Why Am I Hungry All the Time?
Constant cravings leave many healthy eaters wondering, “Why am I so hungry all the time?” For many people who eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly, the culprit is poor food choices, thirst, restrictive dieting, or even boredom and stress. Less often, a medical condition (such as diabetes or pregnancy) can lead to constant cravings.
If you find yourself running to your cupboards or browsing the shelves of your refrigerator more often than you’d like, take a look at these common causes of constant hunger. Then try the solutions I’ve provided to reduce cravings, so you’re not hungry all the time.
You’re eating the Wrong Foods
Poor food choices are often the culprit if you find yourself getting hungry again shortly after eating. Starchy foods, sugary foods, and “empty-calorie” foods can set you up for a cycle of constant eating. Empty-calorie foods are those that provide calories with very few nutrients. Sweetened sodas, candy, baked goods made with refined flour, and juice drinks are some of the most common empty-calorie foods.
Instead, fill your plate with hunger-crushing foods, then you will curb your need to eat more often than you need to.
Solution: The best foods to stop cravings are those that are full of fiber, contain some healthy fat (but not too much if your goal is weight loss!), and protein. Fiber-rich foods include whole grains and foods made with whole grains, whole fruits (rather than juice), and beans. All veggies contain fiber, so enjoy the ones you like best! Healthy fats are found in foods such as olives, olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds (all three of which also contain fiber!), and some seafood (like tuna and salmon). Protein can be found in foods like meat, poultry, eggs, tofu, soybeans, and seafood.
You’re Dehydrated
It is no unusual to confuse hunger and thirst. The reason that you are hungry all the time may be that you need to drink more. Several studies have investigated the relationship between thirst and hunger. One study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior suggests that thirst is a much stronger sensation than hunger. Many nutritional experts will tell you that clients commonly run to the refrigerator for food when they are dehydrated and not hungry.
Solution: Tune in to your drinking habits. Start tracking your fluid intake and make sure that you are staying adequately hydrated. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to how much you “should” drink. The old recommendation of “8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day” works for many people but not for others. the best way to determine if you are drinking enough fluids is to monitor your urine color. If it is dark yellow, you are probably dehydrated (although some medications can change urine color). Then, the next time you are hungry, try drinking a glass of water and waiting five minutes. Studies have shown that consuming water before eating can help you to eat less and lose weight.
You’re Eating too Fast
If you find yourself getting hungry when you haven’t even finished your meal, you may be eating too fast. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realize that you are full after eating. If you eat too fast, you don’t give your brain or body a chance to realize that you’ve had enough. In some cases, you may even continue eating after you’re full just to manage the discomfort of a full belly.
Solution: Slow down! Learn the practice of mindful eating. Mindful practices help you to feel all of the sensations associated with different practices, thereby increasing pleasure. When you eat mindfully, you appreciate the look of your food on the plate, the smell of the food, the feeling of the food in your mouth, and the sensation of fullness as your belly becomes full. But in order to appreciate this experience, you need to eat more slowly. Put your fork down between bites and allow yourself to enjoy each morsel of food you consume.
You’re Bored or STressed
How often do you head to the refrigerator when you have nothing better to do? Do you reach for food when you are worried or anxious? During the COVID lockdown, most of us realized that this happens far too often. And many of us (me included) saw an increase on the scale as a result. Scientific studies have even shown that emotional triggers can cause physiological changes that might drive you to the refrigerator, like increased salivation, tummy rumblings, and neurological stimulation for a reward.
Thinking about eating, planning to eat, choosing foods to eat, and eating itself are easy cures for boredom or a miserable mood. But they aren’t always the healthiest option.
Solution: When you start looking for food or thinking about eating, ask yourself why you are doing so. Are you really hungry, or are you looking for relief from another sensation? An honest answer will guide you in the right direction. If hunger is not the cause, try to find an alternate activity to find relief. Better yet, if you know that you are prone to these triggers, make a plan in advance. Call a friend, journal, go for a walk, take deep breaths, or meditate for five minutes. Often, simple activities like these address the true cause of your cravings without adding unnecessary calories to your daily intake.
You’ve Started a New Workout Program
It is very common for new exercisers to notice that they are hungry all the time. Even if you exercise regularly, if you change your program, you might experience constant hunger. But keep in mind that emotional factors may come into play here as well. Many people who start a new workout program feel that they are justified in ramping up their eating habits. In that case, emotional factors, rather than hunger, are to blame.
Solution: If exercise is causing hunger, then it is important to evaluate your fitness goals to evaluate the correct solution. Are you trying to gain weight with a targeted strength training program? If so, then your hunger is a signal for you to eat. Fill up on protein to make sure you’re getting the amino acids you need to build and repair muscle tissue. But if you have started to exercise for general health or for weight loss, you may want to be more cautious about changing your eating habits. If you notice that you are unintentionally gaining weight or not losing weight, then your calorie balance is off. In that scenario, be sure to fill up on nutrient-dense foods full of fiber so that you are not hungry all the time.
You’re In a Toxic Food Environment
Researchers know that exposure to unhealthy, calorie-dense foods often leads to the overconsumption of those foods. Over time, the repeated pattern can lead to obesity and other related health problems. So, if you find yourself eating when you shouldn’t be hungry, a quick scan of your physical environment might be in order. If you are surrounded by food, particularly food that is low in nutrition but high in calories, you might be setting yourself up for constant hunger and weight gain.
