01/05/2026
If you’re eating regularly but still feel constantly hungry, unsatisfied, or crashing after meals, there’s a handful of potential reasons why ⬇️
It’s usually one (or more) of these:
- Not eating enough at meals: we’ve been taught to eat less, to portion control, etc., but this can sometimes backfire and leave us feel unsatisfied, only to feel hungry shortly after or placing us at greater risk of overeating; try eating til you’re 80% full!
- Missing key macronutrients (especially protein + fat): most are not eating enough protein, fiber, and fat! These are the KEYS to feeling full and satisfied — one of nutrition’s greatest tools! I see this a TON in my work, and 93% of us are metabolically unhealthy which makes it that much more problematic (see the next bullet)
- Blood sugar instability: if your blood sugar is unstable by overdoing it on refined carbs or eating your carbs naked, this may cause post meal crashes or feeling ravenous throughout the day. Be sure to focus on blood sugar stability!
- Dysregulated hunger hormones (or hormones in general): hormones like leptin and grehlin, our hunger hormones, and even insulin and cortisol can affect our appetite and feelings of fullness — leptin tells us when we’re full, grehlin tells us when we’re hungry — these are sensitive to issues like poor sleep, cortisol dysregulation, and more.
- Poor digestion can lead to poor nutrient absorption which leaves us feel unsatisfied, undernourished, and depleted — you aren’t what you eat, you are what you absorb!
When your body doesn’t feel safe or nourished, it will keep asking for more — this is a normal physiological signal! We too often chalk it up to a lack of discipline or self control; be patient with yourself and work towards identifying the underlying driver.
