Why Do We Eat Without Hunger?

All of us, at some point in our lives, have devoured everything we find in the fridge or in the pantry even if we’re not hungry. And even on the street we fall into temptation and buy cookies, snacks or a delicious ice cream in the summer.

But, do you remember if you really felt hungry at those times?

To start with, let’s give a definition of hunger that appears in many dictionaries and that we use as a reference.

If you look back and think back to those moments we talked about at the beginning of this article, you’ll notice that you felt like eating even though you weren’t hungry.

You certainly haven’t noticed any movement in the gut or, in a more serious case, the decrease in glucose that causes fatigue and dizziness.

The important thing is to notice whether we are eating because we are hungry or not. This will make all the difference and help us to control temptations.

That way you’ll notice how often you eat without real hunger. Why do we act that way? We are strongly influenced by humor and everyday situations.

Situations that make us eat even when we’re not hungry

1- The stress of work or studies

These situations can cause some physical manifestations such as smoking, eating or drinking excessively.

In addition, at these times we can lose control in different ways: the most common is unconsciously choosing unhealthy foods (fats, sweets, savory foods).

You lose track of the amount you consume, eat at the wrong time and foods that are not good for your health.

These “snacks” between meals end up creating more stress, anxiety and even regret or frustration for having eaten too much.

2- Concern for changes

It is very common to hear people saying that they couldn’t sleep well because they were worried and got up in the middle of the night to eat a snack.

Sometimes  we eat to try to calm the nervousness, as if we were trying to calm the stomach noises.

Therefore, it is necessary to identify whether the situation we are living in is stressful or unusual  to understand why we have this desire to eat.

Worrying about something that is not going well and the desire to achieve the goals that this change brings us cause worry and stress. We can’t sleep well, we spend all day thinking about the consequences of this change and this situation can influence our appetite.

3- The media influences our appetite

The advertising world knows very well how to provoke emotions and takes advantage of it to increase sales and to keep its slogan from leaving our minds.

Based on this, seeing or hearing an advertisement for a food product makes you want to eat it. How many times have you seen an ad for a soda and went to the fridge to get a bottle?

What can you do to control these reactions?

• How many hours have you not eaten? If it’s been less than three hours, try not to eat anything, you’re certainly not hungry yet.
• Stop for a moment, take a deep breath and notice if you are nervous or stressed. If you’re nervous, you’re not hungry, but you need to get rid of this emotional turmoil.

• You are watching a movie, a series or anything on TV and you see some food that pleases you. Before eating something or drinking a soda, drink water. That way, you’ll notice if you feel hungry or thirsty.

It is necessary to recognize and accept whatever the reason for eating without hunger; identify the cause and face the situation to find a solution.