From Deseret News archives:
Are you hungry, thirsty or just bored?
I'm going to bet 100 percent of us have uttered those words, and probably most of us said it today! The deal is, though are you really?
How do you know when you're truly hungry?
That's an excellent question, because so many of us really don't know. We don't understand the difference between hunger, thirst and sometimes, recreational eating for the sake of eating. Why is this?
I believe there are a whole bunch of reasons, and strangely enough, most of which we're not 100 percent aware of! A lot of us cannot read our bodies' internal signals. We confuse hunger with thirst. We're not drinking enough water, and consequently, we mistake thirst for hunger. So a good self-check before you head for the fridge is to gauge how much water you've drunk so far that day. How much do you need? More than you think! And no, not all liquid counts as hydration. Some beverages like tea and coffee dehydrate. Personally, I drink a minimum of four 24-ounce bottles of water a day. I work out and run; I drink coffee, so I need that much water. On a particularly hot day, I will drink more.
If you're eating out of boredom, you know the cure already. Keep track of what and when you're eating. Keep a food journal (this includes everything, even water) before proceeding to the next level (eating). If you're dealing with boredom, make a list of things to do other than eat and do one of them. If you're hungry, find something healthy to nosh on and enjoy it. Snacking is actually encouraged in our book, "Body Clutter." It's the grazing aspect of eating that we discourage! We're human beings with one stomach, not cows with several.
The holidays are coming, and this is a time where people traditionally put on weight. We all get hungry, but sometimes we're just thirsty or bored! Get in touch with what real hunger is and get to know the difference.
Leanne Ely, a k a Dinner Diva, is the author of the best-selling "Saving Dinner" and "Saving Dinner the Low Carb Way" (Ballantine). What's for dinner? Go to www.savingdinner.com and find the solution!
Recent comments
Drink water when you're hungry and wait 15 minutes to see if you're...
Kosta | Aug. 21, 2009 at 5:49 a.m.
- Suns outlast 76ers, 119-115 7:51 p.m.
- Quilt auction aims to benefit lives 7:44 p.m.
- Eating fruit not a cause of weight gain 7:44 p.m.
- Wife and friend are too close 7:44 p.m.
- Charcoal, cat-box filler help with odors 7:44 p.m.
- 'Brain' seems scattered 7:44 p.m.
- Locklear at 'Melrose Place' again 7:44 p.m.
- Tuesday on TV 7:44 p.m.
- Broncos have 1st quarter lead 7:26 p.m.
- No. 6 UNC beats FIU, 88-72 7:13 p.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Hope for single moms
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Prep girls soccer MVPs named
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- GOP blasts Matheson after vote
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
269 - House passes health care bill
223 - Lobo suspended
180 - TCU showdown has big implications
172 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
154 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
111 - Thousands protest health bill
110 - Provo company innovating engines
108 - RSL rallies to advance
103
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
I think he ROCKS! At least, he tells the truth. MSNBC is too busy adoring...
park city played a good game against wasatch its a rilvary of corse they are...
Quit posting stuff like that. Not all PG fans are like that. In fact I doubt...
Cats the federal government could deny our constitution and supersede state's...
Sj mag 1 thing for ya to knoow zac adams was a senior lst year and wont be...
This was reported in the Lufkin Daily News a local paper. It's news if you...
just after the incident was that of someone that was guilty of wrongdoing....
To RedShirt | 4:36 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009 You say: “Seems like liberals...
To Don Gale | 3:23 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009 Nice troll. This is not about...
To Sally Hale: So apparently you're unfamiliar with the logical fallacy:...

