Why am I Always Feeling Hungry on a Keto Diet?

Keto diet is a plan of eating that has powerful health benefits that emphasize on high fat, moderate protein, low carb style of eating. So many people have chosen keto to help lose weight. Are you naturally concerned about feeling hungry on Keto Diet? One of the fears about the keto diet is the fear of being hungry always.

Here are the 10 reasons why.

1. Lack of enough sleep

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Are you always hungry on Keto? 

Not getting enough sleep is one of the reasons why so many people feel hungry on the Keto diet even after a meal.  Lack of sleep disrupts the body’s natural hormones balance, such as Leptin which in some people may increase the feeling of hunger and Ghrelin which is responsible for causing hunger.  

Sometimes it’s not the Keto diet that causes hunger, try getting more sleep. Lack of sleep can progress into keto insomnia.

2. Dehydration

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Why am I feeling hungry on the keto diet?

To answer this question you need to find out whether it is the food that you are craving or you are just dehydrated. Proper hydration is essential for good health. Drinking a lot of water can help a person feel full. On keto you are dehydrated and you need more water and salts to manage your electrolyte levels.

Sometimes foods loaded with salts help our bodies to preserve water in our bodies but our brains mistake this dehydration for hunger. One of the easiest ways to reduce food cravings is to make sure the body is hydrated throughout the day, drink a glass of water and wait for a few minutes and ask yourself again if you are hungry.

3. Low-Fiber Diets

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Foods low in fiber will always leave you feeling hungry.

Low-fiber food makes you feel starved much sooner than when you are in a high-fiber meal would. Fiber helps to slow the digestion process which will help you feel fuller for longer. If you are on the Keto diet try foods rich in fiber instead of eating processed junk. Fiber keeps you satisfied, this is the reason why so many people turn to it aid in losing and maintaining weight.

As you focus on weight loss on the keto diet, including enough fiber in your meals will keep you satisfied and happy with your snacks and meals.

4. Stresses

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If you on Keto diet and mostly you find that you always feel hungry, stress might be the cause of it.

Stress can turn some people to eat more and some can lack appetite. Some people eat snacks, the more you eat snacks the more you feel hungry on ketosis diet. When someone is stressed the body sends cortisol, which is a stress hormone that makes someone crave for sugary, salty and fatty foods.

The reason for this is that your brain thinks it needs to fight whatever threat is causing stress. To fight this try to deal with your rising cortisol level in a healthier way. There are so many ways to lower your cortisol level such as talking to friends, meditation or even exercising, this will help reduce stress thus reducing overeating.

5. Lacks of Electrolytes and Minerals

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Do you eat all the right foods but still hungry on the keto diet?

The reason why you are still hungry on keto is that your body might be telling you that you are deficient in a nutrient. The body sends a hunger signal to your brain. The reason for lack of electrolytes it is because when you make the transition to Keto diet your body will reduce insulin and your glycogen will be depleted. 

Lack of electrolytes and minerals can cause muscle weakness, cramps, paralysis, and respiratory problems. You need to get an adequate amount of minerals and electrolytes from your diet to keep your body functioning well and also to avoid the need for more food while on the Keto diet. 

To ensure that you have enough electrolytes, stay hydrated and also eat foods rich in electrolytes such as spinach, potatoes, beans, soybeans, bananas, and strawberries.

6. Boredom

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Most people on the Keto diet eat when they are bored; some people eat just to pass time. 

So if you always find yourself hungry even after eating, ask yourself if you are really hungry or you’re just bored.  Eating while bored becomes easier to stick on if you cannot replace that boredom eating habit with something more constructive. There are many ways to stop boredom. The first thing is that you have to realize you are not hungry and are only eating because you are bored.  

Therefore you need to prevent this from happening by staying busy take a walk, go to the gym, read books, visit friends. Also when you keep eating the old thing, over and over again, we get both mentally and nutritionally bored, so try also to change your cooking methods or flavors to kill the boredom in meals.

7. Habits

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A bad habit is another big reason why people feel hungry on the Keto diet even after eating.

People who work long hours a day, working on night makes people with keto diet hungry at night. These bad habits include; eating low-fat foods. These foods digest more quickly leave you craving for more food, another habit is eating too quickly your stomach needs time to tell your brain that you are full.

Every meal should at least take you 20 minutes, watching while eating is another habit that will always make you hungry this is because you tend to concentrate more on what you are watching rather than concentrating on food. If you are on the Keto diet you need to try and concentrate while eating to avoid the habit of eating excessively. Always make sure you also prepare yourself mentally for the habitual eating pattern that will help you.

8. Refine Carbs

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Eating simple and processed carbs that have most of the nutrients and fiber removed might be the reason why you are still hungry on the keto diet.

Ketosis diet contains hidden carbs or refined carbs. Eating refined carbs will always make you want more food on the keto diet. The body digests the refined carbs quickly because the refined carbs include soda, candy and baked goods which are made from processed sugar. This is one of the reasons why you always feel hungry on the keto diet.

9. A lot of exercises

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Are you on the keto diet? Do you always feel hungry on a keto diet after taking a meal?

The reason for that is that you might be exercising a lot. Doing exercise frequently burns a lot of calories in your body thus making you hungry. People who exercise frequently eat more food to fuel their workouts.

A lot of exercise causes dehydration and if someone doesn’t drink enough water, before, during and after your workout, you are going to feel hungry because a lot of calories have been burnt. The solution is to reduce the time you spend exercising or you can reduce the intensity of your workout.

10. Lack of enough protein

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Conclusion

The above reasons are just a few reasons that you might be feeling hungry on keto. In many cases even after a meal, hunger is all in your mind. Try to do keto diet correctly this problem should be the thing of the past. Keto is the best diet for managing your appetite to help you in weight loss. This is because it triggers the hormones that cause hunger. We need to manage and understand our hunger.