Yeah, I know, it sounds like a dumb question. But really, how many of us have actually felt *real* hunger, the "I haven't had a meal for 2 days" kind of hunger? I don't think I really ever have. Oh, I've skipped a meal and been "starving", but seriously--was it really THAT bad? Is it a survival mechanism that is just more finely-tuned in some of us, where the mere beginnings of hunger make us panic and feel that we must eat?
I guess I am wondering because so often I read here (and I've probably said it myself) that we HATE being hungry. I started thinking about this earlier this afternoon when it was snack time, I was hungry but I was in the middle of something at work and couldn't break away. And you know what, it was a little bit uncomfortable but it really wasn't all that bad.
So why do many of us feel that a little bit of hunger is something to be avoided at all costs? That we're truly suffering if we are just trying to eat more sensibly and sometimes have to go a little longer than we like between snacks/meals? Would our perspectives seem silly if we were so unfortunate as to suffer from true hunger, as so many around the world do? I'm not advocating that we starve ourselves or diet in an unhealthy fashion; not at all! But sometimes I feel that I'm being overdramatic when I say that I'm STARVING, or I'm so hungry that I just can't STAND it.
I have felt serious hunger only a few times- the most strongly being when I was pregnant with twins. I could go from just fine to ready to eat my own arm in a 5 minute window!
I've never experienced the not eaten for days hunger; I suppose in the distant past I might have tried the occasional fast but even then, it's not the same as the hunger tinged by the fear of not knowing if food will come again.
The kind of hunger that dieters experience - it doesn't bother me at all, except if I sit gurgling in a quiet meeting; even then, it didn't/wouldn't bother me if I was thin(ner), it's the picture of this mini man mountain, well, woman, daring to sound hungry that makes me cringe. I can't think of any time when I've over-eaten out of physical hunger, my screwy eating is all related to my screwy head.
I know very well what "real" hunger feels like- my stomach growls and contracts, I get extremely light headed and dizzy, and I'll eventually start trembling. I'm afraid of hunger because if I DON'T satisfy my appetite and eat, I'll feel seriously weak and get a massive headache. Why force myself to endure that when I'm not a starving person in ___ third world country, have food to eat, and know that it is better for my body if I do? Hunger is our bodies way of saying "hey, I need some more food now, there isn't enough for me in here!" , so I really don't see what's wrong it trying to satisfy it as soon as it begins to show itself.
Now if it was given that for some reason we should accept and allow ourselves to feel hunger for extended periods of time, what about when you're thirsty? When you're thirsty, you're apparently already dehydrated. The feeling of thirst is your body telling you that you need to drink more water. If you were thirsty, wouldn't the sensible thing to do be going and getting some water to drink? Why would you try to ride out feeling thirsty? To be able to say that you know what it truly feels like, or that you're 'not afraid' of being thirsty? I truly wouldn't be able to comprehend any benefit in that, and I believe that this applies to hunger in the same way.
I fear what hunger brings to the forefront in me. Hunger clouds my judgment. The rational part of me shuts down temporarily & I make bad decisions. I'm needy, greedy & mindless. I think only of what the quickest fix would be, and often I'll choose things that must have been on my mind for several days, things that I said "no" to when I was in better control of myself, things that really don't satisfy me afterward. I think that hunger for me is sort of like lust for some other people. To paraphrase what's said of men who let their lust control their actions, I think with my stomach, not with my brain.
I have come to somewhat embrace that "hunger" feeling. When I was obese I would constantly eat and rarely, rarely even felt it. I also realize now that such a small amount of food could stave off hunger--10 almonds or 1/2 an apple, etc. In fact, I would have to say that like Alidh, it's not really something that bothers me that much. I am talking here about the hollow hungry feeling--the good one in my book.
I have experienced the "I am gonna pass out if I don't eat quickly" before and it absolutely terrifies me. Last summer when I first began my journey I was working out in my yard with my kids--all of a sudden a "wave" came over me--I started seeing spots, became dizzy and lost my balance. I didn't know what I was going to do. I had these flashing visions of me unconcious and my kids there alone in the street. I have experienced this before as a girl and young woman but it's been a while. When it happens I feel as if my body is concave and caving inward. I yelled at the kids to get inside and made it to my front door only to lay (yep, LAY) down in my entry. I hollered at one of my kids to bring me a juice box (something they could actually reach)--I felt better within a few minutes. I didn't intend on becoming that hungry--I had just eaten the wrong things early that morning and hadn't eaten since. Now this type of hunger for me at least, is dangerous.
Last edited by Thighs Be Gone; 04-10-2009 at 08:00 AM.
I fear what hunger brings to the forefront in me. Hunger clouds my judgment. The rational part of me shuts down temporarily & I make bad decisions. I'm needy, greedy & mindless. I think only of what the quickest fix would be, and often I'll choose things that must have been on my mind for several days, things that I said "no" to when I was in better control of myself, things that really don't satisfy me afterward. I think that hunger for me is sort of like lust for some other people. To paraphrase what's said of men who let their lust control their actions, I think with my stomach, not with my brain.
Location: i am neither greek nor athenian, but a citizen of the world.
Posts: 328
Well, like a lot of people on this part of the forum, I used to have an ED, so yeah I do know what it feels like not to have eaten for a couple of days. Answer: weird, and an entirely different set of sensations to what we feel when dinner is late. I am not afraid of hunger in the slightest. On the other hand, I don't see it as anything glamorous, desirable or necessary. It's nice to have an appetite when it's time for a meal, but that's as far as my interest in being hungry goes.
My Husband would tell you when I get hungry I am extremely crabby.I snap at everyone.As soon as I get a little in my stomach i am fine.Now true hunger, I have never experienced that.I have never fasted for even a day.
I don't mind the growly pains in the stomach from being hungry. To me that is the easy part. I hate the light headedness, the dizziness, and the irritability. My job is physically demanding, and if I am hungry, I can seriously hurt myself or some one else if I am not careful to keep hunger away. But I have the problem where if I eat something, it takes my body probably and hour to process it and make me feel better if I get to that point. So I end up eating too much too often to prevent that kind of hunger from happening.
Location: i am neither greek nor athenian, but a citizen of the world.
Posts: 328
Hey tigerente....sounds like you are having fluctuations in blood sugar. You can improve that by choosing low GI foods like oats and wholegrains which release energy slowly and steadily. Try googling 'GI diet' or 'low GI'...
I've been surprised to find that I don't mind hunger so much. I do aim to be satisfied in general, but I'm don't fear that I'm going to go out of control. It's just a sensation. But I think it's one of those things that's different for everyone.
Yes, that's what I think as well. Sometimes it's just the growly thing that I'm trying to learn that it's OK to ignore for a little while; I don't need to immediately shift into panic mode and start looking for a snack! But other times I have felt true symptoms; headachy, shakey, and stuff like that. I guess what prompted me to ask is that I'm still trying to distinguish between truly being hungry and just feeling peckish or having the munchies!
the light headedness, not being able to focus, getting dizzy when I stand up, not enough energy to do any exercise...
and another ticker for me is we are being told so much these days we shouldn't starve ourselves, if our bodies are hungry and are stomach is growling our bodies go into starvation mode and our metabolism slows down and it'll be 100x harder to lose weight... So now I'm afraid to be hungry that it's going to be harder to lose weight.
Why are we so afraid of hunger?
