Five ways hunger is busting you
We’ve all experienced it – that feeling when you want to demolish everything in your path, a hunger that needs to be remedied and as quickly as possible.
Obviously when you feel like this, the last thing you’re going to do is consume a bowl of broccoli – anything and everything in your path had better watch out. Why do we get to this point, what influences our hunger levels and how can we make changes to better support our health?
You’re skipping a meal/not eating enough
Stating the obvious, but many people have no idea how much food they actually need to consume in order to adequately fuel their bodies. While we have energy intake guidelines – the reality is many of us need very different amounts and types of fuel. Are you skipping a meal or not eating enough? Did you have a coffee for lunch instead of food?
Most people feel particularly hungry around 3pm, so make sure you have a snack made from real food, containing a decent amount of fat from wholefoods on hand so you don’t walk in the door at 6pm and empty the contents of the pantry into your mouth!
You’re doing weight training
Having more lean muscle mass increases your metabolism and subsequently your appetite. Your requirement for fuel is greater than for someone who has more fat mass than lean body mass.
Many people who do regular weight training find it beneficial to have five to six smaller meals over the day, to keep their energy more even. In saying that, the more the body becomes efficient at utilising body fat as a fuel, the less your hunger will be in general.
You’re eating the wrong type of foods
If you’re fuelling yourself on a high carbohydrate – specifically refined carbohydrate – and low-fat way of eating, chances are you will feel hungry frequently.
The reason being that your body will be burning glucose as its preferred energy source therefore you will need to keep these tanks topped up – and that means you will crave these high carbohydrate foods.
Fat is satiating. Eat more whole food fats, such as those found in avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut, organic butter, oily fish, pasturefed meats.
There’s not enough fibre in your meals
Simple meals – a plain sandwich, an egg on toast or a salad with two to three ingredients, mainly lettuce-based, simply does not contain enough to fill the stomach, slow digestion and satisfy you for an extended period of time.
Bulk up your meals by adding fibrous foods such as vegetables every time you eat. Leafy greens such as spinach, silver beet, kale or broccoli are nourishing additions to your diet.
Or add some complex carbohydrate in the form of sweet potato, lentils or beans.
You’re confusing hunger with appetite
Many people who state that they are ‘‘always hungry’’ actually just want to eat. Hunger is a primal biological drive associated with physical symptoms, such as headaches, shakiness and intestinal contractions, which often lead to that gurgling sound from your stomach.
Whereas appetite is a psychological drive in which you desire a particular food and seek it.
They can occur together, although that’s not always the case.
Keeping track of your food desires in a diary can help you discern if your desire for food is to meet a physical need or an emotional one.
To read more about hunger and appetite, check out Dr Libby’s book Accidentally Overweight, available from all good bookstores and www.drlibby.com