Excessive hunger is a sign that the body needs more food, but it is often the result of an imbalance of hunger hormones, which can occur for a variety of reasons, including inadequate nutrition and certain lifestyle habits.
In addition, you must not neglect taking certain medications, as well as certain health problems.
If you are often hungry, it may be helpful to evaluate your diet and lifestyle to see if there are any changes you can make to help you feel fuller. Listed below are 14 potential reasons why we often feel hungry. Once you understand the reason, you may find the solution.
1. You avoid green vegetables
Green vegetables not part of your meals? Then don't be surprised if you eat 10 times a day. Green vegetables are rich in fiber, and a lack of fiber can cause excessive hunger. Eating foods rich in fiber will "kill" hunger, but also help you if you have problems with digestion, elevated sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.
2. You don't consume enough protein
Apart from the fact that consuming protein is good for building muscle, it is also ideal for those who are trying to reduce their food intake in order to lose extra pounds.
Proteins break down more slowly and therefore keep us full longer, which is why it is important to eat them in sufficient quantities. If you don't eat meat, you don't need to worry about your protein intake as you can get it from plants such as beans, peas, green beans, nuts and seeds.
3. You eat too much sugar
Just like, for example, alcohol, cigarettes or drugs, sugar is also addictive. That's why it's not at all strange if you feel hungry just a few minutes after eating something sweet.
If you want to reduce your sweet cravings, then you will need to reduce your sugar intake. That part may be made easier by the fact that sugar leads to obesity, causes tooth decay, and excessive intake can lead to type 2 diabetes.
4. You are under a lot of stress
Is your everyday life very stressful? If the answer is positive, you should not be surprised by the fact that you are constantly hungry and that, when you are hungry, you eat fatty and sweet foods.
Experts claim that increased levels of stress can increase blood sugar levels, which can cause a constant feeling of hunger.
Because of all this, try to avoid stress. Considering that nowadays it is very difficult to avoid it completely, find some activity that will help you to get rid of stress, but also reduce your appetite and all other complications related to stress.
5. You are dehydrated
Consuming a sufficient amount of water, at least two liters a day, is important for our health, but also for preventing overeating. In some cases when you think you are hungry, you are actually thirsty.
It is important to hydrate your body properly, and if you are in the group that forgets to drink water, you can make a reminder on your phone, write a note to keep on your desk, or find some way of your own that will remind you to drink enough.
6. You don’t get enough sleep
Sleep is extremely important for health. Sleep is necessary for the proper functioning of our brain and immune system, and enough sleep is associated with a lower risk of several chronic diseases. In addition, sufficient sleep is a factor that controls appetite because it helps regulate ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite.
Lack of sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, which can make you feel hungrier when you're sleep-deprived.
In one study of 15 people who were sleep-deprived for just one night, they were found to be significantly hungrier and chose 14 percent more food than a group that got eight hours of sleep.
Sufficient sleep also ensures an adequate level of leptin, a hormone that promotes the feeling of satiety. In order to keep your hunger level at a normal level, it is recommended that you sleep eight hours every night.
7. Your diet is too low in fat
Fat plays a key role in maintaining satiety. Among other things, the reason is the fact that it takes longer to digest and stays in the stomach for a longer time. In addition, consuming fat can lead to the release of various hormones that promote satiety.
For these same reasons, you may feel hungry often if your diet contains too little fat.
One study of 270 obese adults found that those who had a low-fat diet had a significant increase in their cravings for carbohydrates and their preference for foods high in sugar.
There are many nutritious foods rich in fat that you can include in your diet, such as coconut oil, omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil, eggs, full-fat yogurt...
8. You eat while being distracted by other activities
If you live a busy life, you probably often eat in situations where you are distracted by other obligations. While you may be saving time this way, you're not doing your health any good. Among other things, this way of eating is associated with greater appetite, increased calorie intake and weight gain.
Namely, distracted by other activities, you are not aware of the amount of food you consume and are not able to recognize your body's signal that you are full as effectively as when you eat in peace.
One study found that people who played a computer game with lunch felt less full than those who didn't. In addition, those who played the game ate 48 percent more food.
In order to avoid such situations, focus on the food during the meal and turn off the electronic devices. In this way, you will sit in the wall, feel all the flavors and recognize the fullness of your body.
9. You exercise a lot
Individuals who exercise a lot and often burn a lot of calories. Research has shown that those who exercise regularly have a faster metabolism, which means that they burn more calories at rest than those who exercise moderately or lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Although several studies have shown that exercise is beneficial for suppressing appetite, there is also evidence that people who exercise intensely over a long period of time have an increased appetite.
In any case, you can prevent increased hunger as a result of exercise by increasing your intake of foods rich in fiber, protein and healthy fats. Another option is to reduce the intensity of training.
It is important to note that this applies to passionate athletes who exercise frequently and intensively.
10. You drink too much alcohol
Alcohol is known for its appetite-stimulating effects. Studies have shown that alcohol can inhibit appetite-suppressing hormones like leptin, especially if consumed before or with meals. For the same reason, you may feel increased hunger if you drink too much alcohol.
In addition to making you hungrier, alcohol affects the part of the brain that controls judgment and self-control, which can make you eat more, regardless of how hungry you are.
To reduce these effects of alcohol, it is best to consume it in moderation or avoid it altogether.
11. You drink calories
Liquid and solid foods affect appetite in different ways. If you consume a lot of liquid foods, like smoothies, shakes, soups... you may be hungrier more often than you would be if you were eating more solid foods.
One of the main reasons why this is so is the fact that liquid food passes through the stomach faster than solid food.
Consuming liquid food also takes less time than solid food, which can also lead you to eat more simply because the brain hasn't had enough time to process satiety signals.
To avoid this problem, include more solid, whole foods in your diet.
12. You are taking certain medications
There are drugs that have an increased appetite as a side effect. Most often, these are antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, corticosteroids and anti-seizure drugs.
If you suspect that medications are the cause of your increased hunger, talk to your doctor about other treatment options. There may be an alternative that won't make you hungry.
13. You eat too fast
The speed at which you eat can have an effect on how hungry you are. Several studies have shown that fast eaters have a greater appetite and tend to overeat during meals compared to slower eaters. They are also more likely to be overweight or obese.
The effects of fast eating are partly due to the lack of chewing and the reduced awareness that is present when a person eats slowly, both of which are needed to alleviate feelings of hunger.
In addition, eating more slowly and chewing thoroughly gives the body and brain more time to release anti-hunger hormones and transmit satiety signals.
If you are often hungry, you may need to eat more slowly. You can do this by taking a few breaths beforehand and increasing the time you spend chewing your food.
14. You have a health problem
Frequent hunger can be a symptom of illness. For starters, it's a classic sign of diabetes, which occurs as a result of extremely high blood sugar levels and is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as excessive thirst, weight loss, and fatigue.
Hyperthyroidism, a condition characterized by an overactive thyroid gland, is also associated with increased hunger because it causes excess production of hormones known to stimulate appetite. Hunger level, it says Healthline, can also increase hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
Excessive hunger is often associated with other conditions such as depression, anxiety and premenstrual syndrome.
If you suspect any of the above-mentioned conditions, it is important to talk to a doctor in order to get a proper diagnosis and discuss treatment options, reports Zapozdena.hr.
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