The Horrifying Truth of Hunger Pains And How To Fix Them (that dieting gurus don’t want you to know)

Fitness and weight loss gurus might want you to believe hunger pangs originate from the stomach.

But they don’t.

They start in the brain.  

See, your brain is moseying around and all of a sudden gets bonked upside the head by the body and says:

“Jeepers Body!  Your leptin hormone level is decreasing!  You need to eat!”  (Leptin is a hormone made by fat cells.  It signals your brain if you need more energy (aka need to eat more)).

Then your brain calls over to the stomach and gently inquires:

“Dude!  Are you currently digesting?  Do you need something *to* digest?  Should I tell the mouth to start chomping?”

The resulting feelings of discomfort?

*THOSE* are hunger pangs.

Sure, folks also think that hunger pains happen because the stomach is empty and the walls are rubbing against each other (mentally try to imagine that.  Is that as bizarre to you as it is to me?).

Whatever.

Diet and weight loss gurus will tell you you can fix hunger pangs by:

• Eating organic!
• Eating complex carbs half an hour before exercising!
• Eating bulky food thingees several times a day to give the feeling of fullness!
• Eating 6 small meals a day!

… and other exclamation-worthy ideas.

Which might help.

But for MamaBear, here’s what she found out:

Often hunger pangs are fixed by reframing them as a *positive*.

Chances are, if you find yourself with duller-than-butter-knife hunger pangs that hang around you like irritating allergic reactions, it NOT a matter of life and death that you HAVE to eat RIGHT now.

I mean, let’s say hunger pangs pounce upon while in the elevator that conveniently breaks down with the MUSAK stuck on repeat….

…. and you’re stranded there for the next 4 hours, getting hungrier and hungrier….

I doubt you’d expire *on the spot* when you were rescued.

Right?

So the horrifying secret *they* don’t want you to know about hunger pangs is…

They’re “See You Later!” Calling Cards that Hail From Your Fat… as It’s Leaving Your Body.

Isn’t that a far nicer mental image?  🙂

Seriously.  *Reframe* your hunger pangs….

…Analyze your hunger pangs….

And decide what to do *after* those two actions.

Remember:

There is NO one size fits all! when it comes to feeling hungry.

Sometimes you really are.

But sometimes…

Sometimes you’re just plain bored and feeding your fact fixes that boredom.

Sometimes you’re emotionally distraught and you fondly remember how vanilla creme donuts fixed the feelings that last time… and BAM! the phantom hunger pains start afresh.

Sometimes you’re too focused on yourself and simply need an activity to take your mind off of it.

Contrary to what some health and wellness experts might state…

You don’t ALWAYS have to give into your hunger pangs.

You can choose to embrace them and what they mean instead…. and plan your next actions accordingly.

Grow strong,

Mama Bear