I recently ate a big lunch and I feel full (even too full) but I also feel hungry somehow. There’s a lot of saliva in my mouth and I have the urge to go to the fridge, but if I do and look inside then the thought of eating any of the foods that I’m looking at feels unappealing. I leave without eating anything but then I feel the urge to go right back again.
This isn’t unusual for me but I don’t know why it happens. Maybe it’s because I’m feeling anxious and the anxious part of me wants to eat to feel better even though my stomach is full? Or maybe I don’t feel satisfied because I didn’t eat the right nutrients?
Most common reason for this is thirst.
Since my marriage started going downhill my need for treats far exceeds my natural hunger. So maybe you are eating your feelings like i do. Maybe not.
I’m sorry about your marriage.
Emotional eaters unite 🤝
I used to get this sometimes. Turnes out my body doesn’t process fructose well. Look into FODMAPs if none of the other suggestions work for you (usually the FODMAP thing requires an elimination diet, I just lucked out due to weird circumstances)
I feel this way often. I don’t eat very often, so I always figured I was hungry for more than I could physically eat at once.
Some possible reasons:
Nutritional factors:
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Lack of protein, fiber, or healthy fats, which help promote satiety
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Highly processed foods that are calorie-dense but nutrient-poor
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Blood sugar spikes and crashes from refined carbohydrates
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Insufficient micronutrients, though this is less likely to cause immediate hunger
Other common causes:
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Dehydration - thirst is sometimes mistaken for hunger
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Habit or routine - eating at certain times regardless of actual hunger
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Emotional eating - stress, boredom, or other emotions triggering food cravings
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Sleep deprivation - disrupts hormones that regulate hunger (ghrelin and leptin)
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Eating too quickly - not giving your brain time to register fullness (takes about 20 minutes)
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Certain medications or medical conditions
Food composition matters: Foods high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats tend to keep you satisfied longer, while foods high in refined sugars and simple carbs can leave you feeling hungry soon after eating, even if you consumed plenty of calories.
If this is happening regularly, it might be worth tracking what you eat and how you feel afterward to identify patterns, or consulting with a healthcare provider if you’re concerned about underlying issues.
Hmm, it’s probably several of those things at once. The last time it happened was after I ate a bunch of pancakes for lunch while having a stressful day and not sleeping very well.
I had to learn that my body is not asking gor food, but for a 15 min nap.
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Yeah I’ve felt similarly before. I agree with the other though, drinking more water helps.
Do you ever not?
Usually I feel a more normal “I’m full but I could eat more because that was tasty.” I have also felt “I haven’t eaten all day but the thought of eating disgusts me,” but that was definitely a side effect of a medication I was taking at the time.
Since you put a sincere effort into answering me, I will retaliate.
Usually I’m in a state of “I could eat.” This is even true if I intellectually am aware it’s a bad idea. If you put something my taste buds enjoy in front of me, unless I am physically at capacity, I will probably consume it.
I don’t really have a healthy relationship with food.
Samesies. It’s a horrible relation with food. I’m always thinking about what I’m going to eat next, even as I’m eating.
Makes you wonder how ofen they feed this perfectly healthy kid pizza.
How’s your water intake? Sometimes the thirst signal gets confused.
a lot of the time if i am feeling hungry but just ate i think what is happening is that i am a bit dehydrated from forgetting to drink enough water during the day, so i will focus on drinking water for a while and if i am still hungry after a couple hours i might grab a snack. but quite often it’s the water thing for me and i need no snack, just sips!
Are you high?
The answer is probably to drink some water
I agree with everyone saying its thirst. Drink a big glass of water.
Yeah. Because I smoke a lotta weed and get the munchies, even if I just ate.
I have felt full still wanted to eat tasty things.
