Test

Reviewed by Dr. Peter Rawlek, MD and Dr. Scott Rollo, PhD

It happens way too often. I have been sitting for a while, studying, reading, or just staring at a screen, then, I start to feel a little unsettled, a little stressed or mentally tired, and commonly I find my first thoughts are to reach for food. Not because I am necessarily hungry, but because I do it for comfort (we will explain that later), or I think I need a quick boost of energy, or is it simply a habit, or really, is my body just telling me it really just needs some movement?

You've likely experienced this same thing before also.

And yes, it is common.

When we feel stressed, tired, overwhelmed, or uncomfortable, many of us naturally look for something that feels comforting. Often, that something is food. We will explain why later.

So, here is the thing. You are likely not actually hungry.

More likely, you are:

Dehydrated and thirsty
Feeling stressed or experiencing a degree of anxiety
Sitting too long and your body is craving movement
Mentally tired and needing a break
Following a habit you have developed

Learning to understand our body's signals is an important part of food literacy.

The Question:

The one question you need to ask yourself is:

"What is my body telling me?"

Food does more than provide energy. It can also make us feel calmer and more comfortable. Later in this post, we will explore the why behind this. We will also explore something surprising.

After sitting for long periods of time, your body is often asking for something, but that something is not always food. Sometimes that urge to eat is actually your body's way of asking for movement. Your body was designed to move. It has legs, arms, muscles, and a brain that all work better when they are active. After sitting for long periods of time, your body is commonly just asking for something, but that something is not always food.

Action item:

The next time you are sitting and suddenly feel the urge for food, try an experiment. Drink a glass of water and go for a quick walk or do 5 minutes of movement. Then ask yourself: Do I still feel hungry?

Sometimes the urge to eat is actually the urge to move.
Other times the urge to eat is searching for comfort.
And then many times, you’re just hungry.

The two mysteries we are about to solve:

Why does food feel comforting?
Could my body actually be asking me to move instead of eat?

So, Are You Actually Hungry?

Now we get to the interesting part. One of the reasons hunger can be confusing is that your body sends many different messages that can feel surprisingly similar. Sometimes the message really is hunger. Your body needs energy and is asking to be fed. Other times, your body is asking for something entirely different, but the message gets mixed up and interpreted as hunger.

I like to think of this as two different types of hunger.

The first is Physiologic Hunger. This is your body's true hunger signal. It is your body saying, "I need energy." This type of hunger usually develops gradually. Your stomach may feel empty. It may growl or rumble. You may find yourself thinking more about food. If you have gone a long time without eating, you may notice your energy dropping or find it harder to concentrate. When this type of hunger shows up, your body is asking for fuel, and eating is exactly the right response.

The second type is what I call Mixed-Messaging Hunger. This is where things get interesting.

With Mixed-Messaging Hunger, your body is still sending a real message. The feeling is real. The urge to eat is real. The difference is that the message may not actually be about food.

Your body may be asking for water.
It may be asking for movement.
It may be asking for a break.
It may be responding to stress.
It may simply be looking for comfort.

The challenge is that many of these messages can feel remarkably similar to hunger, especially when we are busy, tired, stressed, or distracted.

So why does food so often become the answer?

Think about it for a moment. Food does much more than provide energy. Eating is comforting. The act of chewing, swallowing, and eating activates powerful pathways between your brain and body. Deep inside your body is a communication network between your brain and digestive system. One of the major players is a nerve called the vagus nerve, which helps activate your body's "rest and recover" system.

In simple terms, eating often helps us feel calmer. That should not surprise us. From the very beginning of life, feeding has been connected to comfort, security, and feeling cared for. As infants, feeding did more than provide energy. It also helped settle us when we were uncomfortable. While life becomes much more complicated as we grow older, that connection between eating and comfort never completely disappears. This is why stress, boredom, frustration, loneliness, long periods of sitting, and mental fatigue can sometimes trigger an urge to eat, even when our body does not actually need more energy.

The important thing to understand is that this is not a weakness. It is not a lack of willpower. It is simply how human beings are wired.

The skill is learning to pause long enough to ask:

"What is my body really asking for right now?"

Sometimes the answer will be food.
Sometimes the answer will be water.
Sometimes the answer will be movement.
Sometimes the answer will be a break.

Learning the difference is one of the most important food literacy skills you can develop.

This brings us to a concept I pin as Mindful eating, which means you create a meal plan.

It helps you make choices based on what your body actually needs.

Exercise: Create your meal plan for the next two days.

A few question:

Did you consider what snacks you would have?
Is there healthy high fibre?
What is the sugar load?

Try It Yourself

For one day, before eating a snack, ask:

Am I hungry?
Am I thirsty?
Am I bored?
How hungry am I from 1–10?

Thought Question: What did you learn?

Time to Reflect

What signs tell you that you're hungry?
Have you ever mistaken thirst for hunger?
When are you most likely to snack?
What helps you feel satisfied after eating?

Action Item (for a second time):