Why Am I So Hungry? 6 Reasons Your Appetite Changes From Day to Day

I think we’ve all been there… days where we seem to be ravenously hungry and others where our appetite is MIA.

As I closed off the REBOOT Challenge that I ran last month, food was the focus. In particular, our habits or “default” patterns of eating.

Grab a granola bar here, snack on a few crackers there, munch on a little this and that.

And what I learned in the process was that it’s not just about what we eat but how and why!

Hunger… that thing that fluctuates all the time.

So I wanted to explore that a little here with you, my friend.

Last week, my hunger seemed more “present”, if you know what I mean. My appetite was very present as I wanted more food than usual.

Yet, there have definitely been days where food wasn’t on my mind much and my appetite waned.

Much like our scale weight, our hunger cues WILL fluctuate from time to time, simply because we are not robots programmed to eat the same way, the same thing, seven days a week!

Let’s look at Six Reasons Your Appetite Changes From Day to Day:

Poor Sleep Disrupts Hunger Hormones

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, sleep is an essential player in hunger regulation. Not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality sleep, will impact our hunger. Likely, with poor sleep, hunger will increase as Ghrelin increases and Leptin decreases. In other words, our hunger hormones get off kilter and signal us to eat more… simply because we need more energy. Getting solid sleep can most certainly influence our hunger!

Hard Workouts Increase Energy Needs

If you trained hard on a certain day, whether that be a long cardio session or you hit legs at the gym, you may, in fact experience a spike in hunger. Recovery needs might increase and so your body may be requiring more food to help in this process. It’s quite simple, with less movement, the less we tend to be hungry. Likewise, the more we move and the more muscle we have (an energy-demanding tissue), the more we may want to eat.

Hormonal Changes and Perimenopause

Hormones rise and fall, ebb and flow, cascading throughout our body ALL THE TIME. So, if it’s a week or so before your period, you might want/need more food, which is completely normal. Also, if you’re in the peri-menopausal season, the shifts in estrogen and progesterone will definitely impact your hunger. Estrogen is largely an appetite-suppressing hormone while progesterone is an appetite enhancer. Both these hormones fluctuate throughout the peri-menopausal years, and in that process, hunger cues WILL be influenced!

Skipping Meals and Long Gaps Between Eating

This one is simple but bears explaining. Going long bouts without food is a recipe for ravenous hunger later. Eat breakfast at 8 am and don’t have any lunch/snack until 3 pm?? A recipe for getting “HANGRY”. Eat at regular intervals (3-4hrs) to avoid a sharp decrease in blood sugar and then an intense spike in hunger.

The Nutritional Quality of Your Meals

I’d love to say all you need to do is ensure you eat a balanced meal, but I’ sure you know that already. Make sure there’s a protein source, a healthy carb, and some fat. These 3 macros are essential in satisfying hunger and providing the nutrients we need. BUT… unfortunately, sometimes a meal/snack might be higher carb with low protein (pasta dinner) or high fat with little protein (chips). This imbalance can influence our hunger cues long after that meal or snack was consumed. Remember, each meal or snack will influence what, how much, and when we will want to eat in our next meal. Nothing happens in a vacuum!

Stress, Anxiety, and Emotional Hunger

Our emotions can definitely influence our “hunger”. By that I mean either physical hunger or emotional hunger. If undergoing a stressful situation, “eating our emotions” can be a coping mechanism for many. By the same token, some might respond with a complete lack of appetite. Having anxiety, being highly stressed, or experiencing bouts of depression can leave us feeling hungrier than we normally would be or simply cut our appetite altogether.

Food for Thought:

We are human. Complex beings with full lives that influence what, when, and why we eat.

Hunger is a response, and it is normal!

 After all, when we are hungry, our bodies are talking to us.

We need to respond, listen, and more importantly, understand what it’s saying and why it’s talking!

Questions to Ask Yourself When Hunger Strikes

• How was my sleep?

• When was my last meal? What was in my last meal?

• Am I due for my period?

• Am I in peri-menopause and skipped my period?

• Am I highly stressed and actually need to cope in a better way than grab a bag of chips?

• Did I train hard today/yesterday and have sore muscles too?

Understand that you have control over your hunger, once you zone in on reasons why you may be “starving” one day, and barely hungry the next.

Hope this helped you understand your hunger fluctuations and dial in on things you can do to manage healthy hunger cues:)

Frequently Asked Questions About Why Am I So Hungry

Why am I so hungry some days but not others?

Daily hunger fluctuations are completely normal. Sleep quality, physical activity, hormones, stress, meal timing, and the nutritional balance of your meals can all influence how hungry you feel from one day to the next.

Does poor sleep make you hungrier?

Yes. Poor sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, often increasing appetite and making cravings for high-calorie foods more likely.

Can exercise increase my appetite?

Absolutely. After intense strength training or cardio workouts, your body may require more energy to recover, making you feel hungrier than usual.

How does perimenopause affect hunger?

Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause can influence appetite, cravings, and fullness. Changes in estrogen and progesterone may cause some women to feel hungrier during certain phases of their cycle.

How can I better manage my hunger?

Eating balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates, sleeping well, managing stress, staying hydrated, and eating at regular intervals can all help support healthy hunger cues.

Coach Lisa 💪