We’ve all been there. It seems like you just ate but all of a sudden you’re feeling hungry again. Frequent hunger is common, and there are many reasons why your appetite might be so big and you can’t seem to satisfy it day to day (or hour to hour). Don’t be discouraged, we’ve got some expert advice and doable steps you can take to keep your stomach full and hunger at bay.
Why you might experience frequent hunger
It might seem obvious, but one reason your stomach feels empty after eating might be because you are burning more calories than are in the food you’re consuming. Hunger symptoms like a stomach that feels empty and lightheadedness can be telltale signs that your body isn’t getting enough nutrients it needs for fuel.
Causes of hunger include:
- Lifestyle (e.g. chronic stress and lack of sleep)
- Blood sugar (low blood sugar increases hunger)
- Medical conditions (an overactive thyroid can increase appetite)
- Pregnancy (growing life demands more calories from your body!)
- Medications (side effects can include increased appetite and weight gain)
Understanding hunger and energy balance
Tracking your diet at home is an invaluable way to better understand why you may feel hungry after eating.
For nutrition professionals like dietian Sinan Ozyemisci, MS, RDN tracking calories in and calories out is foundational for those looking to better understand their overall health and specific concerns, like “why do I feel hungry even after eating?”
“Tracking how much food you eat versus how much you burn, which is also known as energy balance, is a really good grasp on figuring out if you are under consuming calories, which can lead to consistent or chronic hunger symptoms,” says Sinan.
Energy balance varies greatly from person to person, which is why tracking your calories will ensure your food plan is unique to you and accounts for any special medical considerations, like a special diet or food allergies. A few things that affect one’s energy balance are:
- Physical activity
- Body size
- Body fat and muscle
- Genetics
While tracking calories can be a helpful tool in understanding appetite concerns like feeling hungry and how much food you need to eat, it’s also meant to be used short term.
“We never want to get somebody to a point where they have to track how much food they’re eating and how much they’re burning for the rest of their lives,” Sinan says.
Instead, once you’ve had time to track your food and physical activity and notice patterns and any areas of struggle or appetite changes, you’re better equipped to create a realistic diet and start food planning that will keep you on track to make progress toward your health goals.
How hungry are you?
Use this hunger scale to help tune into your hunger levels:
- Uncomfortable. So hungry you lose focus and are weak, dizzy and/or nauseous.
- Very hungry. Irritable, feeling low energy, have a headache and/or are shaky.
- Hungry. Stomach is empty/growling and you want to eat a full meal.
- Food sounds good. Not too hungry but would eat a snack.
- Indifferent. Neither hungry nor full.
- Almost full. On the way to full but you can comfortably eat more.
- Satisfied. Stomach feels full and you’re comfortable.
- Overfull. Some feelings of discomfort and a rounded stomach.
- Stuffed. Uncomfortably full.
- Sick. Feeling physically ill.
Macros can help you avoid always being hungry
It may seem counterintuitive, but eating a lot doesn’t always mean that food is going to keep you full. Are you eating calorie-dense foods like drive-thru meals, which may be super satisfying at first but leave you feeling hungry an hour or two later? Or are you eating high-volume foods — think a large leafy green salad with protein like grilled chicken — that fill you up and satisfy your appetite for several hours?
Similar to tracking calories, counting your macronutrients, aka macros, is an effective way to map different foods, better understand your diet patterns, and answer the question “why I never feel full” after eating some foods but are completely satisfied after eating others. In the case of understanding appetites and curbing hunger, both the quality and quantity of food matter.
“If you’re like, ‘I’m really craving a burger,’ chances are you’re going to eat a burger,” Sinan says. “It’s going to be delicious for the hour or two from that salty flavor, that mouthfeel, that cheesy texture, but the amount of calories packed into that calorie-dense meal is not going to hold the same amount of extended hunger satiety as some of these higher volume foods like lean protein sources and high-fiber fruits and veggies are going to hold.”
Hunger and fat burn
Despite popular belief, feeling hungry doesn’t always mean you’re burning fat or losing weight. While a well-maintained caloric deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn in a day) and a consistent exercise routine may burn fat, there is no direct correlation between feeling hungry and burning fat. However, excess hunger could result in muscle loss, which is why getting enough calories from macronutrients like protein and carbs is essential in maintaining healthy muscle mass.
