Hunger Cues.

Why it is so important that we listen to our body’s natural hunger and fullness cues - and teach our kids to do the same.

For generations now, the common theme is that “you don’t leave the table until youre finished eating everything on your plate”, or “you have to have this many more bites if you want any desert”. 

The idea here is that children are expected to finish the food on their plate, even IF their body is telling them they are full. This is not teaching healthy eating habits as most people would assume, it is actually teaching children from a very young age to start IGNORING their instincts and hunger/fullness cues.

HEALING FROM THE ROOT - CHILDHOOD NUTRITION

It all starts when we are children. Our inner belief systems, our habits and patterns are all built from the ground up as infants and kids. This is no different for eating habits. 

This is why it is so important that we are taught to simply listen to our body from such a young age. The key point here is that children are offered whole healthy nutrient-dense meals, and given the opportunity to listen to their body’s hunger and fullness cues. 

As humans we are very instinctual. We will eat when we are hungry and stop eating when we feel full, if we are given the opportunity to, without punishment or ultimatums. 

When children are told to finish their plate or they cannot get up from the table, we are instilling lifelong subconscious belief patterns that have been shown to increase the risk of obesity and disordered eating. 

HOW TO FOLLOW YOUR HUNGER CUES?

When we are taught from a young age one way of living and doing things, such as finishing all the food on your plate, it can be extremely challenging to adjust and shift these patterns. However, it is possible. 

1. Calm your mind. I found it the most beneficial to start by tuning in to my needs and my body by slowing down. Once you are able to calm your body, you can start to calm your mind and really tune in to how you are feeling - this is no different for eating. 
2. Choose Whole foods. Foods high in sugar and ultra-processed ingredients can make it difficult to tune in to our natural hunger cues. They can disrupt our body's natural processes and can even become addicting. It’s important to choose foods with real ingredients and cook from home whenever possible.
3. Tune In. When your body feels hungry, nourish it with a healthy meal. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated as dehydration can be often mistaken for hunger. When you feel hungry, eat. When you feel full, stop eating.

IMPORTANT KEY FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND

This is such a deeply rooted and complex topic, I couldn’t possibly cover all family dynamics and situations in one blog. But the key point is that children have been taught for generations to NOT follow their natural hunger cues, but instead listen to (and often times be afraid of) authoritative figures.

Picky Eating is a whole topic on its own, but it can stem from children not being offered a variety of whole foods and being introduced to many ultra-processed foods from a very young age. While most people will argue that children addressed as picky eaters need to be forced to finish their plate, this will only exaggerate the problems and can cause further disordered eating.

Instead, we can understand how they are feeling and help them feel seen and heard. This can look like offering choices of whole foods, allowing them to have control over which meal they’d like from 2-3 options before preparing the meal. It can also be beneficial to allow children to help cook whole foods and prepare meals with us.

Offering very small portions of new foods that do not look overwhelming is a good start, while not putting pressure to finish their plate. Again, this is a very complex topic, but there are ways to slowly start shifting to healthier eating habits.

CHILDREN - FOLLOWING HUNGER CUES

The older generations have followed strict rules of always finishing your plate and ideas that it is “rude” to not eat the meal you are served. While this may have been beliefs set out in times that families did not have money to eat, scarcity of food, etc, it STILL does not promote healthy eating habits or health for the future of the adult. 

I found it beneficial to honour the challenges our older generations have faced, while also recognizing it is OKAY to change habits for the health of future generations.

If you grew up with disordered eating habits and want to change the path of health for your children, there are ways we can adjust and shift patterns down the family line and this is a huge step. 

- with love, Carlie