Why Understanding These 2 Types of Hunger Can Change Everything
In this bonus episode of Embrace Your Real, we’re digging into a topic that trips so many of us up: hunger. Have you ever paused and thought, “Wait… am I actually hungry, or just stressed, tired, or bored?” If yes—you’re not alone.
Today, we’re breaking down the two types of hunger you need to understand if you want to build a better relationship with food and fuel your body with intention.
What I discuss:
The difference between physical hunger (your body’s call for fuel) and emotional hunger (your brain’s call for comfort)
How each one shows up in your body, and what questions to ask to tell them apart
Why recognizing your hunger cues can totally change your consistency with nutrition, especially if you’re macro counting
This episode will help you slow down, tune in, and respond to your body from a place of trust—not reaction.
If you loved this episode, you’ll also love Episode 466: Still Hungry After Hitting Your Macros? Do This… I’ll link it in the show notes for you to easily go listen to next.
👉 https://www.juliealedbetter.com/embrace-your-real/still-hungry-after-hitting-your-macros-do-this
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
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Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/
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Transcript
00:00
Hey, hey, beautiful human, Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you, but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace your Real with me, julie Ledbetter. I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned If you're ready to embrace your real, let's get it, let's go. If you're ready to embrace a real, let's get it, let's go.
00:31
Hello, and welcome back to another bonus episode on the Embrace your Real podcast. I'm Julie Ledbetter, and today we're going to be diving into something that so many of us struggle with but rarely talked about. Have you ever found yourself in the kitchen wondering am I actually hungry? Am I stressed? Am I bored? Am I emotional? If you've ever felt unsure about whether you're truly hungry or craving something out of habit, emotion or routine, this episode is for you, because here's the thing not all hunger is the same. Learning how to recognize the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger is one of the most important skills that you can build if you want a healthier, more sustainable relationship with food. So in today's bonus episode, we're gonna be breaking it all down the difference between physical and emotional hunger, how each one shows up in your body and how to respond in a way that supports your goals and your wellbeing. This is especially helpful if you're tracking macros or working towards body compositional goal, because understanding your hunger cues gives you the power to fuel yourself in an intentional, not impulsive, way.
01:25
Let's get right into it. Number one physical hunger is your body's way of asking for fuel. So physical hunger is biological. It builds gradually over time. It starts with these subtle cues like low energy, grumbling stomach, difficulty focusing, a feeling like a little irritable or lightheaded. And here's the key when you're physically hungry, pretty much any balanced meal just sounds good, like you're open to nourishing options. Protein and fiber sound satisfying and you're not fixated on one specific thing that you want to eat. Physical hunger usually comes after several hours without food. It doesn't demand immediate action the way that emotional hunger does, but it will intensify if ignored. And when you respond to physical hunger with a balanced meal that includes protein, carbs and fats, you tend to feel satisfied afterwards. You're not driven to keep eating and eating. You feel refueled and ready to go on with your day. So the next time you're asking yourself am I hungry? Try pausing and checking in with yourself like are you tired, are you lightheaded? Can you feel your stomach or hear your stomach growling? Would you eat a piece of grilled chicken or a protein smoothie right now? If the answer is yes, you're probably just physically hungry.
02:29
Number two, emotional hunger, on the other hand, is driven by feelings, not fuel needs. So emotional hunger can be sneaky and it often feels urgent. It can come out of nowhere, maybe after a stressful meeting, an argument, or just when you're bored scrolling on your phone. It tends to be very specific Like I want chocolate, I want chips, I want cookies. You're not craving a balanced meal, you're craving a comfort food, something hyper palatable.
02:51
And unlike physical hunger, emotional hunger doesn't build gradually. It's more of like a wave that crashes over you. It's oftentimes paired with a desire to escape or numb. If you give into emotional hunger, you might feel better for a minute, but the satisfaction fades fast. You might end up feeling guilty or frustrated, or even more emotionally unsettled than before. And here's the thing.
03:12
Emotional hunger isn't bad. It's just a sign that there's something deeper going on, something your body or your mind is trying to soothe. So when you feel that intense urge to eat, but you just had a meal, like an hour ago, or you realize you're just not physically hungry. I want you to pause and ask yourself like what am I feeling right now? What do I need in this moment? Maybe it's connection, maybe it's rest, distraction, comfort. Learning to pause and reflect gives you space to choose and not just to react. And last but not least, number three, responding with intention builds trust and long-term change.
03:43
So the goal is to not judge yourself for emotional eating. It's about getting curious. You're human. You will eat emotionally sometimes, we all do it. But when you learn to tell the difference between physical and emotional hunger, you actually start to build the trust with your body and you also learn how to respond differently. So maybe you journal, you go for a walk, you text a friend, you sip tea instead of grabbing food. Maybe you do eat the food, maybe you do it, but you do it from a place of awareness, on autopilot. This awareness is especially helpful if you're tracking macros, because emotional hunger can easily throw you off plan, not because you're failing, but because you're not responding to real hunger. And when you feel your body based on physical hunger, your energy, your performance, your mood, all of those things improve and you're better able to hit your macro targets and support your goals. Mood, all of those things improve and you're better able to hit your macro targets and support your goals without feeling out of control or restricted.
04:33
So, instead of aiming for perfect eating, aim for connected eating, tuning, get curious, honor your needs and remember that food is not just fuel, it's also emotional, cultural, social, and it's okay to eat for comfort sometimes. The key is doing it with intention, not impulse. All right, there you have it the three ways to understand and navigate the two types of hunger so that you can build a healthier, more intentional relationship with food. Let's quickly recap. Number one physical hunger. This is your body's biological signal for fuel and it builds gradually, responds well to balanced meals and leaves you feeling satisfied and energized. Number two emotional hunger to balanced meals and leaves you feeling satisfied and energized. Number two emotional hunger. This shows up quickly and oftentimes feels urgent, usually tied to stress, boredom or specific cravings. It's less about needing energy and more about needing comfort and distraction. Number three building awareness between the two types of hunger helps you respond with intention, not guilt or impulse, which builds trust with your body and creates a lasting change. And hey, if this conversation is resonating with you, if you're realizing that part of what's keeping you stuck is not knowing how to listen to your body or how to move consistently.
05:38
This is exactly why I created the Movement With Julie app. It's designed to help you stay consistent with your workouts, whether you've got 20 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes. It helps you without the overwhelm, without the guesswork. Inside the app. I give you simple, effective, dumbbell-only workouts. You can choose two to three or five days a week, depending on the time that you have. All you need is minimal equipment, no gym membership required. You need a few pair of dumbbells and a small space. If you want to learn more, you can go over to sale that's S-A-L-Emoonwithjuliecom, or click the link in the show notes. You get 50% off your first month as a new subscriber.
06:09
And lastly, if this episode helped you, would you do me a favor and share it with a friend who might need this reminder as well? If you haven't left a review yet as well, I'd love for you to do that. It helps so much in getting the message out to more women. And if you love this episode, I know you will also love episode 466. If you're still hungry after hitting your macros, do this. I will go ahead and link all of those things that I mentioned inside the show notes that you can easily go check those out.
06:31
But that is all that I have for today's bonus episode. I love you so dang much, I mean it, and I'll talk to you in the next one. All right, sister, that's all I got for you today, but I have two things that I need you to do. First thing if you are not already following, have two things that I need you to do. First thing if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie A Ledbetter yes, it's with an A in the middle for that daily post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface, so go out there and embrace your room, because you're worth it.