Are you actually hungry, or do you just have an appetite?
Experiencing hunger can be rather unpleasant, and it’s understandable that as humans we want to satisfy our need to eat and feel satiated ASAP when these feelings arise. However, having knowledge and self-awareness is powerful in this scenario, because it’s not uncommon to confuse hunger with rather just having a heightened appetite.
As this infographic explains, there is a difference between hunger and appetite, despite the two words being often used synonymously in the nutrition realm.
True hunger is a physiological response by the body which is primarily driven by energy balance and body composition. Appetite on the other hand is primarily dictated by our psychology, and thus our desire to eat is heavily influenced by our environment, emotional status, habits, and our relationship with food.
With this understanding of how to differentiate between hunger and appetite, it can help to increase our self awareness and appreciate why we are feeling a certain way. With this, we can ask ourselves if we are genuinely feeling an elevated degree of hunger and a physiological need to consume calories, or rather if we are psychologically craving certain foods to satisfy our appetite.
Overall, taking the time to briefly assess the reason why you want to eat food at a given time can help you make more rational and logical decisions in the moment. In turn, you can respond in a way that shows both respect to your health and your goals, and feel the power that comes with being in-tune with your body!
Let us know, do you regularly question whether or not your drive to eat is dictated by hunger or appetite?