Forever Hungry

You know those days that, for whatever reason, you can’t get your mind off of food?  It's as if you’re forever hungry…well I’ve had one of those weeks!  I felt like after every meal or snack I began thinking about the meal or snack that was to come and how far away it seemed.  Hmm…somehow I was left unsatisfied by the normal 3 meals and 2 snacks that always fill me just fine.  I knew this was coming from somewhere beyond my stomach and physical hunger…Emotion? Stress? Boredom?  Whatever it was, it was definitely mental and was going to take some serious reflection and mental power to keep it under control.

Now, I was not thinking about food 24/7, but it was frustrating that immediately following each meal or snack I wished for something more or different, as if I didn’t even experience my initial nourishment in the first place.  To help myself out, I took a moment each time to remind myself of reality:  “I enjoyed that meal and I am definitely no longer hungry.  Move on.”  Getting my mind working on something else definitely helped this week.  Once I was able to leave the moment and get back to work or study, my cravings seemed to go away.  The most problematic times were when I did not have work to return to (evenings after dinner) and something from the fridge or pantry continued to beckon me to come and indulge (it doesn’t help that I’ve done a little baking this week).  Man it is easy to justify extras before taking part (that mini conversation that happens in your head when you give yourself every good reason to do it or why it’s not that big of a deal, while your voice of reason is given little chance to chime in), but it is hard to shake the guilt afterwards:  “Really?!  You didn’t need that and you know it.”

I don’t know about you, but I dislike feeling like I couldn’t stand up against myself.  And that’s what it is.  I let my emotions or stress or boredom get the best of my disciplined dietary behaviors.  The satiety center in my brain needed a few reminders:

Food is meant to nourish my body.
Food is to be enjoyed mindfully.
Food is complex and evokes emotions, but emotions should not determine food intake.
God has blessed us with plenty: aka, I don’t need to eat like it’s my last meal.
My body determines when I am full…I should listen to it.

The mind is a powerful thing and can both drive us to indulge when we shouldn’t as well as take control and hold steadfast against temptation.  Why are some days harder than others to do the latter?  Reminding myself of the lack of true physical hunger, finding alternative activities or ways to busy my brain, and even using stand-ins like flavored hot teas instead of something more caloric, were my top strategies this week.  This week was tough and I cannot say that I always avoided the pantry calling, but I know that by not completely surrendering to my perceived need to eat MORE, I did not undo my habits.  The more often we succumb to those food temptations, the more dulled we get to their consequences.  Then, before you know it, your back at square one (and maybe a few pounds up).  Stick to your guns, even if you don’t win each fight.  If the forever hungry season does not pass, new strategies and a brain re-training are in order. 

My forever hungry week has passed and I’m heading into next week with the right tools (healthy options available, food temptations cleaned out), planned meals and snacks, and a goal to mindfully eat each bite…all I can do to set myself up for success, whatever my mind might throw at me.