The FastDay Forum

Before 5:2, I didn't really have much experience of hunger. As soon as you felt it, it was a danger sign. Sirens, red blinking lights, you quickly must eat something to avoid disaster, painful death or some other horrible consequence. Ridiculous as it appears to me now. Probably influenced by my mother who was constantly genuinely worried if I was fed well enough, always prepared to get me something.

It seems to me like many people see hunger as some kind of pain, and think of pain as very similar. But can you really be "very hungry" or "starving" as a genuine physical sensation rather than simply "hungry" at a more or less constant level?

After my latest painful incident I see pain as something very different. There's probably no actual limit to how much pain you can experience. And it's a myth enough pain will make you pass out, so extreme pain with no escape is quite plausible. Unlike hunger, which just is a mild temporary discomfort signaling it would be nice to have a snack.

Or is it just me, do other people actually feel the degree of hunger sensations can vary much in intensity? Can hunger sensations really make you suffer, seriously? Or is it just the idea and fear of the consequences of hunger?

Interesting question. Although I can't say I ever equated hunger with pain, I do identify a lot with the sense of panic you describe. Being hungry made me anxious and irritable. I would frequently eat more than I wanted/needed to avoid hunger. Fasting as a form of controlling hunger was a revelation to me in that I could experience hunger without the anxiety. Also, hunger does not increase in terms of intensity in my experience. It's like getting caught out by a rain shower when I'm running. It's initially unpleasant, then I reach saturation point where I can't get wetter and then I accept it and quite enjoy it.

Of course this is all said with the fortune of never experience life threatening food shortage style hunger! Although I'm often guilty of saying I'm 'starving', wilfully denying myself food is actually a luxury not everyone has.

Interesting question. Although I can't say I ever equated hunger with pain, I do identify a lot with the sense of panic you describe. Being hungry made me anxious and irritable. I would frequently eat more than I wanted/needed to avoid hunger. Fasting as a form of controlling hunger was a revelation to me in that I could experience hunger without the anxiety. Also, hunger does not increase in terms of intensity in my experience. It's like getting caught out by a rain shower when I'm running. It's initially unpleasant, then I reach saturation point where I can't get wetter and then I accept it and quite enjoy it.

Of course this is all said with the fortune of never experience life threatening food shortage style hunger! Although I'm often guilty of saying I'm 'starving', wilfully denying myself food is actually a luxury not everyone has.

This is so me.

I do tend to feel a bit sick sometimes when really hungry but it's not pain. I can get very grumpy when I haven't eaten for a while and say something ridiculous like 'if I don't eat I'm gonna be sick'.

Good thread.

I don't really associate hunger with pain. I used to think of it more like a headache: if I don't treat it right away, I will be left feeling really blank and tired even after the headache is gone. Now I can put up with hunger quite easily. It passes and, at least during the day, doesn't leave me feeling blank. I do always go to bed early on fast days though...

Re: the amount of pain people can experience and tolerate. Okinawa is full of stinging sea creatures (stone fish, box jellyfish, sea snakes). The venom of stone fish doesn't kill you, rather the pain is so great you die of a heart attack. I've heard the same if box jelly.

I associate it with anxiety more than pain. I guess its our primal instincts kicking in. Our ancestors didn't know where their next meal was coming from, whereas we are the lucky ones in that we know where our next meal is coming from, so no need to be anxious.

I am constantly amazed at how much my response to hunger has changed over the last year. Hunger, however slight, used to send me into some sort of impatient grumpy mood til I got food, I felt hunger was intolerable. Now it doesn't bother me, it is just another sensation which I can easily ignore and as others have said, it goes away. There is obviously a psychological element at play here because when I know I am going to be eating within, for instance, the next hour, then I become ravenous and my food tastes absolutely fabulous when I eat it. I must admit, however, I do not experience pain as a result of not eating for a little while.

Ballerina x

Before 5:2, I didn't really have much experience of hunger. As soon as you felt it, it was a danger sign. Sirens, red blinking lights, you quickly must eat something to avoid disaster, painful death or some other horrible consequence. Ridiculous as it appears to me now. Probably influenced by my mother who was constantly genuinely worried if I was fed well enough, always prepared to get me something.

It seems to me like many people see hunger as some kind of pain, and think of pain as very similar. But can you really be "very hungry" or "starving" as a genuine physical sensation rather than simply "hungry" at a more or less constant level?

After my latest painful incident I see pain as something very different. There's probably no actual limit to how much pain you can experience. And it's a myth enough pain will make you pass out, so extreme pain with no escape is quite plausible. Unlike hunger, which just is a mild temporary discomfort signaling it would be nice to have a snack.

Or is it just me, do other people actually feel the degree of hunger sensations can vary much in intensity? Can hunger sensations really make you suffer, seriously? Or is it just the idea and fear of the consequences of hunger?

5;2 has certainly changed how I purceive hunger.

I am now far more tolerant of hunger pangs. Like you, I use to panic at the first signs, where as now I regard a small amount of hunger as acceptable, or have a glass of water, when previously I would have been looking for sustenance far sooner.

Hunger (in moderation) is now often a good thing!