My cousin sent me a picture by text that deeply touched me.

Here it is, and with it came with an explanation. She had printed out my What Kind of Hungry Are You blog and hung it up in her kitchen (with a frame!).

I love that!
There’s nothing that makes me happier than knowing I’m supporting someone in listening to the wisdom of their body.

My cousin Sharon’s text triggered one of those brief, but meaningful text conversations. She appreciated the types of hungers I listed in my article:

• eye-hunger
• heart-hunger
• mouth-hunger
• stomach-hunger
• soul-hunger
• social-hunger
• memory-hunger

…but Sharon added to the mix her own experience of “I want energy” hunger, which also kicks in, at times.Now I know she’s not alone with this Energy-Hunger.

So many of the moms I work with are reaching for chocolate or coffee or whatever is leftover on their kids’ plate because they are tired!!! You want more energy!

Well, that makes sense! Think about how much you do in a day. Would you ever even ask someone else to do as much as you do? Probably not.

And, here’s the thing about being a mom – it’s not just what we actually DO in terms of working, meals, laundry and all the day to day stuff – it’s also what we HOLD on an emotional level.

We’re the providers of the concrete nurturing, and the emotional nurturing.

It’s a lot, and it’s tiring!!!

No wonder you’re reaching for the sweets! You want a boost. You want energy.

But the tricky thing is that you already know that the chocolate or cookies or whatever refined sugary sweet you’ve chosen is not giving you the real solid boost you want. You’re getting that momentary high, but it’s predictably followed by a crash, and an “I wish I hadn’t eaten that” moment.

 

Today, I want to invite you to really feed this energy-hunger, but not only with food. 

I’d also like you to feed your I-want-energy hunger with deep listening and respect.

The way to know what our energy-hunger really needs, is to look underneath. 

What’s under the need for energy? There are 3 common things:

 

EXHAUSTION:

Our drive for more energy is often sitting on a well of exhaustion and no matter how much you feed it, your exhaustion won’t go away.

Treat your exhaustion by:

• Taking a nap!
• Learning Yoga Nidra – deep relaxation
• Going to bed earlier

 

LACK OF FOCUS:

Often we reach for more energy, because we feel scattered. As moms, we have a zillion things going on in a million different directions. There’s a fallacy that if we just had more energy we could make it all happen. What would really support us in those moments is more focus.

Improve your focus by: 

• Doing one thing at a time instead of multi-tasking. 
• Prioritizing your list
  

 

LOW BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS:

It’s not uncommon for moms to just keep moving in their day, without eating regular meals. By the mid-afternoon, our blood sugar levels are so low we’ll reach for anything.

Steady your blood sugar level by:

• Eating a protein rich snack
• Try: Raw Truffles or Superfood Trail Mix

Our different kinds of hungers are a powerful way of learning about and responding to our inner world. When we really listen to what we are hungry for, we can give ourselves what we really need. When we get what we truly need, we are happier. And you know the rest…when mama is happy, everyone is happy.

 

Leave me a comment and let me know what else your energy is hungry for?

~~~~~

Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, is the Smokin’ Hot & Soulful Mom Mentor and Family Wellness Expert. She’s the founder of SmokinHotMom.com and HealthyYummyKids.com. She is a certified Health Coach and Psychology of Eating Coach.

She helps busy moms look and feel their best, and helps them feed their kids well in a world that doesn’t.

She’s the author of “Feed Your Kids Well In A World That Doesn’t: an everyday guide to make healthy food happen in your home and beyond”. She’s also the recipient of the prestigious Health Leadership Award from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.