Craving or Hunger?

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Nutrition1st
Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A craving is different than hunger. Hunger is what we feel when our body is lacking in the nutrition of food; a biological need resulting from a low level of glucose in the blood stream. A craving is what we feel when we want the pleasure of food; an emotional need resulting from any number of triggers such as smells, sadness, boredom, etc.

If you eat for pleasure rather than for nutrition, excessive weight gain is usually the result. How will you help your children learn how to eat for nutrition rather than for pleasure if you do not set the example?

-Women's Health Magazine

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Replies

  • Fatal1ty2k5
    Fatal1ty2k5 Posts: 333 Member
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    While I agree with you, why you reading womens health mag?
  • hellokehtty
    hellokehtty Posts: 94
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    So how do you tell the difference? I know that seems silly, but I really think it is hard for a lot of people (including me) to tell the difference between true hunger and just craving.
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
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    While I agree with you, why you reading womens health mag?

    Because 75% of my clients are women!
  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
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    So how do you tell the difference? I know that seems silly, but I really think it is hard for a lot of people (including me) to tell the difference between true hunger and just craving.

    If I am happy to eat a bell pepper, some cheese, or something that I tend to not overeat on... its hunger.

    If I feel like I need something that I can totally gorge on.. its possibly a craving mixed with hunger.
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
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    So how do you tell the difference? I know that seems silly, but I really think it is hard for a lot of people (including me) to tell the difference between true hunger and just craving.
    Once you have worked out the kinks and found your daily calorie need (which in the process you may have found that you need to increase the number if 300 calories ever 4 hours wasn't giving you the results you wanted), it's unlikely that you would experience hunger again. If your 2nd meal of the day is at 11 am everyday, and your 3rd meal is at 3 pm everyday. If you felt hunger on 1 day at 2 pm, then it would be likely that you would feel hunger every day at 2 pm and likely need to increase your calories. I haven't been hungry in 4 years. But I have cravings allllllllllllllllllllllllll the time.
  • leahartmann
    leahartmann Posts: 415
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    Ouch..... Right in my ribs. I tend to eat for cravings. It´s time to call it by its real name. Thank you.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    If you eat for pleasure rather than for nutrition, excessive weight gain is usually the result. How will you help your children learn how to eat for nutrition rather than for pleasure if you do not set the example?
    Easy, by not having children :D
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
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    I'm craving Peanut MnM's and a Dr. Pepper right this very second. But I'm know I'm not hungry.
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
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    If you eat for pleasure rather than for nutrition, excessive weight gain is usually the result. How will you help your children learn how to eat for nutrition rather than for pleasure if you do not set the example?
    Easy, by not having children :D

    I tried that. Somehow ended up with 4 boys. They watched me gain 100 lbs (well the oldest watched the entire 100). They also watched me lose 100. I'm very happy to say that they don't eat junk food as a result. They know how to portion their plate. They know the difference in complex vs simple carbs. I wish I had someone to teach me that 30 years ago.
  • Fatal1ty2k5
    Fatal1ty2k5 Posts: 333 Member
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    While I agree with you, why you reading womens health mag?

    Because 75% of my clients are women!

    Makes sense
  • meliibabii87
    meliibabii87 Posts: 56
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    I am craving an oreo motlen cake from chilis!
    Its mother natures fault, but I dont know if I should fulfill that craving!?
    =]
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
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    I am craving an oreo motlen cake from chilis!
    Its mother natures fault, but I dont know if I should fulfill that craving!?
    =]

    The best time to indulge is directly before or after a workout (resistance). Your body will burn those carbs for energy, not store them as fat.
  • meliibabii87
    meliibabii87 Posts: 56
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    Well I usually eat dinner after my workout and tonight that cake is suppose to be my dinner, well just half of that!
    =]
    I am still debating tho!
  • GrandmaJody
    GrandmaJody Posts: 140 Member
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    This may be old school here, but I remember reading that your stomach will tell when you are hungry, your mouth will lie to you. If your mouth is trying to tell you that you are hungry, you are either experiencing a craving or you are simply thirsty....food for thought anyway!
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
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    This may be old school here, but I remember reading that your stomach will tell when you are hungry, your mouth will lie to you. If your mouth is trying to tell you that you are hungry, you are either experiencing a craving or you are simply thirsty....food for thought anyway!

    Hunger is a signal from the brain, not stomach. When your stomach needs nutrients, and food isn't present, your body breaks down muscle tissue (cannibalism) to get the nutrients it needs. It doesn't wait for us to feed it. That hunger signal is letting you know that something is wrong. We should never experience hunger. What happens next is normally in our next meal we overeat thinking that extra calories will make up for the meal we missed. When we overeat, those excess calories don't float in our bloodstream waiting on us to get hungry again, our body stores those calories in fat tissue.
  • skybird455
    skybird455 Posts: 172 Member
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    This may be old school here, but I remember reading that your stomach will tell when you are hungry, your mouth will lie to you. If your mouth is trying to tell you that you are hungry, you are either experiencing a craving or you are simply thirsty....food for thought anyway!

    Hunger is a signal from the brain, not stomach. When your stomach needs nutrients, and food isn't present, your body breaks down muscle tissue (cannibalism) to get the nutrients it needs. It doesn't wait for us to feed it. That hunger signal is letting you know that something is wrong. We should never experience hunger. What happens next is normally in our next meal we overeat thinking that extra calories will make up for the meal we missed. When we overeat, those excess calories don't float in our bloodstream waiting on us to get hungry again, our body stores those calories in fat tissue.
    [/quoteI

    A man that tells me NOT to wait to eat??!! IM IN LOVE, says the always hungry pregnant woman!!
  • GrandmaJody
    GrandmaJody Posts: 140 Member
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    This may be old school here, but I remember reading that your stomach will tell when you are hungry, your mouth will lie to you. If your mouth is trying to tell you that you are hungry, you are either experiencing a craving or you are simply thirsty....food for thought anyway!

    Hunger is a signal from the brain, not stomach. When your stomach needs nutrients, and food isn't present, your body breaks down muscle tissue (cannibalism) to get the nutrients it needs. It doesn't wait for us to feed it. That hunger signal is letting you know that something is wrong. We should never experience hunger. What happens next is normally in our next meal we overeat thinking that extra calories will make up for the meal we missed. When we overeat, those excess calories don't float in our bloodstream waiting on us to get hungry again, our body stores those calories in fat tissue.
    See? it was old school! Thank you very much for the explanation....:)

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