Speaker 1 0:01

Welcome to another episode of a Healthy Shift podcast . Hey , I just want to take your mind back . Do you remember when you came home from school and you said to your mum , mum , I'm hungry . As you opened the pantry and she said , have an apple ? And you said , nah , I don't want an apple , I want something like this . And you'd grab the Cocoa Pops . Let's talk about that one today , because today we're all about polite hunger , rude hunger and understanding your different body signals .

Speaker 1 0:37

Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy Shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified Nutritionist , veteran Law Enforcement Officer and 24-7 Shift Worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigours of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and well-being so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show . Well , hey there , shift workers , and welcome to another episode of A Healthy Shift , the podcast that helps shift workers like you not just survive , but truly thrive .

Speaker 1 1:26

I am your host , roger Sutherland , and today I'm going to be looking into an essential concept that affects literally every single one of us , especially those working irregular hours hunger . What a strange topic to be talking about today . But today , more specifically , I'm going to be exploring the differences between polite hunger and rude hunger . Now , these terms might sound a little quirky to you , but understanding them can literally make a huge difference in how you approach food and fuel your body during those long shifts . Now , trust me , it's a game changer when it comes to maintaining energy and avoiding episodes of overeating , and also in staying in control of your nutrition . Now , this is part of intuitive eating , and it's something that's really important for people to understand , because intuitive eating is not actually just a free-for-all and just eating intuitively . This won't work . This is terrible . It's a whole framework around it , and one of them is just understanding the difference between what we call polite hunger and rude hunger .

Speaker 1 2:39

So let's get stuck into it . Let's work it out to start off with . Get stuck into it . Let's work it out to start off with . What is polite hunger ? Okay ?

Speaker 1 2:49

So first up , let's talk about polite hunger , because this is the calm , subtle cue that comes from your body that it's starting to need food , but it's not in any rush . It's kind of like your body just gently knocking , going hey , hello , I could really use something , some fuel , soon . But hey , listen , there's no pressure at this point in time , but start thinking about it . So , with polite hunger , you're aware that it's time to eat , but you've got space to think about what do I want to eat ? It's the kind of hunger that allows for mindful eating , where you can make balanced choices , like you could actually just grab a piece of fruit to tie you over or start preparing a meal with plenty of proteins , carbs and fats , absolutely full of nutrients . So it's important to recognize polite hunger because it is your body's way of telling you that things are running smoothly , you're in control , and that's where we all want to be right . We want to eat to fuel our bodies rather than because we're being driven by hunger Now , when we eat at this stage , we tend to make far better decisions and we can be more intentional with what we're actually putting into our bodies . So let's just take that as polite hunger and let's just shelve it for a minute , and we'll come back to that .

Speaker 1 4:16

So what is rude hunger ? So let's flip the coin and talk about rude hunger now , because this one is not so polite . In fact . It's loud , it's demanding and it often really catches you off guard . Think of it as your body yelling feed me now .

Speaker 1 4:34

It's the kind of hunger that hits you when you've gone too long without eating . Your blood sugar has dropped and suddenly you're shaky , you're irritable , and we're all familiar with what it's like to be hangry , aren't we ? Now , this is what happens when your body is in desperate need of fuel . It's not interested in your carefully planned meal prep anymore . Nope , rude hunger drives you to grab whatever's quick , whatever's easy , and I want you to think of those chips , that chocolate damn , jenny and her cake . Fast food , all that stuff that gives you the fast energy spike .

Speaker 1 5:18

The problem is , this kind of eating can easily lead to overconsumption or for us to reach for less than nutritious options , because your body just wants something , and it wants it right now , and it wants it right now , hangry . Now . I've been there , and I know a lot of you have too , especially during those long night shifts when you've gone literally hours without food and suddenly you are raiding the vending machine for anything to keep yourself going . And it's a really vicious cycle , isn't it ? Because , let's be honest , what's in the vending machine ? Let's leave it at that , let's not go into that bit .

Speaker 1 5:59

So what's the big difference here ? Well , polite hunger is gentle and it's manageable . It allows you time to choose wisely and prepare something nutritious , and also allows you to eat with intention . Now , there's no urgency , there's no panic . There's no panic . It's literally just a simple nudge from your body that it needs fuel . Whereas root hunger , on the other hand , is urgent and it often feels totally out of control . It forces you to react impulsively , grabbing whatever is available regardless of its nutritional value . Root hunger can make you feel like you're at the mercy of your cravings . It's a lot harder to make healthy choices while you're in this state . Now you might be thinking all right , rog , this all sounds great , but what's the point ? Well , here is why it matters Now .

Speaker 1 6:49

As shift workers , we live in a completely unpredictable world . Our schedules can be literally all over the place , and that makes it even harder for us to stick to regular mealtimes . We're often working through the night , we can sleep during the day , and this can wreak absolute havoc on our regular hormonal hunger cues . And the result of this is we often don't end up eating anything until we are absolutely starving , and this is where that rude hunger kicks in . We've gone too long , and then we end up with rude hunger . Now , when you let yourself get to the point of rude hunger , you are not just compromising your nutrition , but you're also setting yourself up for a roller coaster of an energy spike and crash , and what you'll do is you'll end up eating foods that give you a quick fix , but then they just go and leave you feeling sluggish again soon afterwards , and this , in turn , can really make your next shift even harder , and so the cycle repeats over and over and over again .

