Why Am I Hungry in the Morning?
Even if you've eaten breakfast, your grumbling stomach might tempt you to reach for a vending machine snack before lunch. Don't be a slave to your hunger pangs -- instead, choose the foods you eat wisely and stay full all morning.
Even if you've eaten breakfast, your grumbling stomach might tempt you to reach for a vending machine snack before lunch. Don't be a slave to your hunger pangs -- instead, choose the foods you eat wisely and stay full all morning. Talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet plan, especially if you have medical conditions or food allergies.
No Breakfast
If you skip breakfast in the morning, you're more likely to be hungry for a snack before lunch. And when you're thinking with your stomach, you might reach for an unhealthy snack like a doughnut or a cookie, instead of something more nutritious. Even if you're not hungry when you first wake up, eating a nutritious, small meal will fuel your body into the afternoon, preventing you from feeling those mid-morning hunger pangs. Opt for a piece of whole-grain toast with peanut butter, or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk, even if you aren't feeling hungry first thing in the morning.
Unhealthy Breakfast
A breakfast full of sugar and refined carbohydrates, like white bread or a doughnut, might fill you up for several minutes, but it won't satisfy you for the whole morning. Refined carbohydrates turn immediately to sugar in the body, leaving you feeling jittery and unsatisfied. Instead, eat a breakfast that is loaded with complex carbohydrates, which take longer to digest and keep you feeling full for longer periods of time. Additionally, if you eat a breakfast full of junk, you might be more likely to continue making unhealthy food choices for the rest of the day. Start the day loaded with nutritious, whole-grain carbohydrates like oatmeal with berries, a whole-wheat bagel or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk.
No Mid-Morning Snack
Even if you've had a nutritious breakfast full of complex carbohydrates, you may still feel hunger pangs a few hours after you eat. Instead of answering the call with a snack from the vending machine, choose a snack that has a high water content, like carrot and celery sticks, to keep you full until lunch. Eat a snack that contains approximately 200 calories, like apple slices with peanut butter, to keep you satisfied.
Not Enough Water
Feeling hungry in the morning may have nothing to do with the foods you're eating. If you're not drinking enough water, you may feel hunger pangs when you're not even hungry. Before you reach for a snack, drink a big glass of water. That rumbling stomach may have been a signal that you're thirsty, not hungry. Aim for eight glasses of water a day to stay adequately hydrated.