Bored or Hungry?
Sometimes it can be difficult to know whether you are really hungry or something else is going on. Increased appetite, food cravings or overeating can be caused by diet, hormones, emotions or some medical conditions or medications.
Diet
Protein, fibre or fat can promote feelings of fullness and reduce appetite so are you getting enough?
Too much sugar (especially fructose and other sugars found in processed foods) and also ‘white carbs’ such as white pasta, bread, rice etc can spike your blood sugar levels and promote cravings. Early research suggests that there may also be a link between food cravings and too much salt found in processed foods.
Other stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol can also increase appetite.
Dehydration can sometimes be confused with hunger so keep on top of your water consumption.
Hormonal Eating
Leptin and Ghrelin are often referred to as the ‘Hunger Hormones’. Ghrelin is released in the stomach when the body needs more food and Leptin tells the brain when the stomach is full. There seems to be quite a complicated relationship between the two hormones and more research is needed to fully understand this.
Many women experiencing PMT or Menopause report food cravings and this may be linked to fluctuating levels of oestrogen in the body.
Increased appetite can also happen when stress hormones and those hormones that help balance blood sugar are unbalanced.
If you are tired due to lack of sleep you may also crave food.
Emotional Eating
Many emotions can lead to food cravings - boredom, anxiety, low mood, feeling stressed or unfulfilled… Keeping a Food and Mood diary for a few weeks can help you identify triggers and patterns.
Try to recognise the difference between emotional eating and eating because you are hungry. Real hunger creeps up on you rather than coming on suddenly. If you are really hungry most foods will make you feel satiated whereas emotional eating normally involves cravings for particular foods such as junk/sugary foods and you rarely feel satisfied afterwards but often have negative emotions after eating. Also try to recognise if certain places trigger food cravings such as petrol stations, working at your desk, restaurants when eating with friends etc.
Medical
Some medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes and also some medications can increase appetite. Speak to your Doctor if you have any concerns.
Tips
Understand your triggers by keeping a Food and Mood diary for a few weeks. Recognise any habits that are encouraging these triggers and see if these can be changed.
Follow a healthy whole food diet which balances your blood sugars and hormones with sufficient protein, essential fats, fibre, wholegrains, vegetables and fruit and cut down on sugar, processed foods, caffeine and alcohol. Stay hydrated and eat regular meals. Eat your food mindfully and slowly.
Wait 10 minutes if craving food outside of normal mealtimes but not sure if you are really hungry. Try having a glass of water and wait 10 minutes and see if you still feel hungry. Try leaving your desk or the room you are in to break the cycle for a few minutes or if that isn’t possible take a few deep breaths and try to reset.
Be prepared with healthy snacks such as crudités and water to drink, especially if at work or travelling so that you are less likely to buy junk foods.
© C Spurling BA (Hons) Dip ION © GS Method