Non-Hungry Eating: How to Take Control

If you eat when you aren't hungry you may be finding it difficult to lose weight. Here are some tips to help you fight the urge to eat when you aren't hungry, a habit which we call 'non-hungry eating':

What are Your Eating Cues?

When you understand why you eat when you aren't hungry you can take positive steps to prevent it from happening again. Do you eat when you are feeling down or lonely? When you are engaging in certain habits or activities? Because the weather is gloomy? Or simply because food is put in front of you?

Next time you catch yourself heading to the pantry when you aren't hungry, think about your motivations for wanting to eat. Then you can work toward re-gaining control of how you respond to your cues. Try removing the cue (e.g. take the packet of chips away from the TV room if you eat when you watch TV). Or you can actively respond to the cue in a different way (e.g. call a friend instead of heading to the kitchen when you are bored).

Don't be disheartened if you don't succeed in changing your habits straight away. Change is a process that takes time, dedication and the courage to persevere - even when you don't succeed.

Measure Your Hunger

Be aware of when you are engaging in hungry eating because hunger is an appropriate cue to eat. To ascertain your level of hunger, try using the following scale to rate your hunger before eating, then five minutes after you have started eating and then again when you have finished your meal:

Rating / Physical Sensation
1 Starvation, physical pain
2 Definite physical symptoms: headache, low energy, light headed feeling, empty stomach
3 Beginning of physical signs of hunger
4 Could eat if suggestion was made
5 Neutral
6 Satisfied
7 Feel food in stomach
8 Stomach protrudes, beginning of mood alteration
9 Bloated, definite mood alteration
10 Definitely full: physical pain and numbness

People who are successful at weight loss generally wait until they are at a rating of 2 or 3 before they eat, and then they only eat to a rating of 6.

Remember that you are in control of how you respond to your eating cues. And when you control how you respond to your eating cues, you can start to control your weight.

Reference: Kausman, R. 1998. If Not Dieting, Then What? Allen & Unwin