"Hunger is not an emergency, and a good rule of thumb is to experience that feeling for about 30 to 60 minutes before you start eating your next meal," Marci said. Obviously you want to listen to your body and eat if you feel dizzy or shaky.
Dietitians Stephanie Clarke, RD, and Willow Jarosh, RD, of C&J Nutrition, do not recommend disregarding intense hunger signals and waiting until you're famished to eat as that can result in overeating. But a moderate level of hunger is important in order to signal to your body when it's time to eat.