To understand hunger first we must talk about leptin and ghrelin. Both of these hormones regulate appetite and hunger, and both of them regulate homeostasis — in this case, keeping you adequately fed. When you try to lose fat, your body will likely respond by modifying hormone levels so that you get hungrier and eat. Your body wants to maintain homeostasis and from an evolutionary perspective, we are designed to hold onto body fat. When we go on a weight loss diet and reduce caloric intake, as the storage of fat in adipocytes is diminished, these cells stop secreting the hormone leptin. Decreased leptin production signals the part of the brain called the “hypothalamus” that it’s time to eat! Leptin can be thought of as a sensor and/or regulator of your energy intake and storage. It is the way fat cells signal to the brain that energy stores are running low and you need to replenish them by eating. On the other hand, when we have enough food, it tells our brain to stop searching for food, at least until the adipocytes become depleted again. The amount each of us needs to eat to get to that level will vary due to a few things, one being our metabolic rate, or how fast we burn the food/energy we consume, and another being the number of fat cells we have. The more fat cells we have, the less full each is, and the more food our body signals that it needs.
Ghrelin’s main function is to increase appetite. Essentially, its function is to get you to consume more calories, and store fat. In addition, it affects your sleep/wake cycle, reward-seeking behavior, taste sensation, and carbohydrate metabolism. This hormone is produced in your stomach and secreted when your stomach is empty. Ghrelin enters your bloodstream and affects the hypothalamus, which helps regulate your hormones and appetite. The more ghrelin, the hungrier you feel.
When we sleep, our bodies produce balanced amounts of ghrelin and leptin, the two hormones that impact appetite and satiety. When you don’t get enough quality sleep, you may produce too much ghrelin. This is why when we are sleep-deprived we often crave starches and sweets. This can indirectly affect glucose levels by prompting you to overeat these sugary foods.
What can you do?
Take fish oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are linked to decreased hunger.
Sleep. Lack of sleep leads to more ghrelin and less leptin, as well as disrupted glucose and insulin metabolism. Aim for between 7-8.5 hours and if you need help with sleep support see my sleep post here.
Try intermittent fasting (IF), shortening your eating window to 8 or 10 hours will help to limit the number of calories you consume in a day. There are a whole host of benefits to IF including better sleep, fueling fat loss, increasing autophagy, lowering insulin, and improving disease resistance. I also find that if my first meal starts later, I'm naturally less hungry throughout the rest of the day. If you want to start slow, try it on weekends first. Stop eating by 7-8 PM, and have breakfast at 10-11 AM (or whatever works with your schedule).
Understand that when losing fat, you might be hungrier. That’s normal. As long as you are getting enough nutrients, eating whole foods, and a balanced diet you can reassure yourself that this is a normal process.
Avoid sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, which can impair ghrelin's decline after eating. Eating plenty of healthy carbs such as whole grains, as well as lean proteins like chicken, fish, and eggs. These foods can decrease ghrelin levels and keep you feeling fuller longer.
Set goals to help you stay focused and try to keep your caloric restriction to a minimum, don't stay on a calorie-restricted diet for too long- get in and out of fat loss mode.
Lift weights! This will improve your hormones, help you sleep better, and help with better body composition and improving metabolic rate (you will burn more calories at rest with more muscle on your frame).
Eat protein. It not only has a thermic effect- meaning it burns and takes more energy to break down than carbohydrates, but it also is satiating. Aim for 0.8-1 gram per pound of body weight (if you are obese, you may need to go a bit lower than this).
Eat fat- Healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, small amounts of nuts or nut butter, grass-fed butter, and full-fat dairy like Greek yogurt can help satisfy you for longer. Do be careful as fat can add up quickly and is calorie dense, but adding ~30% of your calories from fat can help.
Be sure to eat your leafy greens, non-starchy veggies, and whole fruits like apples, oranges, and berries. These are all full of fiber and this will keep you full longer.
Replace longer more intense cardio workouts with HIIT and low-intensity walks.
Stay hydrated. Not only do we need water for improved metabolism and all the cellular programs to operate efficiently, but water will also help with hunger. My suggestion is to drink around 3-4 liters a day.
Avoid dropping calories too low. Going below 1400 calories can trigger hunger hormones and may lead to muscle loss. Focus on getting your metabolism to work with you by doing resistance training rather than just dropping calories.
Have your sex hormone levels tested by your doctor, especially in women over 35, our hormone levels of progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen may change as we get older. These hormones all work together and can impact our hunger signals. Studies have found that progesterone and testosterone stimulate appetite, while estrogen inhibits it.
A few other tips that I have found helpful anecdotally:
Eating eggs for breakfast. Having protein for breakfast sets you up for the day.
Consuming fats with every meal. Fat is an essential nutrient and we should consume a minimum amount (no lower than 30% of daily caloric intake) in our daily diet. I find that spreading this across all my meals helps me stay satiated longer. I like using grass-fed butter, avocado, and olive oil.
Eating warm broth-based meals, like soups, stews, or curries helps me to feel satiated as well. If I'm feeling hungry and trying to reduce calories for fat loss, nothing makes me feel better than a warm meal. I especially love a fish curry with bone broth and coconut milk as the base, then filled with tons of veggies and some white fish.
Meals that contain complex flavor profiles. Another trick I use is to make meals that have different textures and some combination of fresh herbs and complex flavors. Think of a bowl with rice, a protein, some creamy avocado, a spicy sauce, and/or some fresh herbs like cilantro and maybe a scoop of cool Greek yogurt. Having all this complexity entertains my taste buds and helps with satiety.
Practice mindful eating. I used to just rush through my meals and then immediately feel like I need something else to satisfy me. Consciously consuming less throughout the day forced me to actually sit down for each meal and enjoy the food. When I take the time to taste and enjoy my food, not just rush through it while multi-tasking, I'm much more satisfied with the meal. I know it can be a difficult transition, but we are worthy of taking a few minutes to eat without distractions, we owe this to ourselves. The emails will be there 10-minutes from now.
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