Always Hungry? Top Reasons Why (Plus How to Curb It)

Amy Taylor April 12, 2016

HUNGER: It has always been the major reason why many dieters find it hard to achieve their fitness goal. No matter how good your intentions are, when hunger strikes it can be so hard to resist. What’s worse is that when you are hungry, you are less likely to go for healthier options. So between an ice cream and a salad bowl, you definitely know what you’ll choose.

Once hunger strikes, it’s hard not to give in. So the best way to keep track with your weight loss goal is to fight it. How? First of all, it would be helpful to know the top possible reasons why you feel hungry all the time.

You’re eating too much carbs.

Gut-loading on carbs in the evening can make you feel much hungrier the next day. Carbohydrates from refined grains (such as pastry, pasta and cakes) get absorbed quickly by your digestive system and are easily converted into sugar. The sudden spike of sugar levels in your blood triggers feelings of hunger and sluggishness so you eat more and move less. If you’re after controlling your calorie intake without battling with hunger all the time, you want to replace plain carbs with complex carbs. Think about quinoa, brown rice, wheat bread and other whole grains. Include vegetables in your diet, especially the green, leafy ones like broccoli. These kinds of carbohydrate are digested and absorbed more slowly by your body. Thus, they don’t cause a surge in your insulin levels which make your blood sugar drop.

Your body lack enough fluids.

Too often, our body mistaken thirst with hunger. You might feel like eating something. But the reality is that you are actually hungry. Water does not only help you manage your appetite. It is also needed by your cells to utilise nutrients that you get from the food you eat. Nutrient deficiency causes your body to crave for more food. Make sure you are well-hydrated all the time. But avoid drinking too much water before or after meal as it can interfere with digestion.

It’s your time of the month.

Women’s appetite normally go up during their period. This is caused by the hormonal changes which take place during this time. There is nothing much we can do about the hunger caused by menstruation. The best approach is to choose protein-rich foods that stay longer in your stomach. They include lean meat, vegetables, beans, legumes and fish.

You lack enough sleep.

Too little sleep causes a spike in the levels of ghrelin - a hormone that stimulates appetite, and a decrease in leptin - a hormone that causes feelings of fullness. Lack of sleep causes serious fatigue and brain fog. Your body, desperate for a shot of energy, triggers hunger. As a result, you are more likely to eat more. Worse, lack of sleep makes you want to choose unhealthy stuff over the healthy ones.

You’re super stressed.

Many people resort to binge-eating when they are stressed. When you’re stressed, your body releases high levels of hormones adrenaline and cortisol which trick your body to believe that it’s under attack and therefore needs more energy, causing a spike in your appetite. Practising stress management techniques is essential not just to managing your weight but also your overall health.

The next time you find yourself gorging on every food you see, think about these possible reasons. You might just have the right solution to fight them.