\n
Feeling hungry is a good and natural part of being human. Feeling hungry at regular intervals throughout the day is a sign of a working metabolism. But feeling hungry <\/span>all the time,<\/span><\/em> even after a meal, shows something amiss in your nutritional intake or psychosocial wellbeing. And it can be super annoying! Here we analyze the symptoms, causes, and solutions for constant hunger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDisclaimer: Hunger Is Good<\/span><\/h2>\nIn a world that rewards thinness, \u201chealthy eating,\u201d and exercise, it\u2019s easy to believe that eating more than three Instagram-worthy meals and the occasional snack somehow equates to overeating or binge eating. Influencers flood social media with \u201cwhat I eat in a day\u201d posts, promoting unfair food and intake comparisons.\u00a0 Media tells us about \u201cgood food\u201d versus \u201cbad food,\u201d creating a sense of morality out of food choices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nYour body needs food, food has nutrition, and what someone else eats shouldn\u2019t dictate what you eat. Period.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Smarter Than Social<\/p>\n
We need to be smarter than social media about hunger. We need to learn how to listen to our own bodies\u2019 cues and make educated, fulfilling choices when it comes to food.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/noscript><\/h3>\nMyth-Busting Popular Food Beliefs<\/span><\/h3>\nBefore we dive into helping you deal with your being hungry after eating, we need to myth-bust a few fears around food:<\/span><\/p>\n\nBinge-eating involves eating a lot of food in a short time until you\u2019re past comfortable fullness. Consuming more than you think is physically required, occasionally eating past satiety, and eating more than regular are NOT binge eating.<\/span><\/li>\nIncidental overeating is normal, like on special occasions. Sometimes we need to eat when we\u2019re not hungry for practical reasons, like because we won\u2019t have another chance to eat for a long time.<\/span><\/li>\nEating more than the average serving size of a food is not wrong or shameful, especially if you feel that you need it.<\/span><\/li>\nThere\u2019s no such thing as good or bad food. All food has a particular nutritional composition and may help us reach satisfaction and well-being.<\/span><\/li>\nEating is not a moral question; it\u2019s a physical requirement.<\/span><\/li>\nWillpower around food intake is a fallacy. You are not \u201cstronger\u201d if we eat with more rigidity. You might be ignoring hunger cues.<\/span><\/li>\nEveryone has a different genetic code, fitness level, body type, perceptions, and desires. There\u2019s no scientific reason why you should eat the same amount or way someone else eats.<\/span><\/li>\nOur bodies and minds change hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly. Our eating should also change regularly. Flexible eaters are honest eaters.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nGreat, now that we\u2019ve empowered you to love your hunger, let\u2019s dive into what hunger actually is.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat Is Hunger? Neurobiology 101<\/span><\/h2>\nGhrelin is called the \u201chunger hormone.\u201d It signals that the body requires nutrition.<\/span>(1) <\/sup>Nutrition is the qualities in food that help humans function. Nutrition comes in the form of <\/span>three macronutrients<\/span> and various micronutrients. When the body receives enough nutrients, it releases leptin, the \u201cfullness hormone.\u201d Both ghrelin and leptin exist within the body during meals and non-eating times. People who regularly eat enough nutrition will have natural fluctuations in ghrelin and leptin; they\u2019ll feel naturally full and hungry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHunger Symptoms: NeuroBiological Hunger vs. Social Hunger vs. Mouth Hunger<\/span><\/h3>\nHunger isn\u2019t as simple as it used to be (like when we crawled on all fours and hunted animals with sticks). There are multiple complex ways to feel hungry. All might contribute to your feeling constantly hungry.<\/span><\/p>\n\nNeurobiological: the physical and mental cues that we commonly recognize as \u201cfeeling hungry. For instance, a growling stomach, an empty feeling in the stomach, headaches, brain fogginess, jitters, and fatigue.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nSocial: the nurtured association of specific activities or times of day for which eating is inherent. For instance, the habit of eating every day at 7 PM, eating popcorn at the movies, or eating apple pie in Autumn.<\/span><\/li>\nMouth: the desire to nibble, chew, or taste. This sensation can translate into food cravings, like potato chips for the crunch or ice cream for the cold. It can also translate into the desire to chew or chomp. The desire to move your mouth in an eating-like pattern is natural to humanity. Most cultures espouse a popular \u201cchew,\u201d from sugar cane to commercialized gum to betel leaves.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nLearning to listen to <\/span>what kind <\/span><\/em>of hunger you\u2019re experiencing is the first step to making educated decisions about food. It\u2019s okay to eat when you\u2019re not hungry for social or physical reasons, but you need to be aware of why you\u2019re doing it and allow yourself to choose a different activity.