Checking In and Out

Checking In and Out

Provided by Dietetic Intern Fatima Abdelhafeez

Do you ever think about how you feel right before you’re about to eat? How about after you eat? It’s okay. Most people don’t. Taking a few minutes to think about how you feel before you take your first bite can help you stay in tune with your body’s needs. Asking yourself “How hungry am I?” is the first step. “Do I feel kind of hungry or very hungry?” Also think about how you feel emotionally. “Do I feel anxious and sad or do I feel calm and neutral?” Being able to differentiate your emotions from your physical hunger cues is also important. “Am I eating because I’m bored or am I acknowledging that I am bored, but also hungry?” Becoming connected to your hunger cues can be a difficult habit to form, but with enough practice, it can help your recognize your own eating habits and ultimately help with realigning your body’s needs for nourishment.

Written by Dietetic Intern Melissa Ortega