Always Tired & Hungry? 30 Reasons Why + Tips to Banish Both (Reasons 28-30)

And that’s a wrap, folks! Did you read all 10 of these posts?

Let me know in the comments below and I might just send you a video of me jumping for joy!

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28) THE REASON: You chew a lot of gum.

Has your stomach ever started to grumble as soon as you start chewing a piece of gum?

That’s because your body is so smart! It associates the act of chewing with food coming, which stimulates your appetite when you didn’t intend to.

This can make you feel like snacking, even if you just ate.

THE TIP

Try swapping your gum for sparkling water. Throw in a few leaves of mint with a few slices of cucumber to give it flavor. Or try a few chunks of strawberries with a slice of lemon.

Your breath will still be fresh and you’ll be hydrating yourself (see Reason #5 for why that’s so important).

THE TAKEAWAY

Chewing gum can stimulate your appetite even if you’ve just eaten!

29) THE REASON: You’re spending time with food pushers.

We all have that friend or family member who always seems to convince us that we’re hungrier than we actually are.

“Have another cupcake! It won’t hurt you!”

“I made this pie especially for you! Take another slice!”

Sound familiar?

THE TIPS

Be kind, but stand your ground. Let him or her know you’re already full and keep saying no. My grandmother will ask each of us 3 times before she finally lets it go!
Next time this person wants to hang out, perhaps choose an activity that doesn’t involve eating, such as going on a hike or taking a pottery class together.

THE TAKEAWAY

They certainly mean well, but sometimes our loved ones can cause us to eat more than we need to.

Don’t listen to them; listen to your body instead. If you’re not hungry, you’re not hungry.

30) THE REASON: Nostalgia.

For me, this one is one of the hardest to get over. I LOVE cereal. I grew up eating it every day. The sugarier, the better.

Nowadays, however, I stay away from it because the sugar makes me feel physically and mentally awful.

The nostalgic associations we have with certain foods can trick us into overeating.

Some of us even grew up with food being a reward.

“Lost your soccer game? Let’s go out for ice cream to make you feel better!”

“Won your soccer game? Let’s go out for ice cream to celebrate!”

This and other food-related memories can cause us to reach for treats when we have similar experiences as adults.

Also, just because your family always had dessert after dinner or always ordered appetizers at restaurants doesn’t mean you have to.

THE TIPS

Use something other than food as a reward, like buying yourself a cheap bouquet of flowers at the grocery store. It’ll last longer and brighten your living space!
Choose healthier options as your rewards. Instead of ice cream, try a couple squares of dark chocolate or unsweetened chai tea. Or even have some homemade healthy treats ready-to-go for when you’re craving a treat. This may be easier than trying to break your deep-rooted food habit cold-turkey.
Before reaching for the dessert menu, ask yourself if you’re really still hungry, or if you’re just primed to have it because it’s the end of dinner. See Reason #16 for more.

THE TAKEAWAY

Learn how to realize when you’re actually hungry vs. when you want something just because you used to have it when you were a kid.

THE CONCLUSION

Excessive hunger can be a sign that your body needs more food, or it could simply be a memory that tugs at your heart strings.

Being aware of why you’re feeling hungry is the key to not overeating, feeling energetic, and living a healthy life.

I hope you enjoyed these last few weeks of “Always Tired & Hungry?”

Let me know in the comments below if any of these 30 Reasons resonated with you and what you’re going to do to try to fix it.

Thanks for reading!

If you’re always tired and hungry, and would love some one-on-one nutritional coaching from yours truly, click here.

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