The Hunger Confusion

What feels like hunger often isn’t. Thirst mimics hunger. Fatigue mimics hunger. Boredom, stress, and habit all trigger the same “I want to eat” sensation. Research by Mattes on hunger and thirst measurement shows the signals overlap in the brain. Real hunger builds gradually and can be satisfied by various foods; false hunger hits suddenly and craves specific foods. This companion covers the misinterpretation problem, the usual suspects (thirst, fatigue, boredom, emotion, habit), real versus false hunger markers, the diagnostic pause technique, and the response fork for each type of signal. (5 min read)

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