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Exploring Hunger

What is hunger? Hunger is a biological, hormonal response to lack of food that our bodies produce in order to motivate us to eat. We all experience the signs of hunger differently in our bodies.


  • Stomach: A variety of sensations including rumbling, gurgling, gnawing or emptiness. While this is a common way of experiencing hunger, there are many people who do not experience hunger signs in their stomach. 

  • Throat and esophagus: Dull ache, gnawing,

  • Head: Cloudy thinking, light-headedness, headache, difficulty focusing and concentrating. Experiencing more thoughts about food and eating. 

  • Mood: Irritability or crankiness. Perhaps you have to work harder to refrain from snapping, even though you don’t present as irritable to the outside world. 

  • Energy: Waning, perhaps even to the point of sleepiness. There can be a dullness and even apathy toward doing anything. 

  • Numbness: Overall lethargy.


We all have a different hunger and fullness scale. This is why meal frequency and portion sizes are not one size fits all. Here is an example of a hunger and fullness scale. Some people may experience hunger on a smaller or larger scale.


Image credit to College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin


Hunger can be complicated. Here are some things to explore if you’re feeling hungry or unsatisfied after meals. 


  1. Timing. Most people need to eat every 3 to 6 hours. Some people do well with 3 meals a day spaced 4 to 6 hours apart and others do better with 3 meals and a couple smaller snacks, with something to eat every 2 to 3 hours. There is no one-size-fits-all. Tune into what your body is telling you. Try different timing and spacing of your meals and snacks. If you’re going more than 6 hours without eating, you should be hungry (and maybe too hungry)!

  2. Quality of food choices. Is your meal lacking an important nutrient to help with satiety and fullness? A balanced meal should include all three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fat. And it should include a healthy dose of fiber from whole grains and vegetables. Chances are good you’re missing one of these key components if you’re hungry 1 to 2 hours after a meal.

  3. Quantity of food. Is your meal too small? Needs vary widely, but if your meal is <300 calories, you’re likely not giving yourself enough to eat. 

  4. Head vs tummy hunger. What are your hunger cues? Are you eating based on physical hunger or “emotional” hunger? If the latter, working with a dietitian AND a therapist will be key to address underlying stressors and emotional triggers to eat. 

  5. Exercise. This can make you more hungry. Are you under-fueling for your level of activity?

  6. Weight loss. When we lose weight, the body starts to fight back, increasing hunger hormones like ghrelin and decreasing hormones that help with fullness like leptin, GLP-1 and GIP. You’re not crazy. Your body is actively fighting you by increasing hunger. Work with a dietitian to ensure adequate protein and fiber to help improve satiety at meals. It may be important to revisit your health goals and refocus on something other than weight if hunger is ruling your thoughts. 

  7. Insulin resistance. With insulin resistance in diabetes, prediabetes and PCOS, impairments can be seen in hunger hormone regulation (ghrelin, leptin, GLP-1, GIP and more). If this is the case, it may be important to eat on a schedule to ensure you don’t eat too much or too little. Working with an RD can help you ensure your diet is adequate to meet your needs if you can’t rely on hunger cues.



References

  1. https://sites.edb.utexas.edu/fit/learn-to-listen-to-your-body-intuitive-eating-in-a-nutshell/

  2. Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2020). Intuitive eating: a revolutionary anti-diet approach. 4th edition. New York, St. Martin's Essentials.


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