If you’ve been off and on diets for much of your life, it can be hard to tune into your hunger and fullness cues. It can take some practice to start to notice what physical hunger and fullness actually feel like.

Being aware of physical hunger cues can help you notice when you are eating for emotional reasons.

If you’d like to reconnect with your hunger and fullness, picture your hunger on a scale of one to ten.

Level one is extreme hunger. You may feel physically unwell, weak, and ready to grab anything that might be edible. Ten is extreme fullness, like after a giant holiday meal.

Make a point to check in with yourself every few hours and ask yourself what your hunger level is. This can help you to notice your natural patterns of hunger and fullness.

As you get more practice, you may start to notice some of the early signs of hunger. It can also help you identify when you feel like eating but are not physically hungry.

Sources - healthline.com

Photo credits - https://www.helpguide.org/articles/diets/emotional-eating.htm