Let Your Body Be Your Guide
Eating well - and only when you’re hungry - means listening better to the signals your body sends out.
Your body sends you signals telling you when you are hungry and when you are satisfied. Unfortunately, many of us ignore these signals. We eat at all times of the day and, in particular, we keep on eating even though we're no longer hungry. Learning to listen to your body is a vital skill for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Pay attention to the signals!
When you start to run out of steam or your stomach begins to growl, it’s time to refuel. Eat!
Listening to your body also means allowing yourself a nutritious snack when you are hungry.
When your hunger eases, your energy level rises and you feel satisfied without feeling too full, this means that you have eaten enough food. Take your time. In fact, the brain doesn't register fullness automatically. It needs some time to understand you aren't hungry anymore. Sit back and relax!
A few tips
- Before eating, ask yourself if you are truly hungry.
- Use mealtime to relax and enjoy yourself. Sit down and take the time to chew each bite.
- Put your utensils down every two bites.
- A few times during the meal, ask yourself if you are still hungry.
- Don't make yourself finish what's on your plate. Keep the rest for later or, if you are at a restaurant, bring the leftovers home. Two, three or four extra bites may seem harmless, but having those extra bites at every meal will add on extra pounds. Eating an extra 50 calories a day - the equivalent of 5 chips - adds up to an additional 5 pounds (2.2 kg) at the end of a year!
Don't be fooled!
Our appetite sometimes plays tricks on us! The sight, smell or thought of an appetizing food (like chocolate cake, hot apple pie, crispy french fries) can trigger a false sense of hunger. This is nothing to feel guilty about, as long as you don't make it a habit.
