The Three D's
It's Karen here, hoping you had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! Last year, when we talked about winter munchies, it happened to be a 70 degree day in December ;) This year, the weather seems to be more in sync with our topic for the week (for better or for worse). Seasonal weather changes don't affect everyone. For some folks, eating habits stay the same no matter what the season. For others, they may crave different types of food and experience changes in their appetite (personally, I can't eat ice cream in January or chili in July).
Unexpected feelings of hunger tend to alarm people. Our culture has made hunger pathological and we panic when we get hungry ("Why am I hungry? I just ate. What's wrong with me?") As we'll discuss when it comes to winter weather and feeling munchy, there is usually an explanation for unexpected feelings of hunger. The important thing is how we react. Instead of a "hot" emotional reaction, we want to respond in a way that is deliberate, thoughtful, and rational. This is where the 3 D's come into play: Delay Distract. Decide.
If you perceive hunger, but are not sure what to make of it (Is it emotional or physical hunger? Is it a fake-out? Should I eat?), try walking through this practice:
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DELAY making a decision about eating for 10 minutes. Set a timer if you would find that helpful.
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DISTRACT yourself with non-food activities. Waiting will allow you to have a less impulsive response and help give you clarity on what is really going on.
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DECIDE whether or not you will eat. It is okay if you decide to eat, as along as it is an intentional choice. Or you may realize that the urge has passed and that you are no longer thinking about eating.
I like to call this practice a "mental pause button." It gives you space to let the panic of perceived hunger subside and moves your thinking into a calmer space. It improves the odds that you will make a decision you feel at peace with (regardless of whether you chose to eat or not!) This practice may feel forced or unnatural at first. We are not a culture comfortable with waiting. But as Aristotle said "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet."