Hunger, the almighty monster

By Amanda Delosh
After a long day of work or school we come home and escape the world we love to hate; our jobs and homework. That couch, bag of chocolates with a complimentary side of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, looks really good when you’re favorite TV show is on.
Influences can come in many different forms. There may be peer influences, distractions from the environment you live in, or an everyday life issue. Hunger is one of the many aspects of our life that is influences from these certain pressures. What triggers hunger are things that we do on a daily basis according to some experts.
The question is, do people realize they tend to eat more when they are relaxing in front of the TV? “As soon as I sit down I feel like I should be doing something,” says Audrey Shippee, of Rochester, NY, a St. John Fisher College student.” She continues saying, “That something usually is eating.”
TV is not the only thing keeping us from the reality we indulge upon. Peer influences come in many different ways. Not only is it by peer pressure, but by what we eat. When a group of friends go out to eat dinner, do friends tend choosing to eat the same? According to the article called hunger triggers, in Allure magazine this is true. The sharing behavior is what this is called. People eat and do what their friends are doing.
According to this article a study found friends who go in bigger groups would get more food. Many people do not realize they do this. This is where the problem lies, without the knowledge. “My friends tend to order what other people order and not what they want because of what other people will think,” says Shippee. “Like if one orders a ‘huge juicy burger,’ and everyone else is ordering salads.”
As with peer influence for both men and women a like, another one for women is dating. Does a girl ever notice the type of good one eats when on a date with a potentially new prospect? Probably not, the nerves will take over and a women’s need to impress, so eating a less amount, will occur. Unlike Shippee she mentions, “I never really had that problem with my boyfriend when we started dating.” Shippee just happens to be one of the lucky ones who can overcome this “fear,” when they begin dating. “If anything he makes me eat more,” she says with a laugh.
Giving into a fear is much like giving into a temptation. We are always tempted to eat that one little chocolate morsel that would melt in your mouth. People think this is bad when dieting, correct? According to the article this is wrong. Satisfying a craving in a healthy way is a positive thing.
Whether there are social, or physical distractions going on, hunger will somehow sneak its way into your life. “It depends on what I’m distracted by,” says Shippee. “If it’s a relationship issue I don’t want to eat anything, or anything that makes me nervous or worried.” She continues saying, “But when I’m doing homework I always want to eat.” Why she says is because she’s bored.
Other social distractions could include people talking about food, or saying they are hungry. A person could have just eaten something and are completely full, but that instant conversation of something delicious will make someone want to eat more. “I want to eat food all the time,” says Shippee. “If you’re talking about food that just makes me want to eat more of it.” Distractions, instincts, peers, and other influences will be consistent hunger triggers. The hunger monster will terrorize lives, but will also make people happy on the days when stress and relief need to become best friends.