Do You Have a Fear of Hunger?

Hunger is the natural response of the body that lets you know that more fuel or food is 
required to keep your system from getting tired throughout the day, but it isn't the vital 
fire alarm many people assume it is. Getting low on fuel is an everyday occurrence of 
your natural system, so getting hungry is more like a gauge than an outright alarm; it 
lets you know when resources are low.  
 
Let's compare hunger to the gas gauge on your car. When you go to the gas station and 
fill up, the gauge reads FULL. After you've driven awhile, the level goes down. You may 
be driving by a station and decide to fill it up again or you may drive right because you 
still have plenty. A fear of running out whenever you drove by a station would make you 
anxious and uneasy all day and always filling up needlessly. Can you see how this 
explains the fear of hunger, and how it affects your weight loss? 

 
How Can I Adjust This Fear of Hunger? 
 
To break the habit of the fear of hunger occurring at inopportune moments when you 
are away from your good, healthy food sources, let's look at the gas gauge example. 
Your mind is going to help your body balance these feelings out, so you can continue 
with your new food plan and get the results you are looking for! 
 
Here's the self-talk to put into action and eliminate the fear of hunger: 
 
1. "Fill up" on nutritious foods at regular intervals, including a healthy breakfast, mid-day 
meal, and dinner. 
2. Acknowledge that your fuel gauge is going decrease as your body uses the food, and 
agree to three healthy snacks to go with the three meals before you start the day. This 
way you are mentally prepared to battle the hunger alert. 
3. With this new attention to your fuel gauge, remember it will get low and that your 
body may send the signal, HUNGRY, but you are ready with the answer. Your reply to 
your anxious stomach is, "it's almost time to drive by a food station and stop for a meal 
or a snack, but, until then, I'm going to fill you up with a bottle of water or tea!" 
 
Try this for a few days to combat those unexpected hunger alarms, and your mind and 
body is going to get the message that you are in control now!
