Eating Appetites

Have you ever felt like you were hungry when you knew you were not? Have you ever craved ice cream after finishing off a big dinner with dessert? Hunger is compelling. It drives us because we  intuitively associate it with survival. But, hunger is not always about food.

Your appetites are sometimes driven by unpleasant sensations like boredom, anger, frustration or loneliness. These kinds of appetites are your mind or soul needing some 'food'.

But, conversation is not something you buy at the store, and friendship is not something you keep in the pantry. It's not as easy to feed your head or heart as it is to feed your body, because you're not used to recognizing this kind of appetite. However, it's real. Your appetites for stimulation, for comfort, for understanding and for affection are an important part of what makes you unique and wonderful.

These kinds of appetites are satisfied by:

• self-respect: You acknowledge that boredom, loneliness, frustration or anger is driving you to eat.
• determination: You decide to protect your body from self-abusive eating.
• prudence: You weigh alternative ways of stopping the physical urge.
• I had a client who kept a rubber band on her wrist because she realized boredom would compel her to stare into the refrigerator. Now, as soon as she starts to feel that urge, she snaps the rubber band and reminds herself, she's not really hungry.
• Another client kept a sign on her refrigerator that said "Why?", which stopped her mindless eating. 
• honesty: Being deeply honest with yourself means not using food to avoid what is unpleasant. It doesn't work. The fact is, it's like covering a mess on the floor with newspaper. The mess is still there.

The odd thing about this kind of appetite is that your body thinks you're hungry, but your intellect knows you are not. Our bodies are the result of our habits. If, over time, you have programmed your body to expect food when you are bored, lonely, frustrated or angry, then you will feel driven to overeat. That's why the simple rubber band works. It's a physical signal that you're okay. You can reprogram your body.

Tune-in to yourself and trust your intuition. Intuition is always self-protective. You can sense if you're making the dignified choice. Be honest and review the facts in your head. You're in charge of and responsible for you, your body and soul.  Self-respect, determination, prudence and dignity are all intuitive tools. Use them and take control.

Learn more. Download Am I Really Hungry? 6th sense diet : intuitive eating and get more insights into what makes you eat and how to take control of your appetites.

Dealing with Frustration Around Food, Try Ice Cream!

Feeling deprived is not the same as feeling hungry. Give yourself a chance to notice if you're hungry before  you eat.

Intuitive eating means paying attention to your senses and ignoring emotions when you eat. If you're not hungry, you don't need to eat. But don't wait until you  feel starved, because that makes your body think you need to gorge or binge to survive.

Relate to genuine physical hunger when you eat by noticing taste and smell. This is the only way to tune-in to healthy physical comfort.

Because you have been training to diet for years, it will take time to undo all of that 'training'. It takes calorie-burning effort to stop rebuking yourself for what you eat. Remember, you owe yourself some kindness because you are working hard to reconnect with your natural appetites.

Natural hunger is a gentle feeling. Trust that you can learn to recognize it.

Try this: Pretend you're very young and give yourself the pleasure of tasting flavor. Notice texture and smell what you eat. If you feel like having ice cream, act like a kid who never tasted ice cream and lick it. Intuitive eating is fun. When possible, eat with a friend or relative to share enjoyment. The result of focusing on what you're enjoying is:

• You will eat less. 
• You will eat slower.
• You will recognize when you're full.

It's important to give yourself permission to smell and taste your food before you decide if you're hungry. 

• Smell food at mealtime and if you feel turned off, don't eat.
•  If it smells good, take a bite. 
• When you taste it, make it a rule to chew and savor the flavor. This will connect what you're tasting with your mind, and your stomach will respond. If you still do not feel hungry, you are not. But if you are hungry, it's important to enjoy food by really tasting it while you're eating.
•  When you enjoy your food, you burn more calories. 
• When you really taste food, you feel full sooner. So only eat what you feel like having, and stop eating when you feel comfortable, but not stuffed. 
• Feeling "filled up" is usually a signal of overeating. Feeling comfortable is the signal from your body that you're full.

Read how to  Create Your Plan in Am I Really Hungry, which is available on amazon or kindle.   This will help you when you're slipping and protect you from destructive choices like binging. You need tips and tricks to fully understand yourself and to free yourself from dieting, binging or over-exercising.

You are already building a caring foundation for the rest of your life. Use the key for long-term success. Be kind to yourself. The only thing that matters around eating is what you're doing now. Yesterday is history.

Get practical intuitive solutions that are common sense for maintaining a your healthy weight, download: Am I Really Hungry? 6th Sense Diet : Intuitive Eating

and overcome eating challenges.

"If you can't solve a problem, it's because you're playing by the rules." P. Arden

When self-discipline fails.. PHAT

We all have those moments when the effort to put on the brakes is too much. Here's the intuitive way to fulfill your inner baby and protect your real-time body:

Start easy.

Bypass the emotional hot buttons to connect with your body when frustrated with temptation by relying on the intuitive basics - your physical senses. 

Pamper yourself by eating sensually. 

Just use one sense: Taste.

• Taste what tempts you and really savor it. 
• Make love to your food with your tongue.  Do it slowly.
• Taste what you eat as if it's your last meal.
• Search for pleasure and satisfaction. 

Intuitive eating is sensual and very seductive in a satisfying way. 

It's when you zone into your body and what feels good with every bite. 

There is nothing forbidden, but lots that's pretty, hot and tempting. 

Enjoy eating, and enjoy yourself by tuning-in to what you taste. 

 
Pamper yourself with pleasure and dignity. Be sensual and get satisfaction. As you use your intuition you gain a permanent weightless understanding of yourself and you lose weight.

For the past few weeks,  Am I Really Hungry? has been a best seller on amazon.com under health: mind and body and mind-body connection ! People are using the book to change their lives! Give yourself a gift!

Self-discipline is a handrail to grab to stay clear about where we want to get. But sometimes our goals are hard to reach. We're too tired, or our inner baby just wants to eat cake. That's when the only available transportation is a leap of faith.

• Have faith that you deserve a body that is healthy and feels good. 
• Trust that it's worth the short-term frustration of ignoring your inner baby to have the long-term result of liking yourself. 
• Take the leap when you can't deal with self-discipline and you'll discover yourself smiling.  

#janebernard