The Hunger Scale

healthyfutures.nhs.uk/llb
 Hunger is a completely natural sensation and not something to be feared. Using the scale for weight loss
The Hunger Scale we’ve created for you to use is a way to describe your
level of hunger and help you to recognise when the best times to start and The Hunger Scale is a great way By using a hunger scale you should
stop eating occur during your day. to work out the best time to stop also find that you eat less for comfort
eating and still feel satisfied and full. or out of boredom and begin to listen
Remember to keep fluid levels up so to your body and your physical need
Beyond hungry: you may have a headache and experience that you can recognise and feel real for food. You can also use the scale
1 dizziness and a lack of concentration. Your body feels totally hunger when it is not confused with together with using a food diary.
out of energy and you need to lie down. thirst. Most people enjoy their food
and eat comfortably when they are You can make a note of thoughts
2 You feel irritable and cranky, with little energy. between 3-6 on the scale. or feelings linked to your eating and
You may also feel nauseous. record how hungry you are before,
Your own experiences may differ from during and after eating. Reflecting
3 Your stomach feels empty and the urge to eat is strong. this and from those described on our on these can be a powerful and
scale, so you could always experiment effective way to find out more about
You start to think about food. Your body is giving you the with developing your own scale in your what influences your own particular
Comfortable Eating

4 signal that you might want to eat. own words to measure how it is in a eating habits.
way that makes sense for you.
Your body has had enough food to keep going and is
5 physically and psychologically just starting to feel satisfied.

You are fully satisfied and full up. What should I do if I get really hungry?
6
You are feeling past the point of satisfaction, yet you can This tends to happen if you ignore jittery or irritable; you might find
7 still find room for a little more. Your body might say no but your hunger signals or skip meals. It yourself at a 1 or 2 on the hunger
your mind says yes, so you take a few more bites. can also happen at busy points during scale. At this stage you will probably
the day where you might not have feel a strong urge to “eat everything
Your stomach is starting to really ache. You probably know time to prepare and eat some food. now”! It’s not always easy but take a
8 you shouldn’t have had more, but it tasted so good. The signs that you’ve reached this moment and follow these three steps:
point could be feeling light-headed,
You now feel really uncomfortable, heavy, tired,
9 and bloated.

If you’d still rate your

Beyond full: this is a typical Christmas Day sort of feeling – Eat a little bit of
Wait 10 to 15 minutes hunger as 3, then eat
10 you are physically miserable, don’t want to or can’t move, something (e.g. a piece of
and see how your hunger your planned meal. Eat
and feel like you never want to look at food again. Not a fruit or a cracker) to get
level is now. normally until you reach
up to 3 on the scale.
good point to reach! 5 or 6 on the scale.

2 3
Getting the most out of The Hunger Scale

The Hunger Scale encourages you to pay careful attention to your body and
what it is telling you. Here are some ideas about how to use the scale to help
you know when to start and stop eating. Repeating these over time will help you
become more tuned into and able to manage your hunger so you feel more in
control of your eating habits.

Before you eat the body signals that tell you that you
are no longer hungry (check back to
Close your eyes and focus your The Hunger Scale for these). Look out
attention on your stomach. Set aside for the signs that you’re comfortably
any knowledge you have about full and try not to reach the point of
when you last ate and simply let your feeling stuffed. Stopping when you’re
stomach give you a number. Your body halfway through your meal to check
should naturally feel hunger (3 on the your fullness is a good way to make
scale) around every 3-5 hours after you sure you don’t overeat.
eat a meal.
Finishing a meal
If you want to eat or feel hunger
other than in your stomach area, you Stop eating when you are around
are probably eating for an emotional 5 or 6 on The Hunger Scale, even
reason or out of habit, so try to find if that means leaving food on your
an alternative way to comfort yourself plate. Stopping at a higher number or
rather than eating. Our Changing convincing yourself that you need to
Patterns and Finding Happiness leaflets leave a completely clear plate means
have got lots of tips and advice to help you have probably taken in more food
you with this. than your body needs.

During a meal Remember, most people enjoy their

food and eat comfortably when they
Eat slowly to allow yourself to see are between a 3 and a 6 on The
how full you are getting. Listen for Hunger Scale.

Adapted by The Centre for Health Promotion and Wellness MIT Medical from You Count, Calories Don’t, Ominchanski, L. (1992)

A5HS012013