You’re Not You When You’re Hungry
Key Takeaways
You’re not you when you’re hungry. The marketers at Snickers know it, and so do you (1).
This study published just last week supports a notion that we already know - hunger has a harmful effect on our choices and behavior (2).
From an evolutionary standpoint, it makes sense to feel “hangry” after having not eaten for a while because death by starvation was a serious concern.
When hunger is high, you’re not at your strongest. High levels of hunger reduces:
Physical performance (4).
Cognitive ability (5).
Decision making ability
To lose fat, the only thing you need to worry about is not getting hungry.
Full Story
You’re not you when you’re hungry. The marketers at Snickers know it, and so do you (1). “You’re not you” is an interesting statement.
By definition, you’re always you.
But when you’re hungry, it’s difficult to be responsible, considerate, and make the optimal long-term decision. Put another way, you’re not the best version of yourself when you’re hungry.
March 2021 Study - More Hunger, More Impulsivity
This study published just last week supports a notion that we already know - hunger has a destructive effect on our choices and behavior (2).
Unsurprisingly, the researchers found an association between high levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and impulsivity.
The participants were given a choice between receiving $20 today, or $80 in 14 days. Unless you’re in some big trouble, the obvious choice is the $80 in two weeks, right? Right.
But the hungry participants (i.e. the ones with higher levels of ghrelin) in the study were significantly more likely to take the immediate $20.
This study has very important implications for our health and fitness efforts. Though it may be an oxymoron, the results of this study imply that the best way to lose fat is by not getting hungry in the first place.
Hunger = Imminent Death?
From an evolutionary standpoint, it makes sense to feel “hangry” after having not eaten for a while because death by starvation was a serious concern. For the majority of the time humans have roamed the Earth, a rumbling stomach translated to “Hey buddy, DEATH is just around the corner if you don’t find some berries or spear a rabbit sometime soon.”
Today, feelings of hunger have less dire consequences. Although hunger makes it feel like death is quickly approaching, the average human can survive not just a few hours, but a few months without food (3).
Luckily, death by starvation will never be a genuine concern for most of us living in the United States. But that doesn’t mean it’s not still annoying to be hungry.
While hunger may not pose a serious threat to our lives, it really gets in the way of our happiness, well-being, and fitness goals.
Hunger Makes Life Hard
When hunger is high, you’re not at your strongest. High levels of hunger reduces:
Physical performance (4).
Cognitive ability (5).
Decision making ability
But to lose fat while also maintaining muscle and functioning in society, we need to fire on all cylinders. We must:
Perform well in the gym
Continue to work/study/do whatever you do
Deal with slight irritability
Make the right food decisions
Sound impossible? It’s not. Sure, it’s a difficult balancing act, and high levels of hunger make it feel impossible, but we have effective strategies at our disposal to make fat loss suck less.
How To Lose Fat Without Being Hungry
Losing fat is not an easy job to ask of the body. Again, for most of human history, storing energy as fat was one of the best ways to stay alive, which is a lot more important (in the eyes of Evolution, anyway) than having a six pack.
To lose fat, the only thing you need to worry about is not getting hungry.
Staving off hunger during a diet is MUCH easier said than done. It’s difficult, but not impossible by any means. To lose fat without being hungry, follow these ten tips.
To Be Continued…
Wrap Up
Being hungry sucks.
On the bright side, hunger is not an inevitable part of fat loss or a healthy lifestyle.
By leveraging…
Certain food/food groups
Eating strategies
Other tricks and tips
…We can make fat loss significantly more bearable and sustainable.
For an in-depth breakdown of every strategy to lose fat without being hungry, keep an eye out for Part 2 in the coming weeks.