Understanding Hunger

Let’s talk about hunger. Hunger can show up in many different ways and feel different to each of us. Although at times hunger can feel confusing, it is actually a helpful experience that can inform us about what our body needs at any given time. 

Why we feel hungry

We feel hungry for many reasons. Although I could go into the details, I’ll try not to bore you too much. To simplify it, as we’ve discussed before, when we eat our body turns food into energy in the form of sugar that is then transported into our cells to be used. When we go through all of our readily available energy, our stomach lets our brains know that we need more fuel to keep going. As a result, we experience things like a growling stomach, shakiness, mood changes, or headaches. These physical symptoms are neither good or bad, they are simply our body’s way of letting us know what it needs. In response, when we provide our body with more energy (aka food), we will resolve those feelings of hunger. 

However, we also have to consider that we feel hungry as a result of the foods we eat. As I said, hunger is triggered by our cell’s need for more energy. But we have to remember that some foods are processed by our bodies quicker than others. If we eat foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, or protein then our bodies will stay fuller for longer because these foods take longer for our stomachs to digest. In contrast, simple sugars and starches are used by our cells as quick energy, causing us to be hungry a lot sooner after eating.

Why we don’t feel hunger

It is important to note that some people don’t feel hunger in this way, or sometimes we don’t feel hungry even when we may need food. The main reason I see people struggling with this is due to the fact that they have ignored their feelings of hunger for so long that their brain has stopped trying to communicate with them about hunger in traditional ways. Although that may seem like a good thing at first (if you don’t feel hungry then you won’t eat too much), often it leads to overeating since the lack of being able to feel hungry also leads to being unable to experience fullness. To overcome this, we have to start practicing listening to our hunger cues and learn what our bodies are trying to tell us and why. This takes time, patience, and learning.

Informed response to hunger

No matter how you experience the need for more food, what matters the most is how we choose to respond to hunger when we do feel it. When you start to feel hungry instead of ignoring it, take a moment to step back and ask yourself why you feel hungry. This can help you understand what foods fill you up and what foods may cause you to be hungry sooner. Once you have assessed why you feel hungry, it is then important to provide your body with fiber and protein rich foods to provide your body with what it needs and keep yourself fueled going forward.

This may sound easier said than done. Although on paper it makes sense to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full, the reality of this can feel difficult to put into practice. It can feel hard to trust our bodies or learn what they are trying to tell us. That’s why we, here at Nutrition 502, are so passionate about meeting you where you’re at and helping you learn how to honor your body and your hunger in your everyday life. Message us or book a discovery call on our website today to learn more about how we can help you understand your hunger!