Does it ever seem like you’re hungry all the time?
Or it’s ten in the morning and you suddenly get a craving for cookies.
This happens to me all the time.
Why do you get hungry when you’ve just eaten?
How do you stop yourself from being hungry all the time?
I went to the experts to find out what causes constant hunger, and how to handle it.
You’re bored
One of the most common reasons for hunger is boredom.
If you feel like you have nothing to do, often the default becomes grabbing a snack.Dr.
Erin Oprea, celebrity fitness trainer andUSANAambassador agreed.
She said, “Boredom is literally a no-brainer.
The kitchen is a natural place to hover around when you have nothing else to do.”
I often find myself scarfing down crackers when I know I’m not actually hungry.
Luckily, it’s possible for you to easily combat your boredom by getting out and moving your body.
Oprea told me, “Movement is the biggest key to breaking this boredom eating.
Just going for a walk will quite often quench that fake hunger trigger.”
Our minds may think we are hungry, when in reality, our body is not."
Carretta went on to describe the effects of long term emotional trauma on the body.
You’re stressed out
What’s your comfort food?
Mine is chicken wings and beer.
Not exactly the healthiest choice, but it’s what I go to when I am stressed out.
And I’m not alone.
Many women translate their stress into hunger.
From sleep to even hair loss, stress will cause havoc on your health.
Stress eating is a real thing.
Ice cream, however, seems to be the yearly number one)!"
Dr. Apovian recommended that women manage their stress in a healthier way.
Or you may just get busy in the morning and not have time to eat.
Unfortunately, foregoing your morning cereal or eggs will set you up to be hungrier throughout the day.
This will set you up to feel more satiated throughout the day.
Sauceda recommends, “Eat breakfast even if you aren’t hungry.
You don’t eat enough protein
Do you include protein in every meal?
Do you keep protein-rich snacks around, like hard-boiled eggs and turkey cold-cuts?
If you’re subsisting mainly on carbs, lack of protein may be the cause of your hunger.
Sauceda told me, “Protein is needed for everything from healthy skin and hair, to hormones.
Protein is one of the most satiating nutrients.”
Sauceda recommended eating a lot more protein throughout the day.
She suggested, “Include protein with every meal and snack.
The protein will help not only keep you full but also help with regulating blood sugar.”
Amanda L. Dale, MEd, MA, personal trainer, nutritionist and wellness coach, agreed.
It’s because, even though those chips tasted delicious, they provided no nutrients.
Nutrition and diet expert,Dr.
One is the food that you are eating.
Junk food and simple carbs are loaded with empty calories.
Not only does junk food not fill you up, it actually causes cravings.
Sharp told me what goes on in your body when you don’t eat enough.
“Face it, we need calories for fuel and fat for satiety.
There is no nutritional value and no satiety in overdoing diet soda.”
Do you pay more attention to the rules of your current diet than to what your body actually wants?
Do you focus on your food when you do eat?
Losing touch with internal cues also means hunger can become pervasive.”
Sharp told me, “Often, we inappropriately respond to thirst with eating rather than drinking.
If you aren’t sure if you’re hungry, start with a large glass of water.
If that doesn’t satisfy your hunger, then enjoy a small snack.”
Dale suggested drinking water first thing in the morning.
For a 140-pound person, that means at least 70 ounces.
Keep in mind though, that if you work out or drink coffee, that number goes up."
You’re not getting enough sleep
Have you ever heard of leptin and ghrelin?
Leptin is the hormone that signifies to your body that you are full.
Gherlin, the appetite hormone, spikes when you don’t get enough rest.
So lack of sleep causes you to feel hungrierandnot to register satiety a combination that will make you ravenous.
At least seven hours per night nips this in the bud."
We see this often before our periods when our progesterone is not at optimal level.
The joys of PMS.
Hormone imbalance goes hand in hand with neurotransmitter imbalance.
Low serotonin, dopamine, and GABA in the brain will lead to hunger and cravings."
A lack of magnesium contributes to hunger, as well.
Dr. Dean suggested that you supplement your diet with magnesium citrate powder.
She said, “Not all forms of magnesium are easily absorbed by the body.
The first step is to figure out why you are so hungry.
The diary will also help to tell if the person is eating because of normal or abnormal hunger.”
Gascon recommends listening to your body.
), or simply take a short nap.
