Being hungry all the time despite feeling like you're constantly eating can be frustrating. The factors that induce such feelings of persistent hunger are many: they include the intake of wrong foods, the presence of underlying diseases and the confusion of emotional and physical hunger. Addressing the cause of feelings of hunger can help you overcome it and lead a healthier lifestyle.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Eat the Right Foods
Step 1. Eat a balanced diet
When you are not receiving the nutritional benefits of a balanced diet, you may feel hungry. Make sure you don't miss out on foods from any food group. You should get plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains, and eat a moderate amount of healthy oils and fats.
- A balanced breakfast can consist of 40g of whole oats, a small amount of honey, 200g of fresh strawberries and 120ml of cottage cheese.
- A healthy lunch can be for example salad with dehydrated blueberries, sunflower seeds and crumbled cheese, for example goat or feta type. Prepare the dressing yourself so as not to exceed the calories. Don't you like the salad? Wrap it in a wholemeal piadina! Wrap the leaves, blueberries, seeds, and cheese in a flatbread, pita, or whole wheat or spelled tortilla. You can also add lean meat, such as turkey, and season with a drizzle of seasoning.
- A balanced diet could consist of 120g of meat or fish, two vegetables, and whole grains. For example, you could make grilled salmon, wild rice, steamed or roasted broccoli, and baked pumpkin.
Step 2. Eat bulky foods
Foods that contain a lot of air or water have a higher volume. They therefore allow you to feel full more quickly, giving you the feeling of taking in more, useful in case you feel hungry. Some of the high volume foods are:
- Legumes.
- Soups.
- Vegetables.
- Popcorn.
- Fresh fruit.
- Whole grains.
Step 3. Eat a salad before meals
Lettuce has a high water content, so eating it with a light dressing before meals will help you fill up more quickly and feel less hungry later on.
- To be tasty, a salad doesn't have to be complicated. Try dressing some mixed leaves with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, and top it off with some cherry tomatoes.
- If you are feeling more ambitious or creative, try adding fruit and other vegetables as well. Experiment with adding blueberries, fresh strawberries, peppers, or beets, for example.
Step 4. Have healthy snacks
Eating high-energy snacks, such as fresh and dried fruit, can help you feel less hungry between meals. Dried fruit is a healthy and filling snack thanks to its content of healthy fats and proteins that our body digests slowly. The energy received will be greater than that given by a sweet snack.
Step 5. In between bites, sip some water
Sometimes by increasing the amount of water you consume, you may be able to eat less. Drinking plenty of water before a meal and sipping it while you eat will help you feel full without the need to binge.
- If regular water is boring you, try alternating it with other calorie-free drinks. From time to time, for example, try replacing it with sparkling water.
- Drink green tea to take a break from plain water. Green tea also acts as an antioxidant, helping to eventually lose weight.
Step 6. Avoid junk food
Ready, processed and processed foods, rich in fats, salts and sugars, make you feel even more hungry. They are also designed to stimulate the taste buds and essentially lead to addiction and exaggeration.
- High-fat foods cause a chemical reaction in the brain that signals you to eat more, even when you're not really hungry.
- The food processing process deprives them of their nutrients. Your body needs high nutritional ingredients in order to function efficiently, so it tends to send out a hunger signal even though you have just eaten a 1000 calorie meal or snack.
- Foods rich in salt can trigger cravings for sweets, forcing you to eat twice as much snacks as you need.
Part 2 of 3: Avoid Emotional Hunger
Step 1. Distinguish between emotional and physical hunger
You may be surprised to find that emotional hunger can easily disguise itself as physical hunger. Recognizing the differences can help you make appropriate food choices. Here are some aspects in which the two types of hunger differ:
- Physical hunger develops slowly, while emotional hunger develops suddenly and immediately.
- Physical hunger is not aimed at a specific food, while emotional hunger can manifest itself as an intense desire for something particular.
- Emotional hunger can be triggered by boredom, unlike physical hunger. Try to keep yourself busy in a different activity. If the feeling of hunger disappears, it means that it was only emotional. If it persists it could be physical.
Step 2. Calm specific cravings
Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed by the craving for a particular food. Responding to such a stimulus is correct, provided however that you recognize that it is an emotional need and not true hunger.
- Indulge in a small amount of the much desired food. Do you have a craving for french fries? Order a small portion and enjoy it slowly. Do you dream of chocolate? Eat two small squares of dark chocolate between sips of tea or coffee.
- Make smart substitutions. Craving some savory fries? Try replacing them with salted nuts, it will satiate your craving for salt while also offering you healthy proteins and fats, able to keep you full for longer. Your desire to nibble may be appeased for longer. Craving some fried chicken? Try breading the chicken and baking it in the oven, you'll get a texture similar to that of fried chicken. If you're watering about something sweet, choose fresh, ripe and seasonal fruit.
Step 3. Delay food intake
When you start to feel the urge to snack, try to extend the wait a bit. Here are some methods that can reduce the feeling of hunger while waiting for the meal:
-
Smell the fruit.
Smell an apple or banana, you may temporarily satisfy your hunger.
-
Look at the blue color.
The blue color acts as a hunger inhibitor, while red, orange and yellow increase appetite. Immerse yourself in the blue as you edit your food timetable.
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Take a walk.
If you feel like a snack, try walking for 15 minutes, preferably outdoors. You will distract yourself from your desire and benefit from the movement made.
Step 4. Reduce your stress levels
An increase in stress forces the body to produce more cortisol, causing the feeling of hunger. Reducing stress can decrease cortisol amounts and make you feel less hungry. Here are some tips on this:
- Listen to some music. Many people find it therapeutic. Create a relaxing playlist, and pause your mind by listening to it periodically.
- Laugh more. Laughing reduces stress and makes you feel happier. The next time you feel hungry related to stress, call your wittiest friend or watch a hilarious video on YouTube.
- Meditate or pray. Feeding your spiritual side through meditation or prayer can help you reduce stress. Reserve time each day in which you can calm your thoughts in solitude.
- Exercise. Exercise can help reduce stress and eliminate hunger related to boredom. When it comes to physical and emotional health, even a simple daily 30-minute walk can make a noticeable difference.
Step 5. Get enough sleep
Sleep is beneficial for both physical and mental health. It can help you reduce your stress levels, manage it more effectively, and have better overall health. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
Part 3 of 3: Identifying Any Pathologies
Step 1. Avoid hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can make you feel hungry. It can also cause tremors and dizziness. You can test your sugar levels with a blood glucose meter, or treat the effects of hypoglycemia by changing your diet.
- Have small, frequent meals.
- Avoid foods high in sugar. While a "low sugar" level may make you believe you need it, the solution is not contained in foods that are high in sugar. Instead, choose those foods that guarantee a constant and prolonged release of energy.
Step 2. Get tested for diabetes
If you are always hungry, you may have type 2 diabetes. This is caused by the inability of cells to use insulin to extract sugar from nutrients and allow it to enter the bloodstream.
Since your body isn't getting adequate nutrition, it sends a signal to your brain asking for additional amounts of food
Step 3. Get a thyroid test
Hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid is over-functioning, can be an additional cause of constant hunger. The thyroid controls metabolism, the rate at which your body processes food. An overactive thyroid processes food too quickly, causing the body to need it further.
Step 4. Be aware of any eating disorders
If you are constantly feeling hungry because you are not getting adequate nutrition, you may be suffering from an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Undergoing extreme diets can also be considered a form of anorexia. If your body weight is low, you are dissatisfied with your appearance and have eating problems, or if you force yourself to vomit after eating, seek immediate help from a mental health professional.
