What is the hunger and fullness scale and how can you use it to help you lose weight, feel better, have more energy and achieve better health?
The hunger fullness scale ranges from 1-10 and includes a scale for levels of hunger and fullness. Note: various rating scales can be used. The purpose is to create a greater awareness of our feelings of hunger and fullness prior, during and upon completion of eating. Levels 1-4 are feelings of hunger and 6-10 are levels of fullness. 5 is neutral, neither hungry or full. There are different versions of the scale, but here is one of my favorites:
Hunger/fullness scale:
1. Starving
2. Very hunger
3. Hungry, ready to eat, clear signals to eat
4. Slightly hungry
5. Neutral, neither hunger or full
6. Filling up, but still more room to eat
7. Satisfied/full, hunger is gone, clear signals to stop
8. A little over full.
9. Extremely full
10. Uncomfortably full or sick, Thanksgiving stuffed
The goal? You are striving to eat at about a 3 and stop at about a 7. However, simply becoming more aware of your levels of hunger and fullness without judgement, shame or blame is the key.
In addition, how do I feel when I eat to a 9-10? Is energy low, indigestion, brain fog or something else? Are there foods or times of the day that I tend to over or under-eat and how can I problem solve? Judgement free, strive to use the hunger fullness scale to help you become more aware of your eating patterns, and make adjustments to put you in a better position to succeed going forward.
It’s a process and for many, not something to change overnight. It can take time to eat more mindfully and overeat less, if that’s an issue for you. The most important step is to simply become more conscious of eating patterns, levels of hunger and fullness, and make progress over time, learning along the way. It’s truly progress, not perfection.
Have a healthy day!