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Is Hunger a Bad Thing?
One of the most common concerns we hear when people start GOLO is that they are worried that they are going to be hungry. Just to set the record straight, almost everyone who starts GOLO discovers quite quickly that our plan includes plenty of food and the majority of customers tell us that they are never hungry. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t ever feel hunger; and to be honest, feeling hungry is actually a good thing. It’s important to realize this and to learn how to be comfortable with the feeling of hunger.
Before you started with GOLO, you may have been used to eating 6 small meals a day or snacking throughout the day and never really allowing yourself to be hungry. Or, you may have been one who didn’t eat for most of the day (or ate very little) so your body got used to this and now you just don’t feel hungry during the day. For both of these groups of people, the feeling of hunger can be shocking.
When you begin eating 3 balanced meals a day as we suggest on GOLO, your metabolism will start working again and it is very common that you will start to feel hungry when it is time to eat your next meal. Some people feel this and get worried but in fact, this is a GREAT thing! It means that GOLO is working and your metabolism is beginning to work FOR you instead of AGAINST you, and this means that weight loss is just around the corner!
What is Hunger Exactly?
When your stomach and intestines are empty, they release hormones into the blood and send signals to our brains. This causes particular groups of neurons to produce proteins, which in turn make you feel hungry.
Hunger pangs can also be a psychological feeling, meaning that you’re not really physically hungry, but your mind is used to eating (perhaps at a certain time – like after dinner while you are watching TV) and it’s making you feel like you are. Remember, you are trying to break these unhealthy habits, but your mind is fighting you every step of the way. So, if you start to feel hungry the most important thing to do is listen to your body and try to figure out if you truly are hungry or if it is just your mind playing tricks on you.
Why Am I Afraid of Feeling Hungry?
Now that we know what hunger is and the different types, we can discuss the topic of why we worry about it. But, there is no reason for this fear. On GOLO, we recommend eating 3 balanced, nutrient dense meals that will help keep you fuller longer.
Here are a few tips:
- Try letting yourself get physically hungry between meals. Don’t snack “in case you get hungry” later on; wait until you feel the physical sensation of hunger to eat something.
- When you feel hunger, don’t eat immediately. Stop and pay attention to it. The first time or two, write down how it feels physically. What’s the sensation in your stomach? Do you feel it anywhere else? Or is it actually “brain hunger” and not “body hunger” at all? See if you can wait until your next meal instead of snacking just because you feel hungry.
When you start GOLO and follow the GOLO for Life Plan while also taking Release, you should be getting hungry every 4-5 hours. This is completely normal and what you want to happen. Letting your body feel hunger means that it’s in fat burning mode, which will help you lose weight. Your hunger means that your body has burned up your previous meal and is ready for more fuel.
The thing you can take away from this post is that you are allowed to let yourself feel hunger. When you feel hungry, your body is going through a normal response.
And, when you start to feel this feeling – check in with yourself to see if it is real hunger or just your brain reminding you that you used to eat at this time? If it is not real hunger, try some of the following techniques:
- Do Something Else – busy yourself with a project or craft. Busy your mind and hands with something else so you aren’t thinking about food.
- Phone a Friend – sometimes just sitting around makes your brain think you should eat even when you aren’t hungry, so if you find yourself feeling the urge to snack when you aren’t really hungry, call in the troops for help! Ask a friend if they will be your “lifeline” and give them a call when this feeling strikes.
- Drink Something – filling your stomach with something other than food can help you realize that you were never really hungry to begin with. A simple glass of water or a hot cup of tea should help.
#GOLOforLife
Sources:
Hunger Pangs: Causes & Solutions - MBSF
Your Digestive System & How it Works | NIDDK (nih.gov)
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