Hunger vs. Craving

Hey to the best women's networking group in SWFL!

Let's talk about the difference between true hunger and a craving. If a substitute just won't do, then it is probably a craving. Real hunger would be satisfied by eating an apple, for instance. If you're trying to fight a craving, try eating something first, then eating a small portion of whatever it is your craving. I often find it is easier to fight a craving with a full stomach or a piece of mint gum! Now, hunger can be an issue if you let yourself get TOO hungry. One way to fight against this is to regulate and stay conscious of your meal times. If you eat something sugary for breakfast, within about two hours you will be ravenous and will eat anything that you can get your hands on. You need to begin your day with a lean protein or complex carbohydrate to fuel your body and start your day on the right foot.

Every single day, map out your meals - where you will be at what time - and know in advance what you will eat! I guarantee if you leave the house early in the morning with no plan in place, you will eat the wrong food at some time during your day.

Don’t go longer than 31/2 hours without putting some fuel in your body. Make healthy, well thought out choices and you'll avoid the sugar highs and lows that cause you to eat without thinking. Ideally, you should eat 6 times a day: breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, mid-afternoon, dinner, and evening snack.

One healthy tip from me - I will make a usual breakfast, eat half of it, and eat the other half two hours later. Same thing with lunch, I cut my lunch in half and have the second part a couple of hours later. You know why? I'll be hungry in a couple of hours whether I've eaten the whole lunch or half, so I have the second half as my mid-afternoon snack.

So whether you are working on your own business or training women in business this week, I hope you make "mindful" choices!