Reconnecting with Your Hunger Cues and Understanding Food Signals

schwebmelissa
Sep 15, 2025
5 min read

When I was recovering from my eating disorder, I couldn’t even tell what a hunger cue was. I didn’t think I was hungry until I was in an out-of-body experience, mid-binge, eating everything in sight. Then, I’d go another week eating like a hummingbird. I hadn’t heard my stomach rumble in years, and couldn't remember the last time I felt hungry in the morning.

When I was journaling about where my eating disorder started, I remembered that at the very beginning, my stomach would rumble so loudly in class I had to leave from embarrassment. My stomach ached in the mornings and would rumble even after I’d had a “meal,” but I always ignored it. I can’t pinpoint exactly when this stopped; somewhere along the way, I stopped hearing my body’s signals altogether.

Years later, learning that I needed to trust my body to tell me what it needed - to listen to its hunger and fullness cues - was extremely challenging because I didn’t have a clue where to start. I knew I needed to eat more, but my body no longer told me when. I knew I should eat breakfast, but I never felt hungry in the morning. Intuitive eating and trusting my body felt contradictory to my recovery.

What I didn’t understand was that intuitive eating actually includes rational thinking and training your body again. I had to show my body I was ready to listen. I had to put trust back in my body; tap back into my childhood memories and remember what used to signal hunger. Anyone who’s had a rocky relationship with food knows how deeply body distrust is wrapped up in it.

Starting with one meal at a time, I began showing my body when it needed to eat again. When I got my first stomach rumble in the morning, I cried. I was so grateful, and I knew I needed to trust my body again, so I ate right away.

Then the deeper work began; noticing smaller cues like light-headedness, frustration, fatigue, or simply thinking about food. I fed my body whenever it felt hungry. And soon, at my own pace, I began understanding my fullness cues too. Putting my fork down mid-meal to check in with how my stomach felt, whether I wanted more, and where my satisfaction was. I kept it observational and tried to keep rules out of it; not an easy balance with such a history.

In the end, this built such a deep understanding of my body and its signals that I didn’t have to worry about what or how much I ate. There was a time I would religiously measure every gram, but now I simply trusted my body to tell me. My weight fell into something more comfortable, and then stayed stable. Even if the weight I landed at was one I once thought was “unhealthy,” I knew deep down it was where my body needed to be.

This is why I love true intuitive eating. Not the version twisted into another diet, but deep trust in your body’s intuition around food and movement; forgiveness around overeating or enjoying social meals; and freedom from fear or loss of control around food.

Your body uses two main messengers to guide eating; ghrelin, the “hunger hormone” that signals it’s time to eat, and leptin, the “fullness hormone” that tells you when you’ve had enough. When you respond consistently to these signals, your body’s appetite system runs smoothly. But if you regularly skip meals, push through hunger, or eat far past fullness, your body starts to “quiet” these messages. Ghrelin and leptin can become less responsive, and you might notice that you’re hardly ever hungry… or never feel satisfied no matter how much you eat.

Think of your hunger cues like a good friend coming to check on you. At first, they knock softly; just seeing if you’re home. That’s your gentle stomach rumble or subtle dip in energy. If you don’t answer, they knock louder; maybe they even start calling your name through the door. This is your body saying, “Hey, we really need some fuel here!” - the lightheadedness, irritability, and intense cravings. But if you still don’t answer… they eventually stop. Not because they don’t care, but because repeated ignoring feels like rejection. They walk away, and now they’re waiting for an invitation to come back. Your hunger cues work the same way. Ignore them for long enough, and they quiet down. When that happens, you have to rebuild trust; to invite them back; by showing your body you’ll actually listen when they “knock.”

Most of us didn’t grow up learning to listen to our hunger; we learned to follow rules. Parents, teachers, magazines, TV shows, and even coaches often send messages that override our internal cues.

“Clean your plate” teaches kids to eat past fullness to avoid waste;

“Don’t ruin your dinner” discourages responding to hunger between meals.

“You don’t need seconds” is often said to girls, reinforcing the idea that eating more is indulgent or unattractive; while

“Go on, have another helping” is often said to boys, as if eating more is proof of strength or masculinity.

“What, are you weak? Not going for seconds?” shames men into ignoring fullness, while “Are you sure you need seconds?” shames women into ignoring hunger.

These comments might seem harmless in the moment, but over time, they condition us to doubt our own bodies. Boys may learn to push past fullness as a sign of toughness; girls may learn to suppress hunger to appear disciplined. Both patterns disconnect us from the natural ebb and flow of ghrelin and leptin, leaving us more reliant on external cues; like the size of a portion, the time of day, or the presence of food; rather than what our body is actually asking for.

The good news is that your body wants you to listen. You can re-establish that trust; it just takes consistency and patience.

Here’s where to start;

Eat regularly - consistent meals and snacks help stabilize hunger and fullness hormones. Your first meal should be within 30 minutes of waking (even if that's just a handful of almonds)
Choose whole, nutrient-dense foods they steady blood sugar and make it easier to notice true satiety, but allow treats - too! Just pair treats with a protein or healthy fat to make it easier to listen to your body later in the day (avoid crashes which = intense cravings!)
Slow down give leptin time to send its “we’re full” message
Limit distractions - without screens, it’s easier to notice subtle hunger or fullness shifts;
Drop the judgment feeling hungry isn’t “good” or “bad” - it’s simply information from your body.
Breathe - deep breathing before meals can help activate your parasympathetic "rest & digest" mode. Making a more relaxed internal environment for easier tuning in.

Reconnecting with hunger and fullness cues is less about “perfect eating” and more about starting a conversation with your body. Hunger isn’t a weakness; fullness isn’t failure. They’re both just signals; your friend knocking on the door to let you know what you need. By answering when they knock, you can rebuild trust, restore balance to ghrelin and leptin, and return to a more peaceful, natural relationship with food.

Remember, your body’s messages are worth listening to. Be gentle with yourself as you rebuild trust. I’m cheering you on every step of the way!

Warmly, Melissa