Listen to your body

One of the simplest rules in weight loss is “eat when you're hungry”. Sounds easy, right? Guess again. Most of our eating is done according to a schedule, an event or an external stimulus. Lunch breaks at work, family dinners, birthday parties or a free sample at the supermarket are messing with our hunger signals. It's time to take control back.

Image by Ashley R. Good

If you want to know if your hunger signaling system is working, do a simple exercise over the next few days. Before you eat, ask yourself a question: “am I really hungry?”. Just notice your answer. It doesn't mean you won't eat at that moment or that you have to change your patterns. Sometimes sticking to a schedule is unavoidable, but increasing awareness about your eating habits helps you lose weight.

If you want to go further with this exercise, then do something about your answers. If you aren't really hungry, postpone the meal when possible. If you must eat at that moment, try to eat less than usual. However, if you feel hungry, don't jump at your plate. Drink one full glass of water and wait 5 minutes. Are you still hungry? Now it's a good time to eat.

Image by Your Girl in Portland

The purpose of this exercise is to help you listen to your body and become aware of your hunger. This is an important step in controlling your food intake for weight loss. Try it for a couple of days and share your experience in the comments. Hope to hear from you!