<\/span><\/p>\n13 Causes Of Constant Hunger And Their Solutions<\/span><\/h2>\nNow you understand what hunger is and how it feels. Still hungry? Here are 13 reasons you may be hungry all the time and ways to ease that empty feeling inside.<\/span><\/p>\n1. You Also Need Water<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>The hypothalamus (part of the diencephalon and the most important control center of the autonomic nervous system) regulates both hunger and thirst. <\/span>\u00a0Many people think that we can mistake thirst for hunger because both are controlled by the hypothalmus.\u00a0 This belief is unproven. One study showed little evidence for such uncertainty in animals and no studies conclude that such a phenomenon exists in humans.<\/span>(2)<\/sup>\u00a0<\/span>In fact, being thirsty can make people want certain foods less (like dry foods).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBut being thirsty will affect cognitive and physical performance, leading you to crave nutrition as compensation for fatigue.<\/span><\/p>\n
Solution: <\/strong>Drink enough water during the day. Drinking a glass of water before a meal or drinking water when trying not to snack will probably make you hungrier. Don\u2019t give yourself a chance to doubt or confuse your hunger cues; stay hydrated.<\/span><\/p>\nEat snacks and meals with high water content, like fruits and veggies mixed with proteins and grains. For instance, this<\/span> mango coconut chia seed pudding<\/span> is delicious and hydrating.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Social Media Is Tantalizing You<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>From Instagram to Kitchen Confidential, our society is obsessed with food: its creation, ingestion, and imaging. Which is fun until you\u2019re filled with the desire to slam luxurious brownies or grilled baby-back ribs every time your phone opens. \u201cFood porn\u201d is a real thing and unique to younger generations. Studies show that the mere sight of food can cause you to crave it.<\/span>(3, 4)<\/sup><\/p>\nMoreover, most of us scroll on social media when we\u2019re already bored, tired, or looking for a dissociative distraction. What else serves those emotional needs? Eating! Images of food on social media or television beckon us when we\u2019re predisposed to seeking emotional relief.<\/span><\/p>\nSolution: <\/strong>Start by avoiding social media when you\u2019re already emotionally compromised. If you see food images, allow yourself to enjoy them for the comedy or artistry, but recognize that any mental hunger you might experience might be chemical (versus biological). And if you do decide to snack, do so mindfully and without guilt. Reflect on whether or not it satiated your desire.\u00a0 Store this data as a reference for future instances where you may be tempted by \u201cfood porn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n
More Than Casual<\/p>\n
The casual enjoyment of beautiful food images is natural to humans. But the inability to look away and seeking such photos very frequently can be a sign of food obsession. A preoccupation with thinking about food can be a sign of undernourishment, undereating, or an eating disorder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. You\u2019re Eating Irregularly<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>It\u2019s natural to vary your daily caloric intake. The old belief in getting a certain amount of calories or macros every day is being replaced by weekly- and monthly- intake goals (especially for women). However, irregular eating habits can alter the stomach\u2019s sensitivity to food. If we eat several big meals in a row, our stomach may become attuned to a different feeling of fullness. On the other hand, if we only eat small meals, our gut might tell us it\u2019s full before we have gotten enough nutrition.<\/span><\/p>\nSolution: <\/strong>Before creating a rigid meal plan, try<\/span> intuitive eating<\/span>. <\/span>We learn to listen to our body\u2019s natural hunger and fullness cues when we practice intuitive eating. Intuitive eaters are less likely to overeat or undereat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf you have a big meal one day, try not to restrict calories the next day. That will only cause more confusion along the digestive tract. You may be less hungry, which is reasonable, but don\u2019t skip meals trying to \u201cmake up for\u201d the day before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhen you\u2019re unsure of your regular consumption, you might consider using a food journal or app to track your intake during a day, week, and month. Tracking your intake helps with self-awareness but should not inspire restrictive or controlling food behaviors. Pay attention to whether you\u2019re getting enough food throughout the day, enough macro- and micro-nutrients, and when you\u2019re most likely to snack. These serve as data points for future food choices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
3 + 1 or 2<\/p>\n
Three main meals and possibly one or two snacks a day is the best way to keep your hunger in check.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4. You Are Sleeping Too Little<\/span><\/h3>\nSleep deprivation influences hunger and consumption. Too little sleep can lead to reduced levels of the hormone leptin, which is responsible for suppressing hunger. At the same time, inadequate sleep leads to increased ghrelin, the other \u201chunger hormone,\u201d which stimulates your appetite. Lack of sleep is often associated with weight gain: people who sleep poorly also experience difficulty monitoring intake and controlling appetite impulses.(5)<\/sup> This especially affects people during high-stress periods; little sleep and high stress are predictive of binge-like eating patterns.(6)<\/sup> Doctors recommend getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Here is a sleep calculator that can help you understand your sleep patterns.<\/p>\n
