08/06/2023
The absence of hunger signaling is your body's way of alerting you that your metabolic health and hormones are in need of major support. Not a badge of honor.
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We were designed to experience consistent, biological hunger cues; we WANT to experience hunger. Don't mistake a lack of hunger cues for anything else.
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It's not uncommon for me to meet women that often skip breakfast and claim either that they're "never hungry" or believe that a prolonged fast is the key to reviving their metabolic health.
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And, in a culture that perpetuates the idea that optimal health is achieved by eating less and doing more, I also see too many women associating “success” with a lack of hunger or prolonged periods of eating.
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Of course, most women practicing these behaviors do so with the intention that they will improve their health.
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Unfortunately, more often than not, inconsistent eating patterns and prolonged fasts directly contribute to unfavorable symptoms and overall physiological dysfunction.
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Irregular meal timing and prolonged fasts put a significant amount of stress on a woman's body and directly disrupts blood sugar balance and cortisol (our primary stress hormone) pattern.
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〰️ Low blood sugar leads to increased stress hormones.
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Immediate impacts might include symptoms like brain fog, mood issues, low energy, fatigue, anxiety, sugar cravings, over-eating at meals, and digestive symptoms.
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Long term, the stress of erratic eating on the body can lead to imbalanced s*x hormones, poor metabolic health, poor thyroid function, weight gain/stubborn weight loss, heavy/irregular periods, and more.
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Chronic meal skipper? It’s not surprising you don’t feel hungry. Your body has likely adapted and become accustomed to the presence of stress hormones.
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Can you relate? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!