Here’s why you’re always hungry…

Your eating habits can have a massive impact on your ability to lose weight and keep it off.

Here’s why you’re always hungry…

1. You’re not getting enough sleep

When our bodies don’t get adequate snooze time, two important weight hormones – leptin and ghrelin become affected. These hormones play a key role in controlling hunger and satiety signals and when you don’t get enough sleep, levels of leptin, (the fullness hormone) are lowered and levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) are raised, which triggers appetite, so you’ll naturally find that you eat more when you haven’t had a good night’s sleep.

What to do?

To get your body back into balance aim for a regular sleep routine that involves going to bed and waking at the same time each day, and prior to hitting the hay, relax with a warm lavender bath and sip on a cup of chamomile tea to soothe the senses.

2. You’re stressed out

Can’t motivate yourself to get out of bed in the morning, but feel so wired in the evening that you just can’t switch off? Your stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol may be out of whack, which has negative knock-on effects on your body. Cortisol messes with blood sugar levels, which sparks intense food cravings, suppresses the immune system – meaning you fall ill more often than usual and can even make it harder to lose weight.

What to do?

Try a relaxing yoga class and incorporate a short meditation session into your daily routine to help lower stress levels and regulate your appetite.

3. You don’t eat breakfast

There’s a good reason that breakfast is tipped as the most important meal of the day. Fuelling up first thing fires up your metabolism and helps to regulate blood sugar levels for the rest of the day. If you don’t eat a good breakfast, you’ll experience waning energy and concentration levels plus hunger pangs all day long.

What to do?

Start your day with a nutritious breakfast that includes all three food groups: carbs, protein and fats. A bowl of oats with chia seeds, seeds and berries is a filling and satisfying choice that will stop you reaching for sugary snacks later on.

4. You’re dehydrated

The tell-tale symptoms of hunger may in fact indicate something else entirely –

and you could be noshing for completely the wrong reason. Headaches, tiredness and lack of energy could be a sign you’re actually dehydrated, not hungry. We often confuse the two (as the signs are so similar), so it’s important to keep well-hydrated throughout the day.

What to do?

We can easily forget the need to stay hydrated, so keep a bottle of water with you at work and when you’re out and about so you’ll have a constant reminder to guzzle. If you still feel hungry after drinking, have a light snack in-between meals such as oatcakes and hummus or a handful of nuts and an apple – to keep you ticking over until your next meal.

5. You’re emotionally down

Gorging on comfort food when you feel down in the dumps is a common problem. We often use food as a quick-fix but caving into cravings can make us feel worse in the long run.

What to do?

It can be difficult to break an emotional eating habit, but putting some strategies in place can help. Try to be aware and present when you’re eating, as being more mindful will help you figure out whether you’re really hungry or using food to mask emotions. It’s also worth eliminating unhealthy foods from your kitchen cupboards so when a craving strikes you can reach for a more nutritious snack.