Habit 4.
Take advantage of the “Sweet Spot” of hunger.
thehabit.space guide to mastering your hunger
The Hunger “Sweet Spot”

Wait. A bit of hunger is… good? And you should… enjoy it?

Hell yeah, you betcha.

A little hunger keeps you “hungry.” Yes, I realize this seems like a tautology. But I mean that a little physical hunger keeps you hungry in the way Arnold Schwarzenegger says you should “Stay hungry” and the way gurus like Anthony Robbins says you should stay hungry.

A bit of hunger keeps you on your toes, and ready for whatever life throws at you. You think better. You’re at your cognitive best when you’re just a bit hungry.

Generally, as human beings we actually operate at our best, physically and mentally, when we’re just a teeny, tiny bit hungry.

A bit of hunger or fasting causes the release of catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine [i.e. adrenaline], norepinephrine) that increase productivity and focus.

Catecholamines are super important for concentration and productivity. Catecholamines make up three of the five neurotransmitters (the other two are histamine and serotonin).

Dopamine manipulation is how those app designers get you addicted to their apps and your mobile phone. ADHD is linked to low levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, and drugs like Ritalin and Adderall are designed to affect these neurotransmitters.

Well, food and hunger affect them as well. (So does exercise, by the way.)

Ask yourself this:

When are you more productive, when you’re just a tiny bit hungry, or right after Thanksgiving dinner?

Personally, after a huge dinner, I’m ready for bed or just wanna lay on the couch Same goes for a big spike meal. How about you?

Similarly, as most people know, a good way to be less productive in the afternoon is to have a whole bunch of heavy carbs at lunch. You feel good for a bit, but then you crash and feel sooo sleeeeepy.

A popular myth is that you need those carbs for energy to get through the rest the day, but as we’ve seen, you can utilize energy you took in earlier, and even the night before (especially if you eat at regular times, like I recommend, and your body knows how to partition its energy for you). If you do have lots and lots carbs at lunch, there’s a good chance you’ll just get a quick boost of energy, then a massive, sleeeeepy dip shortly thereafter.

The trick is to get into that “sweet spot” where you don’t have a full stomach, and it might even be empty, but you don’t feel hunger or cravings, and you still have a bunch of energy, so you’re not experiencing any kind of energy dips because of blood sugar, and you’re not really experiencing mental cravings or any real desire to eat. As I explained above, eating balanced meals at the same times each day takes care of this.

This is true whether you eat 5-6 small, balanced meals throughout the day (in which case you’re almost 100% balanced, and will stay in this state even as you go to sleep), and ALSO true if you set up a feeding window, though in this case, you might time things so that you get that carb spike before bed in order to knock you out.

I like doing this, as I can’t stand going to bed feeling hungry. It makes me sleep terribly, and why I don’t enjoy the five balanced meals as much as I do a larger one towards bedtime. And no, having carbs after 6 p.m. doesn’t hurt you. Ugh.

If you set up a feeding window, you’ll be at your most productive “outside” that window. If you eat 5-6 small meals per day, you’ll stay productive all day, but you’ll have to stop to eat a whole bunch of times.

It’s kind of a trade off; do what works for you.

Just know that being in that sweet spot keeps you way more productive, and makes eating properly much, much easier.

Notice also that I’m saying you should have a little bit of physical hunger. This doesn’t mean you get mental cravings.

I want to stress that when you’re in the sweet spot, you should crave foods less than otherwise.

This is similar to when I talked about how I need to have some fats in my diet. In some sense, I’m “more hungry” when I substitute a few carbs for a few fats… but I also stop wanting to cheat on my diet. My brain needs a balance.

The goal is a spot where if you pause and think about your stomach, you’ll think, “Hm, yeah, it is pretty empty,” but then you just go on with your day, without actually craving anything. You just… move on, then you get things done.

You’ll find that you can be insanely productive once you learn to put yourself in this sweet spot for a large portion of the day.

I also want to note (again) that this is purely physical hunger. When hunger gets so bad that you’re low on energy and you can’t focus, you need to eat, and possibly even have a bigger cheat meal or spike.

Hunger that affects energy and concentration in a negative way is the opposite of our goal, obviously. Avoid it. It’s a sign from your body that you need to eat.

(Well, possibly it might be a sign that you’re not eating healthy foods that satisfy you. E.g., if you’re only eating Doritos each day, then even if they’re at regular meal times, you’re going to feel like a butt long before you’re actually short on calories.)

Now read on for a few more assorted weirdo tips. I think you’ll find one or two gems you haven’t considered before.

I want to stress that you should incorporate the tips as you see fit. I’m all about things working together. These things need to work on a case-by-case basis.

Synergy is a silly buzzword now, but let’s be honest, it really is awesome when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that’s what happens when you stop thinking in boxes, and you start seeing fitness, productivity, your work habits, your family habits, and so on, as deeply interconnected.

You can't always be productive

A related point: part of being productive is listening to your body and knowing when you can be productive, and taking advantage of that window, and maybe extending it.

This is why I enjoy eating a lot of carbs at night. For my last meal, I’m done for the day. Like, seriously—I’m done. I’m not trying to get more things done. My brain is off. All I want to do is hang out with my partner and my dog, and maybe watch old TV (90s sci fi, thank you very much). That’s when I recharge and kind of prepare my brain for the next day.

By contrast, I’m super productive in the morning, especially right after a workout. So I plan my day and my eating habits to take advantage of that.

If you’re a morning person, try my system. If you’re a night owl, you might want to opt more for equal meals, or even set up a feeding window for early in the day. Maybe breakfast for you is when you recharge and get prepped for the day ahead. Experiment, do what works.

Take advantage of the energy you have. Massage the ebb and flow of it; don’t just try to be “on” all the time.

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3 Key Principles (...About Your Hunger and Cravings)

"Am I In the 'Sweet Spot' of Hunger?" Assessment Guide

8 Factors Affecting Your Ability to Assess Your Own Hunger

"Do I Need a Cheat Meal?" Assessment Guide

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Introduction.

Dealing strategically with hunger, cravings, and metabolic compensation.

Habit 1.

Eat in such a way that you train both your stomach and mind to only be hungry when it’s time to eat.

Habit 2.

Pick (and combine) foods that satiate YOU.

Habit 3.

Implement well-timed calorie spikes (cheats).

Habit 4.

Take advantage of the "sweet spot" of hunger.

Habit 5.

Pick and choose from these other assorted weirdo tips.

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