“Starving” – A Word You Should Never use Lightly

When it comes to your own body shape and image we all tend to get a bit self centered. After all you’re the star of your own show.

The diet a fitness industry marketers know this and key on this narrow view and in doing so insult and disrespect a lot of people along the way. I’m talking specifically about the use of the word “starvation” and the phrase “starvation mode” as well as the word “hungry” and “hunger”.

We have learned, and it has become socially acceptable to describe the way we feel with all of these words.

I feel as though it is wrong and we should learn to remove these words from our vocabulary about ourselves, and I’ll tell you why.

I’ve been doing Eat Stop Eat for over 3 years. In other words, I’ve added 24 hour fasts on a weekly basis for the past three years.

I’ve done a few 48 hour fasts, a bunch of 30 and 36 hour fasts, and I’ve even tested out a 72 hour fast <– pretty boring.

And at no point during any of these fasts have I ever felt what I would call true hunger.

If you haven’t gone more than 3 days without food then I don’t think you have any idea what true hunger feels like. Even after 72 hours without food I didn’t feel anything I would describe as hunger. In fact, my craving or desire for food was much greater within the first 12-18 hours of my 72 hour fast, after that I was on cruise control for the next two days.

This brings me to my point for today.

And that is about the word “Starving” and the word “hungry”.

It absolutely makes my blood boil when I hear people say “I’m starving”…even though they have just eating a few hours ago, or at least have eaten within the past 8-12 hours.

Even after 24 hours I don’t feel anything that I would describe as “hunger” let alone “starving”.

I think the cavalier use of the word “starving” in our pop culture is a complete and total insult and lack of respect for the millions (and billions) of people who are in fact currently starving to death as you read this.

And if you’re reading this, then I can almost guarantee there is no way you know what “starvation” or true “hunger” feels like.

My request is that you stop and think before you ever use the word “starving” or “hungry” in reference to yourself ever again.

If you think my opinion is too harsh have a look at the pictures below of what real starvation looks like. Take a good long look, because these pictures are an example of what people are going through right now.

These are the only people who know what true hunger really feels like. And they sure as hell have every right to say “I’m hungry” and “I’m starving”. You on the other hand have no right to utter these words in reference to yourself unless you are in a similar state as these unfortunate children.

Just imagine walking up to one of these children and saying to them “man I missed lunch, I’m starving”. I hope the thought of saying such a thing to one of these people disgusts you, because it does to me.

The point of today’s post is just for a little perspective.

You and I don’t EVER eat because we’re hungry, or because we’re “starving” (man do I ever hate this expression).

You and I eat because we CHOOSE to, and are fortunate enough to have the luxury to do so.

I’m issuing a challenge to you to remove the words ‘hungry’ and ‘starving’ from your vocabulary as it relates to you.

In other words, from now on, try not to refer to yourself as “hungry” or “starving” but rather admit to yourself that you would like to eat, or would enjoy eating now. <– this second type of statement is much more accurate to reality and might just help us all appreciate what we have a little more.

Oh and if you want some weight loss advice….Eat Less.

John