Nutrition: Six signs you might be hungry
I’ve worked with a lot of women over the years, both in private practice and during my stint at a breast cancer center, and it very much shaped how I practice nutrition now. Maybe not how you think, though. It was through that position I learned just how common disordered eating was in women (of any age) and how diet culture can take hold of and influence behaviors around food and body for literal decades. One thing I noticed often, and continue to notice now, is just how out of touch many of us can be with internal hunger and fullness cues. This usually happens when you are used to following external “rules” set forth by diet culture and the outside environment telling you what and when to eat.
Does this sound familiar? I think we can all relate, at least a little bit, myself absolutely included.
Peanut does not have a problem identifying and honoring her hunger cues
A good way to start becoming reacquainted with your body and its cues is to identify some physical signs that may be signaling hunger but aren’t necessarily the typical feeling of hunger. What I mean here is that often the physical feeling of hunger takes a while to come back if you’re used to ignoring it or following a ton of food rules.
Identifying other physical signs that your body uses to tell you it’s time to eat can help you understand how your body feels when it’s hungry. This is a really important first step towards letting your body help you determine how much it needs to eat on any given day (as opposed to diets or food rules). Some common signs to look for are:
Crankiness
Ok, you’ve all heard of the term “hangry” by now, and likely experienced “hanger” at one time or another. Similarly, you may have noticed you are a lot less cranky after eating something. That’s because going a long time without eating (4+ hours) or not eating a satisfying enough meal or snack can result in a drop in blood sugar, making it much easier to snap or emotionally react to something that may otherwise not have bothered you. This crankiness can be more subtle too, so keep an eye out for it!
Headache
When blood sugar gets low, it can impact blood vessel constriction and cause headaches. Dehydration, which often accompanies hunger, can also contribute to hunger headaches.
Fatigue or exhaustion
This can happen anytime, but the most common time my clients feel fatigue or exhaustion is in the mid-afternoon. That’s usually when a second coffee is tempting, along with maybe a sweet treat (or a nap!). This is because you need more food for energy, and the timespan between lunch and dinner is usually pretty long. Having a satisfying mid-afternoon snack (or second lunch) can help keep your energy levels up much better than an extra shot of caffeine, and keep you satisfied until dinner. I usually recommend planning a mid-afternoon snack at the midway point between lunch and dinner, and then adjust as needed once you get more familiar with your body’s hunger cues.
Brain fog or inability to focus
Your brain needs carbohydrates, or glucose when broken down, to function. When you go a prolonged time without eating and your blood sugar drops, your brain isn’t getting the fuel it needs to function efficiently and might feel “foggy.” It’s also common to have trouble focusing on tasks if you’re hungry and your blood sugar is taking a nosedive. Consistent meals and snacks = better productivity and creativity!
Shakiness
Feeling shaky or weak is another result of low blood sugar, and should subside shortly after you eat something.
Nausea
It’s also quite common to feel nauseous when hungry. This can be due to a buildup of acid in the stomach, the contractions your stomach is making to tell you it’s hungry and/or low blood sugar. Since eating isn’t the most appealing when you’re feeling nauseous, but you’re also hungry and need to eat, the best way to handle this symptom is to avoid getting it all together. Or like (I think) Wayne Gretzky used to say, “the best defense is a good offense.” Eating on the regular, and especially at the first sign you might be hungry, can help prevent hunger nausea from happening.
What to do when you experience these signals
Eat! Eating a meal or snack when you feel any of these signs, and noticing how you feel after eating, is a great first step towards learning to understand your body a bit better. I talk about mindful or intuitive eating a lot with my clients, and it does become much more attainable once you develop a better understanding of your body and start tuning out the external noise.
Thanks for reading!