Me want COOOOOKIE!!!
When you’re hungry, your stomach may growl, feel empty, crave sweets (like cookies!), or you may get a headache, feel irritable or be unable to concentrate.
Although most people can go several hours between meals before feeling hungry again, some people really can’t. #hangry
There are several possible explanations for this, 30 of which I’ve included in this series! Do one (or more) of these explanations describe your situation?
Today, I’m going to talk about 3 of those explanations: being a speedy eater, skipping meals, or having a medical condition.
Read on to find out how these each can cause you to be hungry and what you can do about them.
Catch up:
13) THE REASON: You eat too fast.
Fast eaters have larger appetites and a tendency to overeat at meals, compared to slow eaters. Also, they’re more likely to be overweight or obese.
Chewing your food and being aware that you’re eating food (see Reason #7) are necessary for your body to notice feelings of fullness. Neither of these occur when you’re eating super fast.
Hunger hormones take between 20 to 30 minutes to get to your brain. So if you finish your meal in less than 10 minutes, you’re more likely to eat more than you need to.
THE SCIENCE
In a study of 30 women, a group of fast eaters consumed 10% more at a meal, but reported significantly less fullness as compared to slow eaters.
Another study compared the effects of eating rates in people with diabetes. People who ate their meal slowly became full more quickly and reported less hunger 30 minutes after the meal, compared to fast eaters.
THE TIPS
Eat more slowly:
- Take 5-10 deep breaths before you start eating.
- Put your fork down between bites.
- Chew each bite 30-50 times.
- Eat half your plate and then wait 10 minutes. Then notice any feelings of fullness and decide whether you’ve had enough, regardless of whether or not your plate is empty.
THE TAKEAWAY
When you eat too fast, your body doesn’t have enough time to recognize fullness, which can lead you to feeling hungry again quickly.
14) THE REASON: It could be medical.
Frequent hunger could be a symptom of a medical issue:
Diabetes – When diabetes isn’t under control, it is difficult for your body to get energy (sugar) to the parts of your body that need it. Since your body isn’t using sugar for energy appropriately, your body believes it’s starving and you feel the need to eat more. People with diabetes also experience excessive thirst, weight loss, and fatigue.
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) – People with hyperthyroidism have increased metabolisms, so they burn calories faster and can be very skinny. They need to eat more to keep up with their energy requirements. Their bodies also create more thyroid hormones, which can promote appetite. They may also experience rapid or irregular heartbeat, persistent thirst, anxiety, hair loss, weight loss, and tremors. If unchecked, it can lead to heart issues or brittle bones.
PMS or pregnancy – Women often experience frequent hunger or food cravings during PMS or pregnancy.
Parasite – Ok, so I know I said in the first post of this series that you don’t have a tapeworm, but it’s actually quite a possibility! Parasites like tapeworms can steal the nutrients you eat, which causes you to feel hungry and overeat because you’re not getting those satiating nutrients.
Depression or anxiety – Both of these can cause feelings of hunger or cravings for unhealthy junk.
To help with the blues or stress, check out my [thrive_2step id=’989′]45 Quick Anti-Stress Tips[/thrive_2step] for ideas that’ll help bring you out of the funk.
THE TIP
If you suspect any of the issues above, consult your healthcare provider for testing, diagnosis, and treatment options.
THE TAKEAWAY
Excessive hunger is a symptom of a few specific medical conditions, which should be ruled out if you are frequently hungry.
15) THE REASON: There’s too much time between your meals.
Maybe the reason you’re always hungry is that it’s been too long since you fed your body! Like… maybe you’re actually hungry!
The habit of skipping meals has been shown to make people hungrier when it’s time for the next meal.
When you don’t eat, your body runs out of blood glucose stores, which promotes an increase in ghrelin (the hunger hormone). This causes you to be super hungry and can cause you to overeat or overindulge.
THE TIPS
- Eat breakfast!
- Try not to go more than 4-5 hours between meals during the day. You may actually need to eat every 3-4 hours, depending on your meal schedule and level of activity.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand at all times.
- Experiment to see if smaller meals more often help you to be less hungry all the time. Some people do well with 5 small meals a day instead of 3 large meals. Every body is different!
- Need help planning out your meals for the week? I’ve got just the tool for you: my Energy-Boosting Meal Plan Template + 5-Step Cheatsheet – it’s free!
THE TAKEAWAY
Skipping meals or going for too long between meals can ramp up hunger feelings and cause you to overeat at your next meal.
Are you always hungry due to one of the reasons above? Have you used some of these tips, or do you have another idea for how to cope?
I’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment below!
Catch up on previous posts in this series:
Click here for Reasons #16-#18
If you’re always tired and hungry, and would love some one-on-one nutritional coaching from yours truly, click here.