Feeling Hungry After Eating: Why It Happens and What to Do

Often, hunger results from an inadequate diet that lacks protein or fiber. But it could also be due to hormone issues like leptin resistance, or your daily lifestyle.
Hunger is your body’s way of letting you know it needs more food.
However, many people feel hungry even after eating. Many factors, including your diet, hormones, or lifestyle, can explain this phenomenon.
There are several reasons why some people feel hungry after a meal.

Meal composition
For starters, it could be due to the nutritional composition of your meal.
Meals that contain a greater proportion of protein tend to induce greater feelings of fullness than meals with greater proportions of carbs or fat — even when their calorie counts are similar.

Numerous studiesTrusted Source have shownTrusted Source that higher protein meals are betterTrusted Source at stimulating the release of fullness hormones, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), cholecystokinin (CCK), and peptide YY (PYY).
Also, if your diet lacks fiber, you may find yourself feeling hungry more often.
Fiber is a type of carb that takes longer to digest and can slow your stomach’s emptying rate. When it’s digested in your lower digestive tract, it also promotes the release of appetite-suppressing hormones like GLP-1 and PYY.

Foods that are high in protein include meats, such as chicken breast, lean beef, turkey, and shrimp. Meanwhile, foods that are high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and grains.
If you find that you’re hungry after a meal and notice that your meals tend to lack protein and fiber, try incorporating more protein- and fiber-rich foods into your diet.

Leptin resistance
In some cases, hormonal issues may explain why some people feel hungry after eating.
Leptin is the main hormone that signals feelings of fullness to your brain. It’s made of fat cells, so blood levels tend to increase among people who carry more fat mass.
However, the problem is that sometimes leptin doesn’t work as well as it should in the brain, especially in some people with obesity. This is commonly called leptin resistance.

Behavioral and lifestyle factors
Aside from the key factors above, several behavioral factors may explain why you feel hungry after eating, including:
• Being distracted while eating: ResearchTrusted Source suggests that people who eat distracted feel less full and have a greater desire to eat throughout the day. If you usually eat distracted, try practicing mindfulness to better recognize your body’s signals.
• Eating too quickly: ResearchTrusted Source suggests that fast eaters tend to feel less full than slow eaters due to a lack of chewing and awareness, which are linked to feelings of fullness. If you’re a fast eater, aim to chew your food more thoroughly.
• Feeling stressed: Stress raises the hormone cortisol, which may promote hunger and cravings. If you find that you’re often stressed, try incorporating yoga or meditation into your weekly routine.
• Exercising a lot
• A lack of sleep
• Not eating enough food
• High blood sugar and insulin resistance