14 Reasons Why You Might Feel Hungry, Even After a Big Meal

A rumbling stomach is a sure sign that you’re hungry. But most of the time, according to nutritionists, we’re guided by very different signs when deciding that it’s time to eat. Around 90% of people overeat for emotional reasons, failing to distinguish real hunger from psychological.

Here at CHEERY, we wanted to get to the bottom of this issue once and for all, and figure out why we keep feeling hungry, even after eating seemingly large meals.

Not getting enough sleep

The simple factor of whether a person gets enough sleep is responsible for the hormones ghrelin and leptin. The former stimulates appetite, while the latter is responsible for making you feel full. Sleep deprivation causes them to malfunction, giving the body false signals that it’s time to eat. Even one sleepless night can wreak havoc on your body, causing you to eat 14% more than usual.

Exercising

It makes sense that a person would burn more calories during an intense workout. So, even if you’ve eaten recently, you may leave the gym feeling hungry. To avoid this, nutritionists recommend rethinking your diet: add more hearty foods that are high in fibre, protein and healthy fats. This will give your body an extra boost before your workout.

Giving into emotions

Our emotions and the desire to eat are closely linked. For example, we often run to the fridge when we’re bored or sad. This is called “emotional eating”. Experts recommend trying to occupy yourself with something interesting to distract you from the false feeling of hunger.

But, the temptation for food can arise from the opposite, too: when you’re stressed. In this case, the level of cortisol in the body rises, which is also responsible for food cravings.

Not eating at set times

It’s very important for the human body to follow a consistent eating schedule. The stomach quickly gets used to changes in eating behaviour. According to scientific research, eating at different times every day or skipping meals, staying hungry as a result, this will eventually lead to weight gain.

Eating too fast

The ever-increasing speed of modern life has led many people to learn to scoff their lunch down at lightning speed, running off immediately to the next meeting, or appointment. However, eating quickly ultimately means that you won’t experience the feeling of fullness. Thorough chewing sends signals to the brain to release hormones that suppress hunger. So, nutritionists recommend eating slowly. To help with self-control, try putting the fork back down on the table each time you’ve taken a bite. It’s a quick way to instil in yourself the habit of taking your time with meals.

Eating too many foods that contain refined carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates include, but aren’t limited to, white flour products, fizzy drinks and sweets. The danger of eating such foods on a regular basis is that they don’t contain fibre, and therefore, get digested too quickly, leaving no lasting feeling of fullness. Try replacing these foods with vegetables, fruit, legumes and wholemeal products. These are also rich in carbohydrates, but they contain fibre, which can help you stay full for longer.

Drinking diet soda

Many lovers of sugary fizzy drinks feel that the right thing to do is to replace it with a diet option. However, the fake sugar in such drinks gives the brain a false idea of the amount of calories on offer. When this amount isn’t consumed, the body flips the hunger switch, trying to make up for what it thinks it’s lost.

Lack of water

Hunger is often confused with thirst. So if you feel it’s time to eat, try drinking a glass of water first. Your body may just be signalling that it’s not getting enough fluids. In addition, proper hydration helps reduce appetite.

We are surrounded by beautiful pictures of food

Seeing beautiful pictures of different foods, even when full, can make you feel hungry. These pictures trigger a hormonal change in the body, leading to a false hunger feeling. Of course, it’s impossible to completely eliminate all the images of food from our lives — they’re all around us, but it is an excuse to reduce the amount of time spent online, even if just by a little.

Stashing away unhealthy treats

Even if you’ve eaten recently, the thought of a chocolate bar in your kitchen cupboard is likely to make you want to eat it. Nutritionists, therefore, advise you to rather give up these “stashes”, than needlessly put your willpower to the test.

Eating while watching TV, or browsing online

Having dinner in front of the TV, computer, or smart phone, is a common mistake. By distracting ourselves from the plate, we’re relinquishing control over the way we eat, and the amount we consume. This way the body doesn’t receive a signal when it has had enough. No wonder, then, that after this, many people walk away from the table, soon realising that they’re still hungry.

Nutritionists advise making a ritual out of an ordinary lunch or dinner: switch off all the gadgets for the duration, and really focus on tasting the food, giving it your full attention.

Choosing liquid foods

Liquid foods are processed by the body much faster than solid foods, which means that you are more likely to feel hungry after having a soup, smoothie or shake. Such foods have less effect on the hormone responsible for fullness. Research has shown that a lower-calorie solid meal will keep you full for longer than a higher-calorie liquid one.

PMS

It’s quite common for women to feel hungrier than usual during PMS. That’s because the body is working harder, and therefore uses more energy. This leads to experiencing less fullness from the usual amount of food.

We’re surrounded by delicious smells

Surely, everyone will have experienced a time when, walking past a bakery, for example, you’re hit with the aroma of fresh bread, and it makes you feel instantly famished. This is our imagination playing tricks on us, regardless of how much time has passed since the last meal. If you don’t like the way your body reacts to these delicious triggers, try adjusting your route and avoid the alluringly aromatic places.

What tricks do you use to help deal with sudden feel of hunger?