5. You Are In Your Luteal Phase<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>Unlike men, women\u2019s bodies operate on a 28-day cycle. As such, men benefit from eating a similar amount of food every day. On the other hand, women should eat more or less food depending on their flow.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Luteal phase occurs around a week before menstruation. Women\u2019s bodies are working on overdrive, so they have a higher basal metabolic rate and need more food to stay energized.(7)<\/sup><\/p>\nSolution: <\/strong>Know your cycle and fuel it! Get plenty of nutrient-dense foods during this phase<\/span> (<\/span>here are some ingredient ideas<\/span>). <\/span>Satisfying your craving for something less nutritious also helps keep you from returning to the pantry. If you\u2019re craving chocolate, eat it! Your body knows what\u2019s best.<\/span><\/p>\n6. You\u2019re Trying To Eat \u201cHealthy\u201d or \u201cClean\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>There is no such thing as \u201chealthy\u201d or \u201cclean\u201d food. Some foods are more processed than others, but they\u2019re not always healthier. For instance, unprocessed grains can contain an anti-nutrient that prohibits the digestion of some vitamins. And what is \u201cclean\u201d food, anyway? For example, most clean foodists add protein powder to their \u201cclean\u201d ingredients list. But protein powder is highly processed, often with chemicals in labs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cClean\u201d or \u201chealthy\u201d food is not always satiating. Behavior analysts rank common foods on a satiety index\u2013 both \u201cclean\u201d and \u201cunhealthy\u201d foods rank. Most people also have their own internal satiety index. For instance, do you like sweet potatoes more than white potatoes? Then sweet potatoes are probably more satiating to you! Studies show that when people eat the foods truly satisfying to them, they usually eat less.<\/span>(8)<\/sup><\/p>\n
Solution: <\/strong>Honor your hunger! If you\u2019re trying not to eat \u201cunhealthy\u201d cereal with milk, you might eat an apple\u2026 and a granola bar\u2026 and carrots with hummus\u2026 and then another apple. If you had just eaten the bowl of cereal in the first place, you\u2019d likely have consumed fewer calories. And, you wouldn\u2019t feel hungry all the time. Eating what you want is NOT \u201cgiving in to your cravings.\u201d It\u2019s what\u2019s suitable for your body and your mind.<\/span><\/p>\n7. You\u2019re Taking Medication<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>Certain medications, like anti-depressants, can stimulate appetite and hunger. Always consult with your doctor or psychiatrist about the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs and coping techniques.<\/span><\/p>\nSolution: <\/strong>Eat more protein and more high-nutrient, low-density foods (like fruits and vegetables). So many studies show that higher amounts of protein lead to a more favorable <\/span>body fat percentage<\/span>. <\/span>Snacking on fruits and vegetables throughout the day can help satisfy the unnatural eating urge. And exercise will help your body metabolize excess calories into functional muscles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nYou\u2019re taking the medication for a reason, so it\u2019s okay if your diet needs to change to accommodate. Keep your eyes on the prize (overall health) and tweak your lifestyle. You\u2019re on the right path!<\/span><\/p>\n8. You Aren\u2019t Eating Enough Protein<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>While most people eat protein during lunches and dinners, they rarely add it to their snacks and breakfasts. Studies show that increased protein consumption leads to increased satiety and a reduction in overall calories.<\/span>(9, 10)<\/sup>Scientists currently investigate the protein leverage theory, which states that our body doesn\u2019t cue leptin until we eat enough protein.<\/span>(11)<\/sup>If this theory is correct, you might only feel satisfied after getting enough protein!<\/span><\/p>\n
Solution: <\/strong>First, determine <\/span>how much protein<\/span> to carb\/ fat ratio you likely need. The general rules of thumb for macronutrients is 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% <\/span>carbohydrates<\/span>. Try to get 20-30 grams of protein per meal and 15 grams for snacks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Reference Point<\/p>\n
The average grilled chicken breast contains 20-30 grams of protein.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