Hunger can set in when you first start maintaining a calorie deficit as your body adjusts to eating less and a new appetite baseline develops. “You might see cues of hunger as you first get into a pattern if you’re coming from overconsumption,” Sinan says.
Eating every time you feel hungry isn’t the answer, either. An important part of understanding why you never feel full includes examining if you’re actually hungry or if you’re really just bored. Asking yourself, “Am I hungry or just bored?” is a helpful exercise in learning appetite signals and knowing if you’re experiencing hunger or cravings.
Even feeling tired has a big impact on your appetite. Is your hunger coming from a place of needing to feel satisfied, or is your body telling you it needs energy from food to keep functioning?
“When we’re tired or we have a lack of sleep, we’re putting a lot more mileage on our body with less rest or less cool-down,” Sinan says. “It can lead to your body craving extra calories.”
How to plan food so you’re not always hungry
A structure of three meals at the same time every day doesn’t fit all lifestyles. As schedules vary and 9-to-5 workdays aren’t a given, building an eating schedule around your routine is key to avoiding frequent hunger.
Sinan recommends noting when you’re experiencing the biggest wave of hunger and what the two meals surrounding that window of time look like in terms of the volume of food. Chances are, if your meal is a huge salad with healthy fat, carbs, and lean protein, you’re going to be fuller longer because of how much volume is in that meal.
“It takes about three to four hours to fully digest a complete meal,” he says. “It’s going to vary if it’s a snack, what that snack is, how much of it the person consumes, how they move before and after they eat, but a proper meal, a full meal, should keep them full or fulfilled for a good three to four hours.”
Is it bad to go to bed hungry?
Going to bed hungry means your body won’t have enough fuel to recover and repair overnight, so consider a protein-packed evening snack before you sleep tight.
If you’re curious what the biggest meal of your day should be, that’s another really individual exercise. Do you have the bulk of your movement, work responsibilities, family commitments in the afternoon or evening? You will likely benefit from a big lunch to get you prepared and energized for all of that late-day activity. But if you’re someone who’s heading to the office and works all day without a break, a protein-rich breakfast is probably your best shot at all-day satiety.
‘Why am I always hungry?’ Check your protein intake
The culprit behind “Why am I always hungry?” is often a lack of protein. When in doubt, build in a high-protein snack in windows of time where hunger pangs are at their worst. Chances are you’re going to be able to stretch satiety a lot longer so you can better avoid pockets of hunger throughout your day.
How long does it take to stop feeling hungry?
The amount of time it takes to feel full also varies from person to person, but Sinan offers a few tips to gauge your hunger:
- Drink 16–24 ounces of water. Wait a little bit to see if your hunger subsides or if it’s still there. Pro tip: Sparkling water can offer a little more satisfaction because of its mouthfeel.
- Make a small plate of carbs like fresh fruit and veggies. This low-calorie, high-volume snack will give you a good gauge of if you were really craving calories or just needed your hands and mouth to be busy.
- Get a kitchen scale for your home. Understanding what a certain amount of protein looks like is invaluable so you can better plan satisfying foods throughout the day.
High-protein recipes to fill you up
How to know when to say when
Overeating is especially easy when you’re feeling hungry. But learning how to tell when your stomach is full and when you’ve had enough will take some practice in listening to your body.
Sinan recommends two easy ways to listen to hunger cues when eating:
- Eat off of a smaller plate. Try using a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. As you finish the plate, ask yourself if you’re feeling satisfied enough to be finished. Eating to the point of discomfort often happens when we’re eating so fast after feeling hungry that we don’t allow our mind to catch up with our stomach.
- Take your time. Make it a point to savor your food as you eat. Slowing down and taking sips of water every few bites gives you the chance to really feel how what you’re taking in is feeling in your stomach and when you’re reaching a sense of fullness or satisfaction.
More nutrition resources
Looking for more ways to reduce hunger and get support on a well-rounded diet and weight-loss goals? Our partners at Stronger U offer customizable plans that may just be your secret to successfully conquering hunger once and for all.
