The next time you are thinking about eating, feeling hungry, or having a craving, stop for a moment and rate your hunger from 1-10, without judgment. Where are you on the hunger scale below? What did you discover? If you decide, “I’m not really hungry. I’m not going to eat.” What are you feeling that caused you to feel emotional or false hunger? If you decide, “I am truly hungry.” or “I’m not hungry, but I’m going to eat anyway.” (it is always your choice!), notice your fullness, or “satiety”, change with each bite of food you eat. What number can you stop at and feel satisfied?

People often find that eating at a 3 avoids overeating from getting too hungry. Stopping eating at about a 7 often provides enough food to feel satisfied without feeling uncomfortable, and enough fuel to tide you over until the next meal or snack. Remember that wherever you are, it is OK! Be kind to yourself.

1 = Extreme hunger. Weak, very hungry, all you can think about is food.
2 = Very hungry. Starting to feel shaky, cranky or headachy.
3 = Hungry. Thinking about food a lot, stomach is empty and growling.
4 = Very mild hunger. Starting to notice an empty stomach, but you could wait a bit longer.
5 = Neutral. Neither hungry nor full.
6 = Mildly full. Starting to notice food in your stomach. You are comfortable.
7 = Comfortably full. Starting to notice a sense of fullness, but still comfortable.
8 = Definitely feeling full. Starting to feel mild discomfort.
9 = Very full. You can feel the pressure of your full stomach and it is uncomfortable.
10 = Extremely full, so full that it hurts.

Where do you feel most comfortable starting and stopping eating?