Do you find yourself hungry all the time? Some of these reasons may be why.
Poor sleep habits:
Sleep is required for proper brain function and also is vitally important for a healthy immune system. If you’re not sleeping well you can be sure to get sick more often and will find yourself making poor dietary choices. It is because sleeping is a big factor in controlling your appetite. How many times have you found yourself reaching for high sugar, high fat foods after a poor night’s sleep? This may be due to increased levels of ghrelin. This is an appetite stimulating hormone that can be affected by lack of sleep.
Lack of protein in your diet:
Protein has been shown to improve satiety, meaning you feel fuller for longer periods of time, and can help to reduce overall appetite. Protein works to help increase the hormones in the body that signal to the brain that you are ‘full’ and can help to lower the hormones that signal hunger. You can use a whey or hemp supplement in addition to your whole food choices in order to get more protein in during the day.
You are eating too much processed crap:
If you are consuming a lot of refined carbohydrates you are potentially setting yourself up to eat far more throughout the day. This is because the body is able to rapidly digest these foods which in turn will cause you to tend to eat more as you don’t feel as full for longer periods of time. Also, eating a lot of processed foods can cause low blood sugar levels which may then signal to the body that you need more food [energy]. Try to incorporate more high fiber foods, protein, veggies and healthy fats at every meal to combat this.
Your water intake is poor:
Those who don’t drink enough water may find themselves eating when they aren’t legitimately hungry. This is because dehydration can mask itself as hunger in the body. So, before you reach for that yummy doughnut, drink a glass or two of water and see if that feeling of hunger doesn’t go away.
You eat in a chaotic environment:
Do you find yourself eating in front of the television, in the car, or while surfing Facebook? Those who ate while distracted tend to eat more. I advise my clients to be mindful when eating and to eat in a distraction free zone. This will allow you to not only fully enjoy the food in front of you but to be aware of the signals your body sends to you letting you know that you are full. Think about it like this. When many people go to the movies they can kill an entire bucket of popcorn, candy, and a drink without giving it a second thought. Why? Because they are eating while distracted and just consumed well over 2000 calories! Try this for yourself and see if you don’t eat less while being in a quiet, distraction free zone.
So what do you think? Can you identify with any of these? What changes can you make starting today to move you into a better place?
Until next time,
Brandon Jenkins
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