Speaker 1 7:58

If you learn to actually tune in to polite hunger and catch that signal early , you literally give yourself the opportunity to fuel your body with something that's actually going to sustain you for the long haul . What you're doing , then , is you are making decisions when you are the one that's actually going to sustain you for the long haul . What you're doing , then , is you are making decisions when you are the one that's in control , and not when hunger is actually controlling you . Now , this is especially crucial for those long night shifts or when you are working extended hours or on overtime . Keeping snacks on hand and planning ahead can really help you to avoid hitting that rude hunger stage . You can put things like pre-packed meals or snacks like nuts or fruit or even some protein bars can keep your energy levels steady throughout your shift . Keep them in your kit bag in your locker , keep them in the truck , do whatever you've got to do , but just have something , because if you've got something , it's going to stop you from sliding all the way down into that hangry stage , which is not where we want to be .

Speaker 1 9:04

Now . The million dollar question is how on earth do you stay in tune with polite hunger so it doesn't turn into rude hunger ? And I've got a few tips for you . Number one learn to pay attention to the subtle cues that your body gives you . Polite hunger is super easy to miss . If you're not paying attention , you might feel just a gentle emptiness in your stomach or you might notice your energy level dipping slightly , and this is just the perfect time to eat .

Speaker 1 9:34

Number two do not skip meals . I know it's easier said than done . I totally understand it and I get it , but skipping a meal and thinking that you're doing the right thing , especially during a busy shift , is the quickest way to push yourself into rude hunger territory . Even if you can't sit down for a full meal , just try and have small regular snacks . Just keep those snacks nuts , things like that in your locker , and protein bars that you can quickly have on the run to stop you from getting to that ridiculously hangry stage . Number three a really good hack is to just plan your meals and snacks . Plan ahead and have them ready . By preparing in advance , it is the key to stopping this roller coaster of hangry . To overfull Batch , cook your meals and portion them out for your shifts so that you're never caught out without something to eat and you could also just keep that healthy stash of healthy snacks within arm's reach for when you feel that polite hunger coming on .

Speaker 1 10:44

Remember , we have to learn to check in with ourselves as to what actually is polite hunger , because a lot of us completely miss it . We're too busy scrolling phones or busy or getting distracted and we completely miss the signals until , all of a sudden , it is too late . Another thing that we really need to do and this is step number four is to stay hydrated . Sometimes , what we think is hunger is actually thirst . It's important to understand that it comes from the same part of our brain and our brain is not clever at locating exactly which one it is . Try having a good drink first . Keep yourself hydrated through your shift and you might find that your hunger is a lot easier to manage . All right , so there you have it . An understanding of the difference between polite hunger and rude hunger is such a simple but , my God , it is such a super tool in helping you to take control of your actual nutrition , your energy levels and , ultimately , your health , because if you tune into your body's more subtle signals , you will actually make smarter food choices , you'll avoid overeating and you'll keep your energy steady throughout your shifts .

Speaker 1 12:10

Remember , as always with this podcast , it's not about being perfect . It's about being prepared and staying in tune with what your body really needs . And , as always , if you ever need help any help in managing your nutrition , your sleep or your overall wellbeing as a shift worker , I have the experience and I'm here to help you . I really would like to thank you for tuning into today's episode of A Healthy Shift and if you found today's episode helpful , please don't forget to subscribe or hit follow and share it with your fellow shift workers . Tell everybody about it , because this is the way we get evidence-based strategies out there and cut through all the bullshit in the space of today . So until next time I want you to take care of yourself and keep thriving , not just surviving .

Speaker 1 13:04

Now you've been listening to A Healthy Shift with Roger Sutherland , so for more tips and insights on how to manage your shift work , I ask you to go along and have a look at my website , ahealthyshiftcom , and on the website you will find numerous resources that are free to download , like the circadian fast or my fiber ebook , and there's also many blogs that are there and written in relation to shift work strategies . That will help you enormously . And don't forget , follow me on social media as well on Instagram , at a underscore healthy , underscore shift . And there you go . That's the episode that explains the difference between polite and rude hunger . You didn't realize you needed to know that , did you ? But , geez , doesn't it make a difference ? Because what we're trying to do is emphasize the importance of understanding and recognizing those signals which will stop you from going from this ridiculously long restrict into a massive binge , which doesn't do any of us any good at all . So thank you so much for joining me on today's episode .

Speaker 1 14:10

If you found today's episode beneficial , don't forget , as I said before , share it , go along , give it a rating and a review Super important that you do that to help me out . You've got no idea just how much it actually helps the podcast just by hitting those stars or by actually writing a review , so that someone like you can find the podcast to help them as well . So thanks for tuning in . I'll catch you on the next one . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .