Today I had a grown woman tell me
“You would feel hungry if you didn’t eat”.
My first response, “No shit, Sherlock”, didn’t seem apt for the flow of conversation so I shifted into a state of curiosity I’ve seemed to develop as a coach.
I asked:
“Why does that scare you?”
then,
“Is hunger the worst thing that could happen?”
She wasn’t happy. In fact, if her self-image would have allowed it, she probably would have responded with a lovely slew of curse words.
Turns out, questioning someone’s capacity to experience discomfort makes them incredibly uncomfortable.
There is a difference between feeling hungry, being hungry, and the state of hunger. There is also a huge difference between hunger and starvation. The latter of which the majority of us in the United States will not experience.
Yes, I eat every day. But I don’t have to. And I’m not afraid of what will happen on either side – if I miss a meal or over-eat.
In fact, if you speak to my college roommate, she’ll confirm that I did a 40 day fast in my freshman year of college. I also managed to regain the weight within 2 weeks #blesscollegedining
Turns out, feeling hungry is just that – a feeling.
Now, I am not suggesting a 40 day fast or a cheat meal binge. LEGIT PLEASE DO NOT DO EITHER UNLESS YOU HAVE MEDICAL SUPERVISION.
But if you have fear around eating or not eating because you’re afraid you’ll be hungry – you may need to practice some delayed gratification.
EXAMPLE: Set a timer for 20 minutes and wait until it goes off before you eat.
Your feelings are data. They’re feedback, not forces. You may not know what it looks like to go beyond the fear you hold right now, but you COULD know.
Next time you’re feeling, take note of it. Listen to it. Then decide what you want to learn from it.
Love you,
Madison
