We all know hunger is the desire to eat, but did you know there are two forms – internal and external? Internal hunger is triggered inside your body, whereas external hunger is triggered by environmental factors, such as the aroma of food, or an emotion. Learning the difference between the two can help you take control and make healthy choices.
Recognising the signs
Internal hunger is usually accompanied by physical sensations including feeling light-headed or tummy rumbles. These usually begin three to four hours after you last ate and often increase the longer you go without eating.
When you’re internally hungry, almost any food can be appealing – whether it’s healthy or not.
Internal hunger can also make us more vulnerable to external hunger. For example, if you feel internally hungry on your way home after work and pass a takeaway, you could find the aroma more appealing and be swayed to order food rather than stick to a meal you planned to cook.
Staying in control
The key to managing internal hunger is recognising the signs. Also, try keeping ZeroPoint™ foods on hand, as eating every three to four hours throughout the day will also help to keep internal hunger at bay. Plan a hunger-beating strategy of your own and write it down to turn to when you’re in need of a snack.