Let’s face it, we eat when we’re feeling lonely. And sad. And frustrated. And angry. And happy. And confused. And excited. We eat in response to our emotions, and this direct connection usually results in…overeating. There are two types of hunger, and understanding the true difference between them is important in determining exactly when to eat food.

Performing a single intermittent fast is a great way to experience the difference between our two types of hunger: physiological hunger and emotional hunger.

Physiological hunger is the type of hunger you experience when your brain, muscles and internal organs are in a low-energy state. This is the type of hunger that you experience following a demanding workout. It’s the type of hunger you experience when you have exerted significant physical or mental energy, and are in need of fuel to replenish your energy needs. Physiological hunger is the signal to intake carbohydrates, fats, and protein in order to meet the energy requirements of repairing and growing tissues.

Emotional hunger is the type of hunger you experience when a situation or thought process dictates your desire to eat. As opposed to physiological hunger, emotional hunger creates a feeling of true hunger even though the biological requirement for fuel is low or nonexistent.

Understanding the difference between the two of these types of hunger can make a huge difference to your overall health. Do you eat when you’re only physiologically hungry? Do you eat when you’re emotionally hungry? Do you eat in both situations?

Performing a single intermittent fast can help you determine the difference between the two types of hunger.

Sample Intermittent Fasting Regimens
No matter how you slice it, intermittent fasting isn’t just good for you, it’s GREAT for you. In addition to the physical benefits described above, consciously restricting food intake even for a single 24-hour period can be quite challenging, and helps you establish a true independence from food.

There are endless permutations of intermittent fasting regimens, so I’ll present only the ones that are achievable and boast significant short term benefits. There is no sense in doing intermittent fasting if the direct benefit takes months or years to achieve. Lucky for you, performing a single intermittent fast is a fun experience that can make a noticeable and measurable difference in your health.

The most achievable intermittent fasting regimen is the once-per-week 24-hour intermittent fast, as described below:

The Weekly 24-Hour Intermittent Fast
Just as the name implies, choose one day of the week and don’t eat. Choose a day of the week in which you are largely sedentary.

Let’s assume that you do a Thursday fast. Here is an example 24-hour protocol:

1
7pm Wednesday
Eat your last meal of the day. Drink 2-3 cups of water
2
8pm Wednesday
START FAST
3
10pm Wednesday
Go to sleep. Nighty night.
4
8am Thursday
Drink 2-3 cups of water, or drink 1-2 cups of green tea
5
12pm Thursday
Drink 2-3 cups of water, or drink 1-2 cups of green tea
6
3pm Thursday
Drink 2-3 cups of water, or drink 1-2 cups of green tea
7
7pm Thursday
END FAST
8
7pm Thursday
Eat a small dinner before bed, complete with plenty of real carbohydrates and a serving of a lean protein (beans, legumes, peas or lean meat). Drink 2-3 cups of water.
9
7am Friday
Return to your normal eating schedule

Intermittent fasting really works