It’s really hard for us to listen to our own bodies and our own needs. We have too many distractions around us and it makes it hard to focus on our real needs. The hunger/fullness scale is a tool I use with clients struggling with emotional eating. Use the scale to help you determine if you really are hungry, or if it is an emotional hunger.

Are You Really Hungry?

When you reach for a snack, check yourself against this scale. If you are really hungry, then a healthy meal such as fruit or vegetables, will satisfy your hunger. If it is an emotional hunger calling, then you will probably realize that a healthy snack isn’t going to fulfill your needs right now.

0. Empty. You probably haven’t eaten for more than 7 hours. Your body is begging for food and you start to feel dizzy and nauseous.

1. Ravenous. Weak and light-headed. Your stomach acid is churning. You may have a headache. You can’t concentrate and feel dizzy.

2. Over-hungry. You feel irritable and unable to concentrate. You may even feel nauseous.

3. Hunger pangs. Uncomfortably hungry. Your stomach is rumbling. The urge to eat is strong.

4. Hunger awakens. Slightly uncomfortable. You’re just beginning to feel signs of hunger. You start to think about food. Your body is giving you the signal that you might want to eat.

5. Neutral / Comfortable. You’re more or less satisfied, but could eat a little more. Your body has enough fuel to keep it going and is physically and psychologically just starting to feel satisfied.

6. Just satisfied. Perfectly comfortable. You feel satisfied.

7. Completely satisfied. A little bit uncomfortable. You’re past the point of satisfaction, yet you can still “find room” for a little more. Your body says “no” and your mind says “yes” to a few more bites.

8. Full / Uncomfortable. You feel bloated. You may need to loosen your clothes. Maybe you shouldn’t have had more, but it tasted so good.

9. Stuffed. Very uncomfortably full. Maybe you didn’t eat all day to leave room for this meal and you feel heavy, tired, and bloated.

10. Sick. You are so full you feel nauseous. This might be a typical Thanksgiving Dinner feeling – you are physically miserable, don’t want to or can’t move, and feel like you never want to look at food again.

 

You should eat comfortably between a 0 and 2. Never more than a 7. Stop eating at a 5 or 6 and wait a few hours for a snack.

Don’t be part of the “clean plate” club. Listen to your stomach. Eat slowly. This takes time to practice.