Why am I always hungry? Here are a few reasons

Appetite is the signal our body sends to nourish it. The meal schedule is essential for maintaining a balanced diet. But also to not have that constant feeling of needing to eat, not thinking all the time “I'm hungry”. Therefore, we give you some simple tips to overcome this feeling.

Why am I always hungry

Surely you have heard that phrase about the brain being in the stomach when we are hungry. In reality, when this happens, this statement is not misguided: the brain and the stomach (more like the entire digestive system) are connected. The brain, when you think “I'm hungry” makes a record of energy and nutrient reserves and, in case of not having enough, activates in your nervous system that sensation that is being hungry.

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It's biology: from I'm hungry to ingestion there are a series of hormonal processes and, as has been recently discovered, an exchange of information through the nervous system that make you start thinking about ingesting something. Among the hormones, leptin stands out, which is produced by adipose tissue depending on your body mass and reaches the brain to warn of that “I'm hungry”.

Here the nervous system comes into play, because leptin reaches the hypothalamus, which is the place where hunger but also satiety is regulated. From the moment the hypothalamus receives the first signal from leptin, it takes about 20-30 minutes until it starts sending satiety signals. If you ingest something small, after 20 minutes you will notice that your acute hunger has disappeared: the hypothalamus received the “I'm hungry”, also received the signal of a small intake, and in that time it has activated the consumption of fats seeing that no more food is coming. That's why your hunger is quite cut off.

What factors affect when I'm hungry, and how to control them

There are many, but we point out the most important ones when it comes to knowing why I'm hungry and what could be the cause:

• The amount of food may be small. Normally, athletes obsess over quantities, and you may be ingesting fewer calories than you need. Count calories and assess how many your body demands.
• Hormonal cycles. Don't just think about the female menstruation, because men also have their own hormonal cycle. At the peak moments of the cycle, hunger appears more easily and it is more difficult to satisfy it.
• Lack of sleep is another important factor. Because leptin levels (which cause satiety when I'm hungry) are closely related to your sleep time, reducing in quantity and instead increasing ghrelin, a hormone that opens the appetite. Try to rest at least 7 hours at night.
• Your meal regimen may be out of control or poorly planned. The current pace of life causes us not to eat at the same hours or measure our portions. If you practice sports, surely your nutritionist or your coach has already warned you: 5 meals a day, always at the same time, and measuring the quantities both by calories and by portions of carbohydrates. Data, information, is power.
• It is also common to think that I'm hungry because I ate too fast, or because I don't occupy my time. Both factors do not help: if you eat fast, the hypothalamus receives the information of satiety when you have already overdone the intake, so you feel that you are hungry when, if in reality you ate slowly, you are satiated. And if you don't occupy your time, waiting and the “I'm hungry” usually go hand in hand. You don't know what to do, you go to the refrigerator and eat senselessly.
• Of course, there are specific situations that can cause a greater appetite. Being under the influence of medication can be one. In reality, under illness we usually have less appetite, but when applying medication and improving, we have the sensation of hunger, as if recovering lost reserves. Control those moments.
• Water is your ally. Because drinking at least 2 liters daily is synonymous with better digestion and optimal hydration, which prevents you from confusing hunger with thirst. If you practice sports, cycling or any other, carry your water bottle with you.

And, as we always insist, maintain a balanced and healthy diet. Poor diet causes 1 in 5 deaths. Making 5 daily meals, rich in vegetables, fruits and vegetable proteins (controlling carbohydrates to ingest them at the right times) will give you more energy and less hunger.