However, if you\u2019re constantly hungry, exercise a lot, are <\/span>trying to build muscle mass<\/span>, or are underweight, you can make 40% of your daily intake protein. Second, get creative with your meals. Adding<\/span> vegan<\/span> and<\/span> vegetarian protein<\/span> alongside animal-based sources<\/span> is an easy way to add protein to snacks and meals.<\/span><\/p>\n9. You Aren\u2019t Eating Enough Fiber<\/span><\/h3>\nCause:<\/strong> Fiber is one of the most satiating elements of food. Fiber affects gastrointestinal and metabolic health.(12)<\/sup> Fiber (and protein) require effort to digest, meaning that you burn some calories while digesting them. Because fiber-rich foods last longer in the gut, you\u2019ll feel fuller for longer, too.(13)<\/sup> New research also analyzes the role of naturally-occurring healthy bacteria in whole grains. It seems that a healthy gut biome contributes to a healthy brain.(14)<\/sup> Since overeating links to emotional instability, fiber might be a double-whammy against constant hunger!<\/p>\nSolution: <\/strong>Replace some of your regular grains with more fiber-filled options. Here are some great substitutions:<\/span><\/p>\n\nBuckwheat, bulgur wheat, or quinoa for white rice<\/span><\/li>\nNutty or oat bread for traditional bread<\/span><\/li>\nA side of beans instead of a bread roll<\/span><\/li>\nAdd fruits and nuts to your regular oats<\/span><\/li>\nSprinkle seeds (sesame, flax, chia) on everything<\/span><\/li>\nEat your vegetables<\/span> with the peels on (i.e., cucumber, zucchini, etc.)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFor more information and recipes on dietary fiber, <\/span>check out our other blog post<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n10. You Cut Out Food Groups<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>Studies have shown that people who cut out entire food groups, like bread or products with gluten, are less likely to maintain healthy eating patt<\/span>erns.(15)<\/sup> When people view food as \u201cbad\u201d or \u201cgood,\u201d they tend to lose control of their food decisions. Dichotomous beliefs about food and eating are linked to rigid dietary restraint, which impedes a person\u2019s ability to maintain a long-term weight and food intake.(16)<\/sup><\/p>\n
Solution: <\/strong>Take some time to examine your rules around food and eating. Do you believe that you should avoid certain foods, even if your body and mind want them? How does that avoidance affect your inability to say \u201cno\u201d to other snacks or \u201cstop\u201d when you eat them? If you sense that you are restricting foods or groups, try integrating them into your diet. You may find that you eat less of everything when you eat what your heart, gut, and mind desire.<\/span><\/p>\n11. You\u2019re Eating Emotionally<\/span><\/h3>\nCause: <\/strong>\u201cComfort food\u201d isn\u2019t just a saying; humans are hard-wired to desire tasty, filling foods. But it\u2019s not always easy to separate emotional cues to eat from physical ones, especially in times of stress, boredom, or fatigue. It can be easier to eat our problems than to examine them. And a lot of these emotional drives occur subconsciously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTherapists recognize that humans have primary and secondary emotions. Primary emotions are anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust and joy. They are how we feel about an external incident. Secondary emotions are feelings about feelings. Secondary emotions can help us cope with the primary emotion by distracting, acting, or changing our outlook.<\/span><\/p>\nFor example, you may be sad about losing a loved one. Instead of sitting with that feeling, you use eating or hunger as a way to cope. You prefer to feel the food than feel the initial emotion, and the act of eating gives us a sense of control and action.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSolution: <\/strong>Analyze your hunger cues to determine if they are neurobiological, social, or mouth cues. If you don\u2019t have physical sensations of hunger, aren\u2019t with friends in an eating situation, and chewing on a toothpick doesn\u2019t satisfy you, your appetite may be emotionally driven. If so, sit with the feeling before going to the fridge. You can also use a journal to write down your thoughts. Ask yourself more questions: How do I feel right now? Where is that feeling coming from? Will eating help it? What else might help, too?<\/span><\/p>\nConsider learning new ways of coping with emotion. The coping techniques will probably relate directly to your original feeling. If the emotion is fear, you might wrap up in a blanket and watch a feel-good movie. If it\u2019s anger, you might need<\/span> an intense HIIT session<\/span>. <\/span>If it\u2019s joy, you could call your Grandma to share the good news.<\/span> A casual walk<\/span> with a friend can help with sadness. Only you know how to soothe yourself. It might be eating, or it might be something else. Give yourself some space to explore!<\/span><\/p>\n12. Mindless Eating<\/span><\/h3>\nCause:<\/strong> A mindful eater focuses and engages with the act of tasting, chewing, and ingesting meals. Mindless eating is the opposite: eating in a distracted or fast manner. Most people\u2019s bodies take about 20 minutes to recognize glucose in food. When glucose is recognized, leptin is released and you\u2019ll start feeling full. Watching television, eating while driving, or doing other things while eating may distract you from the physical sensations of satiation and fullness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSolution: <\/strong>Be present in your meals! This number one recommendation is to eat without distractions. However, most of us enjoy some entertainment with our meals, like chatting with our partner or catching up on the day\u2019s news. Here are some more ways to eat mindfully, even when combined with other activities:<\/span><\/p>\n
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