Ep 25- Why You Feel Hungry All The Time
July 25, 2024
I’m ALWAYS hungry! Ever said these words before?
Where you just feel like a bottomless pit needing food?
Today I discuss causes and solutions for constant hunger.
Unraveling this will help you step closer to becoming an intuitive, natural eater.
You will learn…
why hunger isn’t a bad thing
the impacts of prior or current dieting and restriction
the biological and psychological reasons you always feel hungry
Why You Feel Hungry All The Time: Causes and Solutions
Do you ever feel like you’re always hungry or like there are some days where you just can't stop eating? You constantly feel like there's this never-ending hole in your stomach that no matter how much you eat, you're still hungry.
Let’s talk about what’s actually going on. I’ll walk you through some reasons for constant hunger and how to handle it in a way that helps you move closer to becoming an intuitive eater.
Hunger Is Not a Bad Thing
First, hunger is not a bad thing. Hunger is just a physical cue from your body letting you know that you need food. Learning how to listen to hunger is one of the key foundations of becoming a natural eater. Knowing and honoring your hunger is a superpower in intuitive eating.
This was something I personally struggled with during my recovery from dieting and restriction. If you’ve been eating too little or on and off diets, you may feel hungry all the time. And that’s completely normal.
Biological Hunger After Restriction
When I was recovering from the restriction, I felt genuine, intense hunger like I just couldn’t satisfy it. That’s because your body is trying to help you after a period of under-eating. Just like when you go without water all day and drink tons when you get home it makes sense. We don’t judge ourselves for being thirsty, so we shouldn’t judge ourselves for being hungry after dieting.
This hunger is temporary. It won’t last forever. Your body is just trying to get back to balance.
Why Not Eating Enough Keeps You Hungry
One of the top reasons you feel like a bottomless pit is because you're not eating enough. Dieting skews your view of normal portions. Most people I work with come to me thinking they’re being “good” during the day, but end up binge eating at night. They aren’t getting enough consistent calories earlier.
Now, I eat much more at meals than I used to. I used to think there was no way I should be eating that much for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but I stopped bingeing. Eating more at meals made me feel full and satisfied, which stopped the binge-restrict cycle.
Timing Your Meals Can Reduce Cravings
If you’re skipping breakfast or barely eating all day, you’ll probably feel hungrier later. Your body checks how much food it's gotten and sends out strong hunger signals if it hasn't gotten enough.
This can feel like waking a sleeping monster. You finally eat dinner, and now all your hunger wakes up. It's not you being broken. It's your body catching up.
Start with a nutritious breakfast and lunch, maybe a snack, and avoid going hours without food. That will help prevent that ravenous hunger later.
Meal Quality Matters
You want meals that include protein, fat, fiber, and carbs. For fiber, think fruits and vegetables. If you’re only eating filler foods like celery, rice cakes, or diet sodas, you’re not getting what you need. If you only eat salad with chicken and low-fat dressing, you’re missing key nutrients.
Yes, carbs are important. Including carbs earlier in the day can reduce cravings and afternoon snacking. When your body is satisfied, you stop obsessing over food.
Other Causes of Hunger: Sleep, Stress, and Medication
Lack of sleep, high stress, or certain medications can also make you feel hungrier. These don’t mean your body needs thousands of extra calories—but they can increase cravings. Being aware of these factors helps you understand your urges better and respond with awareness.
You Might Just Think You’re Hungry
This is one I rarely hear talked about. Sometimes you feel like you’re hungry all the time—but you’re not. You’re just thinking about food constantly, having cravings or urges, and labeling them as hunger.
But hunger is not a thought. True hunger is a physical sensation. If there’s no physical feeling, you’re probably not actually hungry. You’re just craving food. If you confuse this with hunger, it breaks down your trust in your body.
You might use hunger as an excuse to eat when you just want to eat. But this makes intuitive eating much harder.
How to Trust Your Body Again
Most of us know deep down when we’re really hungry. But it takes practice and patience to listen. If you’ve lost that trust, the first step is to slow down, observe your body, and make honest distinctions between hunger and craving.
The Confident Eater Program
If you're struggling with listening to hunger and fullness cues, my Confident Eater Program is where you want to be. It’s a six-month, step-by-step coaching experience where I show you how I stopped binge eating and overeating by rewiring my brain using a psychological, brain-based approach.
We go deep into what’s keeping you stuck and build long-lasting changes without dieting.
If you're ready to stop binge eating and feel confident around food, I offer a free consultation call to assess your eating patterns and see how I can support you.