Solution: In some cases, you may be able to change your environment. For example, in your kitchen, take snack foods like chips or cookies and put them on very high shelves so you don’t see them regularly. Also, it will take a bit of work to get to them, so you might think twice about snacking when you’re not really hungry. If you drive to work past donut shops and fast food restaurants, search out a different route that doesn’t include those food triggers. When you are less able to control your environment (like at your workspace), see what you can do to promote healthier options. Perhaps your current snack food vending machine can be swapped out with a healthier option like the yummy vending machines provided by Farmer’s Fridge. These brilliant machines are stocked with nutritious salads and other delicious goodies.
You're a Victim of Timing Triggers
Sometimes, the triggering element for hunger and cravings isn’t your environment but your routine. Do you have a habit of snacking at a certain time of day, regardless of nutritional need? If you know you need to fuel up before a workout, that’s fine (and good!) But if you regularly head to the snack drawer in your office in the late morning without any real cause or if you start searching out snacks in the late afternoon for no apparent reason, it might be a habit you unwittingly created. More commonly, people eat at night out of habit. A routine that can easily lead to unwanted weight gain.
Solution: To stop this type of hunger, start to notice when these cravings hit. What is going on at that time? Are you avoiding certain chores or work tasks? Or is it just a “downtime” that you can occupy with food? In the evening, we have fewer distractions from work and other daily tasks so it is easier to feel “hungry” simply out of habit at night before bed. Then, find an alternate activity to fill that void. Also, remind yourself that you have food coming at whatever time you’ve chosen for your meals. You may even want to keep a fun, silly activity around to liven yourself up a bit when these cravings hit. Old-school jacks, a video game, or even a grown-up coloring book can work. Check out the coloring book options at ColorIt to find one that inspires you.
You’ve Developed Poor Palate Habits
There’s good news when it comes to getting rid of cravings. Some experimental studies have suggested that food cravings are a conditioned response. That is, they are (sometimes) a learned behavior. This is great news because if a particular behavior is learned, then it can be unlearned as well with a little bit of work.
Are you a sugar junkie? Or do you crave salty, crunchy snacks? If you eat highly salted or sugary foods regularly, you might be setting yourself up for cravings and feeling like you are always hungry. Studies have shown mixed results regarding exposure to sugary or salty foods and your preferences for them, but some studies suggest that, especially with salty foods, the more you eat these foods, the more you desire them. The desire you experience may feel like hunger when it is simply just a craving.
Solution: Think twice before grabbing that bag of chips or a full sleeve of cookies. In fact, you may even want to reconsider the amount of sugar you add to certain foods (like oatmeal or breakfast cereal) or how frequently you use the salt shaker. These habits can have consequences. Try dialing back on salty or sugary foods for a couple of weeks and see if your cravings start to diminish. You may find that they disappear altogether and that you enjoy more wholesome foods even more.
You’re On a Restrictive Diet
If you are trying to lose weight, your diet may not provide enough calories for basic body functions. There are hundreds of diets on social media, in magazines, or advertised on television that endorse eating 1000 calories or less. These low- and very low-calorie diets should only be attempted under the guidance of a registered dietitian or medical health provider. Most people can white-knuckle themselves through a diet for the short term, but they are generally not successful for long-term sustainable weight loss.
Solution: Make sure you are getting enough calories throughout the day. Use a calorie calculator like the Body Weight Planner developed by the National Institutes of Health. Then, track your caloric intake for several days to ensure you are meeting your needs. It might seem like cutting significant calories is the smartest way to lose weight, but the truth is that these plans almost always backfire. Furthermore, it can lead to disordered eating in some people.
Your Macro Balance Is Wrong
If your calorie intake is adequate, have you cut or severely limited a certain macronutrient? If so, you may be getting cravings for foods that contain that macro. For example, studies show that low-carb diets can increase cravings for carbs. The psychology isn’t so hard to understand: when we are told that we can’t have something, we often want it even more. But there may be physiological causes as well. If you aren’t getting enough carbohydrates to fuel your body properly, you are likely to crave foods that provide that nutrition.
Solution: Set a goal to consume a balanced diet. There are some diets, like the keto diet, that overemphasize one nutrient, like fat. While some people wholeheartedly endorse this eating plan, studies, including this 2020 research review, show that long-term adherence to the keto diet is poor, and it is not a sustainable method of weight loss. Instead, visit the Daily Macros Calculator and get your macros for a more balanced and sustainable approach to eating that doesn’t leave you hungry all the time.
You Have an Undiagnosed Medical Issue
If you have tried to curb cravings and addressed the issues listed above, it is possible that your physical health has changed. Don’t be shy about asking your doctor why you are hungry all the time. Your provider will be able to evaluate your health history and provide recommendations for testing or other assessments to make sure that there is not an underlying cause.
Finally, remember that cravings aren’t necessarily a “bad” thing. Yes, they can be annoying, so it is understandable that you want to get rid of cravings. But they are your body’s way of sending you a signal. Sometimes, that signal indicates that your body needs better nutrition. Want to learn more? Get a copy of Macro Diet for Dummies to learn how to build a personalized plan that you can stick to.
