Introduction
Hunger pangs, most often mistaken for hunger pains, occur at some point of time in our lives. Most of us have experienced this.
Perhaps this may be due to some new diet that required you to consume almost no calories, and by day two, your stomach was screaming out for food. Perhaps you were busy at the beginning of the day and neglected to eat anything, leading to major stomach-churning by lunchtime. These are examples of hunger pangs in action.
What are hunger pangs?
Hunger pang is a term that describes the general discomfort caused due to the feeling of hunger and involves contractions of the stomach when it is empty.
A hunger pang can range from mild discomfort to extremely painful, depending on how strong it is. The stomach may feel a gnawing pain or have an overall sense of emptiness. One might also experience piercing aches.
What do hunger pangs signify?
When the stomach is empty, the muscles in the stomach contract, which results in hunger pangs. The brain then receives signals that it is time to eat, causing the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin.
The same will occur if the body’s fat reserves decrease, which is why going on a diet may make a person feel more hungry than usual.
The hormone that causes a hunger pang, motilin, is produced in the small intestine. The sensation of a hunger pang is brought on by motilin, which makes the stomach and small intestine contract.
A hormone that increases appetite, ghrelin, is frequently secreted along with motilin. Thus, an individual starts to feel hungry as well as experience body contractions.
What do hunger pangs feel like?
Hunger pangs manifest as a gnawing sensation or contractions in the stomach, as usual. There are lightheadedness, dizziness and irritability signs of hunger as well.
Are hunger pangs and hunger pain the same?
The recurrence of pain due to hunger is termed as hunger pang. Cramping and discomfort in the stomach caused by hunger are hunger pangs. Hunger pain is the misconception of hunger pangs.
Ways to deal with hunger pangs
Identify true hunger
Hunger feelings are the body’s way of alerting the brain that the energy from the previous meal has run out, and the body must now turn to its fat reserves for nourishment. It is recommended to wait until a person is truly hungry before eating while attempting to lose weight.
Measure the hunger
Hunger is a matter of degree. Learn to recognise if an individual is mildly, very or severely hungry so it helps adjust the size of the meals. But avoid waiting until a person is starving because this results in too much physical and mental stress.
Distract
People should divert their attention temporarily while they are experiencing hunger sensations. This will turn off the hunger signals once the body has burned a small amount of fat to supply energy.
Drink water
Water is essential to keep the body hydrated. Other fluids like green tea, buttermilk or lemon water should not be used for hydration.
Adequate water consumption is necessary to control the hunger level. Many specialists agree that people frequently confuse hunger with thirst.
Snack smartly
Being a wise snacker is the important thing. One can fuel the body properly by snacking. Consuming calories must be done in a healthy way to meet the daily requirements. It’s advisable to have small snacks at regular intervals.
For example, eating a snack every 1.5 to 2 hours is good since people can progressively learn to control their hunger.
Eat protein
This doesn’t imply that a person should eat loads of protein bars. The refined sugar and flavour enhancers in processed protein bars are designed to make us become addicted.
The best sources of protein are those found in foods like yoghurt, milk, paneer, chicken, fish, chickpeas, veggies and lentils.
Mindful eating
Eat slowly and consciously. Satisfaction occurs as a result of slow eating. After a while, even with a decreased appetite, the body will begin to feel fuller for longer.
Exercises that help with hunger pangs
LISS training
Low-intensity steady-state exercises like walking, light jogging, and swimming are advisable to lower and regulate blood sugar levels, which in turn reduces cravings and hunger pangs.
This is because the amount of glucose the muscle cells need to sustain them gradually increases. As a result, the blood sugar levels will gradually decrease as the body becomes more adapted to using insulin, the hormone responsible for converting sugar into energy.
Strength training
The more weight a person lifts, the less weight they may need to lift to the mouth. Lifting big weights and putting the body through physical strain are known to suppress and diminish the hunger hormone ghrelin.
The appetite is stimulated by a hormone called ghrelin, and high amounts can cause overeating or unwanted snacking.
HIIT training
Ghrelin is not the only hormone that affects hunger levels.
Leptin is a hormone the body naturally produces and stores in fat cells. Its purpose is to alert the brain when a person is full after eating. The chance of feeling hungry increases when leptin levels decrease.
As with hunger, overeating, and snacking, leptin also affects how quickly the metabolism works. While performing high-intensity interval training, one puts more mental strain on the body and burns more fat, which raises leptin levels and makes an individual feel fuller for longer.
Healthy foods to keep hunger pangs at bay
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Oats
- Paneer
- Quinoa
- Legumes
- Boiled potatoes
- Fish
- Dark chocolate
- Water
Conclusion
Cravings and sensations of hunger are normal. These mostly happen when the brain works in contrast to the stomach about the level of fullness.
Sometimes a person may get stomach pain around the time when they eat a meal. Food cravings may be related to one’s schedule.
Hunger feelings in the body often indicate a deficiency of nutrients. Choose low-calorie snacks or eat the correct foods to keep the stomach full and the thoughts away from food while occasionally feeling hungry.
FAQs
What does a hunger pang feel like?
How do you stop hunger pangs?
1. Eat small and frequent meals.
2. Increase the intake of protein and healthy fats.
3. Sip on the water between every meal.
4. Consume more meals high in fibre.
5. Do some exercise before eating.
