My clients often struggle with listening to and TRUSTING their hunger cues.   After years of dieting and controlling their weight, they’re more used to following external food rules than their bodies.   This not only leads to things like missing periods, digestive issues, food obsession and binge eating…   …it also leads them to ask the question “am I REALLY hungry? Or am I just bored?”   😵‍💫When they’re sitting at their desk working and can’t stop thinking about the pre-prepped asian chicken and rice they made for lunch (despite not feeling physical hunger pangs yet)   😴 When they have a relaxing day and have to constantly resist the temptation to eat, whereas on their busy days that voice feels more quiet.   If this is you, read on. 👇   You see, “boredom eating” is FAR more likely to happen when you have a history of restricting food.   Under eating and rigid food rules make us hungrier, with more cravings 😬.   It increases the pleasure and comfort we get from eating which makes us more likely to reach for the ice cream carton when emotional 🍨.   The solution?   Is not to “try not to eat” 🙄.   (As if that ever worked long term anyways)   Instead, I have 3 tips for you:    1️⃣ ALLOW yourself to eat when bored   Listening to your desires for food will allow your body to get the calories it needs + eliminate the scarcity mindset. This will eventually lead your hunger and cravings to decrease and your urge to eat emotionally to go away.   2️⃣ Follow the “regular eating” principle   3 meals, 3 snacks, with all 3 macronutrients in them (starchy carbs 🥖, fats 🥑 and protein 🍳) evenly spaced throughout the day.   OR - eating with your hunger cues throughout the day, INCLUDING mental hunger (the desire to eat) and stopping eating when you are truly satisfied (not just physically full)   3️⃣ Address other common causes of boredom eating such as ADHD and lack of pleasure/fulfillment in life   …but address these in ADDITION to stopping food restriction, not in replacement because you are afraid of weight gain.    That’s even more of a sign that restriction is likely the main root cause of your “boredom eating” and the true work you need to do to find freedom and peace with food  ❤️.   I explain all of this in more detail on this episode 🎤!   Hope you love it.   If you want to contact me with any questions:   Email at [email protected] DM me on Instagram at elenakunickird   Learn more about my 1:1 coaching, group program and free resources here: bit.ly/elenakwebsite   Get the Binge Eating & Period Recovery Meal Plan: bit.ly/bprmealplan   Resources for this episode: Untamed by Glennon Doyle Troubleshooting Unconditional Permission to Eat Becca King’s episode (@adhd.nutritionist on Instagram)