Real hunger vs craving

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mayoosh_primrose
mayoosh_primrose Posts: 131 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys, how can I tell whether I'm really hungry or not? Like, are there any applicable ways to find out? I saw once on a TV show something called "the apple test", but it doesn't work on me because sometimes what I'm craving is apples :lol:
Thanks in advance!

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  • caradack1985
    caradack1985 Posts: 254 Member
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    Drink and wait. If you're still hungry 30 mins later then you're hungry. Also if you're actually hungry your body will want real food now sweets or junk.
  • 007Aggie
    007Aggie Posts: 110 Member
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    To me, hungry is a feeling in my stomach/core. It's almost a nauseating feeling. A craving is much more in my head.

    Have you ever fasted before? Maybe on a non working day, get up and delay your breakfast for a bit to see if you can identify your hunger cues.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    mayoosh_primrose wrote: »
    Hey guys, how can I tell whether I'm really hungry or not? Like, are there any applicable ways to find out? I saw once on a TV show something called "the apple test", but it doesn't work on me because sometimes what I'm craving is apples :lol:
    Thanks in advance!

    whats wrong with eating an apple if you're craving it?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    I get pains in my stomach when I'm truly hungry. Cravings are a head game of my brain going "OOOOH SHINY". I've never been hungry enough to eat an apple either, and I've had days where I wasn't able to eat anything.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    mayoosh_primrose wrote: »
    Hey guys, how can I tell whether I'm really hungry or not? Like, are there any applicable ways to find out? I saw once on a TV show something called "the apple test", but it doesn't work on me because sometimes what I'm craving is apples :lol:
    Thanks in advance!

    This is your lucky day! There ARE ways to learn to discern between hunger and cravings! It's called the hunger scale. Here are three slightly different examples:

    eating-chart.png

    hunger_scale.jpg?5108

    Hunger-Scale.jpg

    You may have to tweak them to fit your personal cues, but the basics are covered here.
  • vczK2t
    vczK2t Posts: 309 Member
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    mayoosh_primrose wrote: »
    Hey guys, how can I tell whether I'm really hungry or not? Like, are there any applicable ways to find out? I saw once on a TV show something called "the apple test", but it doesn't work on me because sometimes what I'm craving is apples :lol:
    Thanks in advance!

    One thing i figured out for myself is to listen to body hunger signals. If i start shaking and feeling light headed, then i am physically hungry. If i see an advertisement and want to eat, then it's a craving. that works for me, most of the time.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    If apples are a favorite food, choose another that you like but wouldn't crave for the test. (Or just eat an apple and log it.)

    When I was getting used to eating only at mealtime I'd eat raw carrots and celery and other raw veg in-between meals if I just wanted to eat. I'd still want to eat them (I think the act of eating was what I was wanting), but they didn't add that many calories. After getting used to not eating significant calories between meals I stopped wanting anything, including the raw veg.

    I'm fine with being sure I'm eating plenty of food and a balanced meal at mealtimes, though, and then ignoring perceived hunger between meals -- it's never all that long and a few hours of thinking I'm hungry isn't a big thing (and it goes away if I focus on something else). I find my hunger adapts to my habit -- I get hungry when I am used to eating. If you are eating plenty and yet have dramatic feelings of hunger, it's probably mental, although I'd probably also try adjusting my diet.

    A craving to me is a desire to eat one specific food, not a feeling of hunger. (If brownies show up at the office and all of a sudden you think "I'm really hungry, need a brownie, since they are what's available," however, that's likely craving masquerading as hunger. Not that I'm thinking of any specific example or anything, heh.)
  • swheeler0602
    swheeler0602 Posts: 110 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    If apples are a favorite food, choose another that you like but wouldn't crave for the test. (Or just eat an apple and log it.)quote]

    To add on to this: Find a snack that is low in sugar, low in fat, and high in fiber. One reason they tell you do use an apple is because it has a good amount of fiber which will help give you that "filled up" feeling. Obviously you won't feel full but it's getting that feeling of having substance in your stomach.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    swheeler0602 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    If apples are a favorite food, choose another that you like but wouldn't crave for the test. (Or just eat an apple and log it.)

    To add on to this: Find a snack that is low in sugar, low in fat, and high in fiber. One reason they tell you do use an apple is because it has a good amount of fiber which will help give you that "filled up" feeling. Obviously you won't feel full but it's getting that feeling of having substance in your stomach.

    To add to that: Feeling of hunger and satiety is subjective and individual. Some people are "volumetriacs" and will find success from eating low calorie foods, but lots of us get full and satisfied on a higher percentage of fat and/or protein, and apples only serve to stimulate appetite.

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