Have you ever been “Hangry”

You know the feeling. You begin to find yourself getting annoyed by the little things that wouldn’t normally bother you. You frustrate easily over minor tasks that are becoming increasingly more difficult with each error that seems to manifest in front of your eyes. Traffic seems worse, the weather is either too hot or too cold. Your loved ones become the target of your snippy remarks. Why is this happening right now? Life is good or so it seemed just a half an hour ago. What is going on? How can I fix this? Here is a suggestion… Eat something!

Yes, that’s it. Now that I’m eating something, it seems like the Sun just came out, the traffic jam opened up and I see my girlfriend’s beautiful blue eyes and I’m reminded of the ocean. Look, there’s a butterfly. What’s going on now? Why this sudden change of attitude? I fed my physical body and now my mind can go back to it’s normal tasks of being friendly, having conversations, working, or whatever it normally does without that primal instinct to find and consume food.

It’s called being “Hangry”.  So hungry that you are angry because of it. It creeps up on you too. I’ve known about this phenomenon for quite some time now. I’d say about 20 or more years. Pretty much, since I began being in control of my eating habits. Growing up, my mom always had breakfast and dinner for us, school provided lunch for us and I always had plenty of snacks throughout the day. In college, I was on the 20 meal plan and that was sufficient. Entering the working world and living on my own, I realized how much my mom had actually done providing meals for my Dad, brother and I.

I hear myself and my girlfriend and other friends saying, “I’m starving” Well that is a little bit of an exaggeration. We are not really starving. There are people in this world who are and fortunately we do not fall into that category. Now I have done the Master Cleanse twice. Once for 10 days and once for 12, eating nothing. Only drinking the water with Maple syrup, Lemon and Cayenne pepper mixed together. So I know I’m not actually going to starve if I don’t eat for a few hours or even a day or two. However, sometimes it feels like it.

Now, here is the challenge. Putting anything in our body will temporarily cure our “hanger”.  This is where we need to be careful and conscious of what we consume. We all know that a Snickers really satisfies and a bag of potato chips tastes delicious. Especially those Kettle Chips with all their delicious flavors. However, when you think about it, the reason we are “hangry” is our body and brain are low on fuel. If your new Mercedes was on E and you were going on a long road trip would you put the cheap gas in your tank? Even when the owner’s manual suggests the premium? No! So be careful with what you put in your body, especially when it’s on E. I’ve noticed there are a lot of those quick fix energy bars out there. The Kind bars are my favorite. It just doesn’t seem to be like real food to me for some reason. I will take one with me if I feel like I might need it for a temporary fix on a busy day. So what are some of my favorite temporary fixes when I need a little snack to carry me through to my next real meal…

Apples and peanut butter is my current favorite snack. “Ant’s on a log”, (celery with peanut butter and raisins) is another kid favorite and one I still enjoy. Veggies like carrots, cucumbers and celery paired with hummus also does the trick. I like pairing a fruit or vegetable with a protein source. This seems to make my mind and body happy. My good friend Eve, from Turkey, gave me this one the other day. Toast with Avocado. Simple, fulfilling, and delicious. Speaking of toast and the aforementioned peanut butter. Slice up a banana and throw it on top with maybe even some honey and you have yourself a quick breakfast that will keep you satisfied for a few hours. Those are my current “on the go” favorites. I always like to have a piece of seasonal fruit with me for a healthy delicious snack. Currently Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines are in season. If you’re curious as to what is in season at any given moment. Take a trip to the farmers market. You may even find some new fruit or vegetable to add to your mix. If you have any suggestions or tips, I would love to hear them. I’m always looking for ways to keep myself and my girlfriend from getting “hangry”

Happy Snacking!