Interoception - Or, How Not to Overeat

Written by Michelle Shelton

June 21, 2024

Have you ever eaten until you were way uncomfortably full? Yep. We’ve all been there. Full of food, and full of regret. Nothing like a tight, hurting stomach to let you know you’ve had enough.

But before you reached that level of discomfort, there were much more subtle cues that were surfacing letting you know you’ve had enough. The food began to taste not quite as good, your stomach began to reach a level of comfort as the hunger sensations subsided, you reached that energized state where you were replenished but not sluggish. Sound familiar? If you are like most people, probably not. Or maybe it’s familiar but elusive, like you’ve felt it before and you know it exists, but you’re not quite sure how to feel it consistently and intentionally. In other words, it can be really hard to not overeat! 

This is why we turn to diets. Diets basically tell us how much to eat to avoid overeating. The problem is, diets don’t really tell us how much we need to eat to be nourished and fed, which usually leads to chronic hunger, which will eventually lead to overeating. And this takes us right back to where we started. Overeating. 

The key to changing this cycle is something called interoception. 

Interoception. What is it, and why does it matter? 

Interoception is the awareness of sensations in your body that signal needs. Sensations like feeling hungry or full, feeling hot or cold, feeling thirsty, or the need to pee. It could also be the visceral response to emotions, like butterflies in your stomach, or a tightening in your chest or throat. 

Why does it matter? The better you are at interoception, the easier it will be to regulate your mind and body. Regulation is the ability to stay engaged in a challenge with a stable, flexible, and intentional stance. When we are dysregulated we tend toward chaos or rigidity.  Most of the patterns we are trying to change in our lives come from this place of dysregulation. 

How does interoception lead to regulation? Being able to understand your body states allows you to respond in an accurate way, to meet and care for your needs. Consistently responding to and caring for your needs creates a state of internal trust and security. It is only the unmet need that must get loud and unmanageable, hoping that if it could just be loud enough, it might finally be seen.

So back to eating. The sooner you can sense in your body those early hunger cues and respond, the milder those hunger cues will be. The sooner you can sense in your body those early fullness cues, the milder those fullness cues will be. These milder states lead to more stable, intentional responses - or, in other words, a more regulated response. This is where you are eating intentionally and intuitively without diets (control) or giving up on your health (chaos). 

If interoception is so important, how do we develop it?

Here are 3 things you can do to practice and grow your interoceptive muscle:

1. Start paying attention. I know, it sounds so simple and obvious. But really, it is the key. It may be helpful to start a simple breath practice where you focus on the breath. Find a quiet place, away from distraction, and tune into your breath. Notice the sensation of the air as it enters your nasal passage and flows through your trachea and into your lungs. From there, you can expand to other areas of your body - your heart region or your gut are often centers of sensation. See if you can get quiet enough to feel your own heart beating. The more you practice, the more you will notice.

2. Withhold judgment. This is also key. Judgment brings resistance. It’s hard to notice something you are resisting or don’t want to feel. Interoception invites in whatever is - not what you think should be - what actually is. Withholding judgment allows you to be fully present to what is. 

3. Practice compassion. Compassion allows you to meet what you notice with loving kindness and the desire to act, to respond, to meet the need. This fosters a sense of internal trust that these sensations will be heard, listened to, and met. And in this place of trust you will notice even more and fine tune this important skill of interoception. 

Cultivating interoception is key to moving from short-term quick fixes to lasting, transformational health. It will transform your eating and the way you nourish your body, and it will foster greater well being generally. That’s something we could all use a little more of. With the potential of these benefits on the line, it’s time to tune and start listening to yourself.