It’s quite challenging to resist the urge to say no to available food around us, irrespective of whether you are hungry or not. It’s even harder with the online food business that has made it easier for one to access whatever they want with just a click. 

However, health practitioners say that it’s fundamental for one to understand when they are actually hungry and when their mind is ‘playing tricks’.

Eating when you aren’t hungry has always been associated with weight gain and other health issues like blood sugar problems. Although nutritional needs vary, Edward Sibomana, a health expert working with a Nutritional Health Center in Remera, says it’s ideal to always listen to your body to understand its communication and hunger signals.

How to go about it

Sibomana says listening to and following your feelings of hunger and fullness can be important because it helps you decide what to eat, and how to do it at the right time. 

Sibomana says parents should learn to listen and teach their young ones the importance of recognising hunger cues, something that will help promote healthy eating behaviour as early as possible in life.

Another important aspect to consider when handling hunger cues, he says, is learning when to stop eating. Here, Sibomana explains that one can always strive to stop eating before they get too full; adding that when you are too full, it becomes uncomfortable for you which is another problem as far as health is concerned. 

"Relax before you start eating, and then eat slowly. Remember that it takes some time for your stomach to tell your brain that you’re full. Stop a quarter of the way through your meal, and check your hunger level,” he says.

Erick Musengimana, a nutritionist, says that eating when necessary doesn’t mean that one should stop themselves from eating completely.

He says following body signals is the way to go; this can be achieved by coming up with an eating plan that includes healthy food and the time to eat it.

"When you are truly hungry, knowing body signals can help you manage what you are eating. If you’re eating healthy and paying attention to your body’s signals, it’s okay to eat any time your body tells you to,” he says.

Sibomana says that paying attention to your body signals and eating only enough to reach that satisfied level is the way to go. He recommends staying away from eating too much because you think you might not have time to eat again.

To handle this, aim at eating regular meals throughout the day, which can help you be more aware of hunger and fullness, he says. 

Musengimana mentions that in case you eat and feel like you are still hungry, you can keep eating, however, stop again halfway just in case you feel satisfied. Also, learn to serve small portions as it thwarts overeating.