Vancouver's Professional Nutrition Service



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As seen on BCTV July 1st, 2003

Step 6: Respecting Your Natural Hunger and Fullness Cues

The sixth step in eating for energy is to learn to pay attention to and respect your natural hunger and fullness cues. One of the questions we have asked all of our clients over the years is "Do you know when you're hungry?" Most people say yes. When we ask "Do you respond to your hunger and get something to eat?" only about half say yes. They say they respond to their hunger if they have time or access to food. This is not eating for energy. The more these signals are ignored, the more you lose sight of the natural cues you were born with.

  • When eating, try to listen to the signals and quit when you're full, not stuffed. We're not saying waste the food, but put it away for later. But if you're stuffed, even on healthy food, you raise your blood sugar level and potentially gain fat and lose energy.
  • You may want to portion out your food initially. An average meal should supply about two to three cups of food. Snacks can be a 1/2- to 1-cup portion. But definitely don't weigh and measure your food on an ongoing basis. This can start to make you feel over-controlled.
  • Women need to know that the week before menstruation, metabolism actually increases to accommodate an extra 300 calories a day. If you're feeling a little more peckish than normal it's likely because your body is dealing with the stress of shedding the lining of your uterus. You need at least a few extra calories and guilt yourself out if you do.

 

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV's Noon News Hour!

Excerpt from The 80-20 cookbook - Eating for Energy without Deprivation, by Diana Steele and Patricia Chuey

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