Tuesday Tip: True hunger vs boredom

Tuesday Tip: True hunger vs boredom 🍽️

I’m sure you’ve found yourself walking to the fridge for a snack even though you only had lunch 30 mins ago? Or having a few biscuits with your cuppa despite already having eaten? You feel like you’re hungry but you’re actually just bored. Separating boredom hunger and real hunger is important if you want to try to reduce your calorie intake and lose weight.

How do you tell the difference?

True hunger tends to build gradually. You may notice a rumbling stomach low energy, or struggling to focus. That’s your body asking for fuel. In contrast boredom hunger often hits suddenly out of nowhere. It’s usually emotional – from stress, procrastination, or simply seeing snacks nearby. It’s less about your body’s needs and more about your brain looking for a quick hit of comfort. If you respond to boredom hunger every time it hits you’ll quickly find you’re adding hundreds of extra calories. That will really hinder progress.

So how are you actually check if the hunger is real or just boredom?

⁃ check when you last ate. If you ate a proper meal 1-2 hrs ago then you’re probably not truly hungry.

⁃ Consider why you’re looking for food – are you stressed? Tired? Avoiding work? Upset? Food may just be filling that emotional need.

⁃ Are you hydrated? Thirst often presents as hunger so have some water first to see if that helps.

⁃ If after all that you’re still hungry just pause for 10 mins. If the urge disappears it wasn’t real hunger.

When you are truly hungry then eat. Restricting yourself when you genuinely need food is never a good plan, it will only backfire later. The key is fuelling yourself with meals that are balanced, satisfying, and nourishing and not cutting out foods.

You don’t have to avoid food or rely on willpower forever. The goal is awareness. The more you can spot boredom hunger in the moment, the more freedom you gain to eat in ways that actually support you.

Learning to separate the two isn’t about being perfect, it’s about improving your own self awareness and choosing intentionally. That’s how you stop food from controlling you and start eating in a way that feels good long-term.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx