sickish if I eat too much and really regret it. I simply can’t eat a whole lot anymore; I think it’s part of getting older. My efforts have been me trying (successfully quite often these days, hooray) to get myself to eat breakfast and lunch (lunch is easier), and not allow myself to get painfully hungry later in the day. It hurts.
I had a struggle with my weight when I was a teenager. When I left home, it started burning off and becoming a non-issue. Then – right then! – I got pregnant, and ballooned ridiculously. Since my kiddo was born until something like 10 years ago, I’ve gradually lost about 50 pounds, from a top weight of 235 to 185. I plateaued there and am still right there. I’ve been frustrated, since I don’t have a tendency to overeat or eat the wrong stuff, not an emotional eater, etc., to still be overweight. In fact, certifiably angry over this. If I’d only ever been 50 pounds overweight, I’d be a siren by now! So I’ve been stepping up exercise efforts, especially lately, and really being deliberate about eating good low calorie high fiber food, not much processed food, etc., so I can finally lose the rest of this stuff.
Catherine – I’ve never heard of anyone with that problem before! What a struggle that must be. I hope the exercise helps.