Most of the time, it can be challenging to tell whether what you are feeling is thirst or hunger. This can be a massive problem most especially of you are trying to get rid of excess pounds — constantly mistaking thirst for hunger can definitely keep you from having the figure you’ve been dreaming of for a long time already.

Can’t decide whether you should reach for a glass of water or a snack? Then keep on checking out this article. Below you will come across a foolproof technique on how to determine whether it is thirst you are experiencing or hunger.

Make sure that you share this article on your various social media sites later on so that your family members and friends, most especially those who wish to lose unnecessary weight, may also get to know how to tell thirst and hunger apart without going through much trouble and also committing a mistake.

They Can Send the Same Signals

A lot of people cannot figure out if what they are having is thirst and not hunger or vice versa. It’s for the fact that thirst and hunger may sometimes yield the very same set of symptoms. For instance, stomach rumbling is commonly associated with hunger. But the fact is sometimes your stomach may also rumble if you are thirsty.

Feeling lightheaded and weak is often associated with low energy and low blood sugar levels due to skipping a meal. However, it’s also very much possible for you to feel lightheaded and also weak if you are dehydrated — much of your brain and also your entire body are comprised of water, after all.

See: How Much Water Should You Drink Every Day, According to Experts

If there are symptoms that can easily reveal what you are experiencing, they are stomach pain brought about by hunger and throat and mouth dryness brought about by thirst. Sadly, it’s not all the time that these unmistakable bodily sensations are present.

Observe Before You Spring Into Action

Since it can be hard at times to decide if it’s thirst or hunger that you are feeling, it’s a good idea for you to pause for a while and observe. This is most especially true if you do not want to commit the wrong step and risk doing something that won’t solve the issue or cause unnecessary pounds to come into being.

Ask yourself: when did I last eat? According to experts, it’s not unlikely for you to feel hungry every 4 to 5 hours — some people may encounter a rumbling stomach every 2 to 3 hours especially if their diet is lacking in fat and protein, both of which can cause satiety instantly and for long periods of time.

Did you lose a lot of sweat in the past few hours due to the extremely hot weather or an intense workout routine? Then it’s very much possible that what you are having is thirst and not hunger — your body is practically screaming for water in order to have optimum hydration restored.

Not Sure? Have Some Water

Experts recommend those who are really poor at telling thirst and hunger apart to make reaching for a glass of water to be the very first step to take. Especially if you are trying to shrink your waistline, you should make this a part of your everyday habit.

After glugging down a glass of water, wait for at least 15 minutes before making the next decision — if the sensation is still around after 15 minutes, it’s very much likely that what you are experiencing is hunger; if it’s no longer there, there is no denying that it’s just thirst.

Here’s a simple tip that can make things a lot easier to sort out: make sure that you drink approximately 2 liters of water a day. When your body is well-hydrated, the signals you will receive each time you are hungry can be easier to associate with hunger. (vitacost.com)

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