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Kellogg's Healthy Beginnings
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Hunger Vs. Cravings

Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between true hunger and having a craving. Tuning into your body’s signals and learning to eat when you are truly hungry can help you avoid overeating and develop healthy eating habits.

Need Vs. Desire To Eat

Hunger is when your body needs to eat. In the beginning stages of hunger, you may feel the emptiness of your stomach or hear it rumbling. If you go too long without eating, you may get a headache or feel shaky or weak. Low blood sugar levels and certain hormones are thought to trigger these hunger signals.

pregnant woman

Craving is when you want to eat or “have a taste” for something. Your emotions, eating habits, and even the smell or thought of your favorite food can cause you to crave something your body does not need. Eating based on cravings rather than actual hunger can result in unhealthy weight gain.

Next Time You Want To Eat

Check in with your body before heading for the kitchen. If you answer yes to any of these questions, you may not really be hungry:


  • 1. Am I thirsty?
  • 2. Am I tired?
  • 3. Am I bored?
  • 4. When was the last time I ate — was it less than two hours ago?
  • 5. Can I wait 15 minutes before I eat again? Or wait until the next meal or snack?

Tips to Combat Cravings

Drink water. Many adults mistake thirst for hunger.

Choose foods that are filling. Whole foods (a whole orange versus orange juice), foods with fiber (high fiber grains, vegetables or fruits), and protein foods (like beans or peanut butter) keep you feeling fuller longer.

Keep a list of activities you enjoy. If boredom brought you into the kitchen when you're not hungry, pick something on the list and go do it.

Give your body time to decide whether it’s satisfied. Wait 20 minutes after eating before moving on to a second helping.

Every now and then, enjoy a small treat, especially if you are fighting a pregnancy craving. Satisfy the taste with a snack, not a meal, and don’t make it a daily habit.

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