{"id":26337,"date":"2026-03-02T20:46:51","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T20:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/?p=26337"},"modified":"2026-03-02T20:46:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T20:46:53","slug":"je-to-res-lakota-ali-custvena-potreba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/je-to-res-lakota-ali-custvena-potreba\/","title":{"rendered":"Is this really hunger \u2013 or an emotional need?"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to recognize the difference between physiological hunger and emotional eating with a simple exercise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We often find ourselves in a situation where we don't know for sure:
Is what I'm feeling really a basic physiological need for food \u2013 or is it a habit, a desire for reassurance, for comfort, for alleviating some inner feeling through eating?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distinguishing between physiological hunger and emotional urges to eat is key to developing a healthier relationship with food and our own inner states. The good news is that there is a simple, effective exercise that can help us begin to perceive this distinction more clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Simple exercise: "Spindle" or body scan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the simplest and most effective techniques is. body scan<\/strong> (sometimes called a "thorn").<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exercise takes less than a minute and can be done anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • keep your eyes open<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • or close them if it's easier for you<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    The process is simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Stop for a moment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Focus your attention on your body.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Mentally \u00bbscan\u00ab your body from head to toe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Observe \u2013 without analyzing and without judging.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      The key question is: What do I actually feel in my body?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\n\n\n

      What to look for during a body scan?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      While observing, ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Is any part of your body particularly cramped or tight?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Do I feel tension in my shoulders, neck, jaw?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Is there a "lump" in the stomach?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Is it a feeling of emptiness or a \u00bbhole\u00ab in the stomach?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Is there an inner turmoil that wants comfort?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        It is important to distinguish between:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Physiological hunger<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • gradually increasing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • there is a bodily emptiness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • the body gives clear signals for energy<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • satisfaction and calmness occur after a meal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Emotional impulses for food<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • appears suddenly<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • it is often associated with tension, restlessness, or internal pressure<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • not necessarily tied to bodily emptiness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • often leaves a feeling of discomfort or guilt after feeding<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            \n\n\n\n

            Connection with events and emotions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            Once you notice your physical sensations, you can ask yourself another question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            Did anything happen today that triggered tension or an unpleasant emotion in me?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

            Maybe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • unpleasant conversation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • feeling of rejection<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • pressure or stress<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • a long-lasting feeling that has been with you for some time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              If you notice a connection between inner unrest and a specific event or emotion, this is often a sign that it is not physiological hunger, but rather emotional component<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n\n\n\n

              Food as a way of regulating emotions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              In such cases, it is not about satisfying the body's need for energy, but rather about attempting to regulate something that is not actually of physiological origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Food can become:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • way of calming down<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • form of consolation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • a means of relieving internal tension<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • temporary relief from unpleasant feelings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                This is not a \u00bbmistake\u00ab in itself. It is a learned pattern of regulation that may have worked in the past. The question is, does it really benefit us in the long run?.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n\n\n\n

                Next step: emotional regulation instead of automatic feeding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                When we recognize that there is an emotional component behind it, an important question arises:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                • What is actually happening inside me?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • What emotion am I trying to soothe?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • How can I regulate this situation in a more direct way?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  Instead of automatically reaching for food, we can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \n
                  • we stay for a few moments with the feeling<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • we name it<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Let's check what we really need at that moment (rest, conversation, boundary, relief)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
                    \n\n\n\n

                    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                    Distinguishing between physiological hunger and emotional cravings isn't always easy, but even a short, one-minute body scan exercise can significantly increase awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    When we take a moment to connect with our bodies, we often discover that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \n
                    • we don't necessarily need food,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • but rather the regulation of emotion,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • tension relief,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • or a space for something that wants to be recognized.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                      And it is in this space of awareness that a true change in your attitude towards food - and towards yourself - begins.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                      Kako z enostavno vajo prepoznati razliko med fiziolo\u0161ko lakoto in \u010dustvenim hranjenjem Velikokrat se znajdemo v situaciji, ko ne vemo povsem jasno:Ali je to, kar \u010dutim, res osnovna fiziolo\u0161ka potreba po hrani \u2013 ali gre za navado, \u017eeljo po pomiritvi, po ugodju, po tem, da bi z jedjo ubla\u017eili nek notranji ob\u010dutek? Razlikovanje med fiziolo\u0161ko […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prenajedanje"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"trp-custom-language-flag":false,"mailpoet_newsletter_max":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Sta\u0161 Pirc","author_link":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/author\/staspirc\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Kako z enostavno vajo prepoznati razliko med fiziolo\u0161ko lakoto in \u010dustvenim hranjenjem Velikokrat se znajdemo v situaciji, ko ne vemo povsem jasno:Ali je to, kar \u010dutim, res osnovna fiziolo\u0161ka potreba po hrani \u2013 ali gre za navado, \u017eeljo po pomiritvi, po ugodju, po tem, da bi z jedjo ubla\u017eili nek notranji ob\u010dutek? Razlikovanje med fiziolo\u0161ko…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26337"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26337\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26338,"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26337\/revisions\/26338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.staspirc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}