Keto Diet: Will I Be Left Feeling Hungry?

The ketogenic diet is a popular eating plan that involves eating high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein foods. While it can help with weight loss, weight maintenance, increased energy, and healthier skin, some people complain of hunger when trying to follow this diet.

There are several reasons why someone might feel hungry on the keto diet, and fortunately, there are simple solutions to address this issue. One reason could be hunger due to carb addiction, as the body craves more carbs after consuming them. Sleep deprivation and stress and anxiety can also increase feelings of hunger. Additionally, dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger, so it is important to stay properly hydrated.

To reduce hunger on the keto diet, it is recommended to eat more fatty and nutrient-dense foods, such as keto meats, fatty fish, and healthy fats like high-fat keto cheese. Getting enough sleep and managing stress through techniques like meditation can also help reduce hunger. Finally, staying properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water can help distinguish between hunger and thirst.

Hunger due to carb addiction

This evolutionary mechanism has resulted in carb addiction for modern humans on a high-carb diet. Most people are feeding their carb addictions without even knowing it through chronically high consumption of added sugars and grains. On keto, when we cut out most sources of carbs, our bodies can be flooded with hunger hormones, essentially crying out for the sugar they're used to.

The hunger people feel when starting a keto diet is, therefore, often just a sugar craving. The good news is that this is only temporary. It can take a week or two for sugar-craving yeasts and bacteria in our gut to die off and be replaced. So, if you're feeling hungry on keto, especially in the beginning, stick with it! Your body is simply going through a period of detox from its sugar addiction.

Hunger due to sleep deprivation

Sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on hunger, especially when starting a keto diet. When you don't get enough sleep, your body produces lower levels of leptin, the hormone that signals fullness, and higher levels of ghrelin, the hormone that triggers hunger. This imbalance can lead to increased hunger and cravings, especially for carbohydrate-rich foods.

The link between sleep deprivation and hunger has been well-established. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation is strongly linked to overeating and obesity. Lack of sleep can also negatively impact your health in other ways, such as causing increased stress and elevated cortisol levels, which further contribute to cravings for sweets and high-carb foods.

To address hunger due to sleep deprivation, the solution is to prioritise getting more and better-quality sleep. This can be achieved through various techniques such as mindfulness meditation, yoga nidra full-body relaxation, and breathing exercises for anxiety. Additionally, ensuring adequate sleep of 7-9 hours per night is recommended to maintain optimal health and reduce the impact of sleep deprivation on hunger.

It is worth noting that hunger due to sleep deprivation may be more pronounced when starting a keto diet. The transition to a ketogenic diet can be challenging, and adequate sleep is crucial for your body to adjust to this new way of metabolising energy.

In summary, sleep deprivation can lead to increased hunger, especially when starting a keto diet. Addressing sleep issues through improved sleep hygiene and prioritising sleep duration is essential to managing hunger and achieving the full benefits of a keto diet.

Hunger due to stress and anxiety

Stress and anxiety can be mistaken for hunger, especially when starting a keto diet. Studies show that chronic stress and high cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in the blood increase the hunger hormone ghrelin, which has been associated with weight gain and obesity.

• Physical hunger starts gradually, while emotional hunger can start suddenly.
• You feel physical hunger in your stomach, and emotional hunger in your head.
• Physical hunger comes in waves, while emotional hunger is a sharp craving.
• When you're physically hungry, you're open to many foods to satisfy your hunger. With emotional hunger, you usually crave a specific type of food, often high-carbohydrate junk foods with low nutritional value.
• Physical hunger can be satisfied with a certain amount of food. Emotional hunger often leads to overeating and feelings of guilt afterward.

Tips to Manage Stress-Related Hunger

• Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels, which can trigger cravings and make it challenging to maintain ketosis. Aim for the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
• Manage stress and cultivate a positive mindset. Techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and stress management can positively impact how you perceive hunger and control cravings.
• Stay active. Exercise suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin and can increase feelings of fullness.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger.

Mistaking dehydration for hunger

It is common to mistake thirst for hunger. Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake thirst for hunger because thirst signals can be weak. When you are mildly dehydrated, you may experience symptoms such as a headache, fatigue, lightheadedness, and difficulty concentrating, which can also be symptoms of hunger.

When you transition to a keto diet, your body flushes fluids after metabolizing the glucose stored in your muscles, making it easy to become dehydrated. Your body can mistake this dehydration for hunger.

To avoid mistaking dehydration for hunger, it is important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Let thirst be your guide, or follow the general recommendation to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. If you are drinking enough water, your urine should be very pale yellow.

Additionally, pay attention to how hunger feels for you. Physical hunger grows gradually as the time since your last meal increases. Also, be mindful of possible hunger cues between two and five hours after eating.

Not eating enough fat

Fat is your main source of energy and fuel on a keto diet, so not getting enough fat in your diet can leave you feeling hungry. Over 70% of your daily calories should be from fat, so it's important to make sure you're getting enough.

You can boost your fat intake by adding more fatty foods to your diet, such as fish, meats, nuts, seeds, and avocados. You can also cook with healthier oils like coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil, or add butter to your vegetables.

Another way to increase your fat intake is to make your own salad dressings with herbs, lemon, salt, and pepper, and fatty oils. You can also add MCT oil, butter, and other fats to your morning coffee to create a fatty, buttery keto coffee.

• Eat more nutrient-dense foods, such as keto meats (e.g. ribeye steak, lamb, and pork), fatty fish (e.g. mackerel, anchovies, and salmon), and organ meats (e.g. beef liver and kidney).
• Include high-fat keto cheese in your meals.
• Try fat bombs, which are snacks or treats made with high-fat ingredients like butter, cream cheese, or coconut oil.
• If you're still hungry, have an extra avocado, fat bomb, or a few more bites of chicken.

By ensuring you're getting enough fat in your diet, you can help reduce feelings of hunger and better sustain your keto diet.

Frequently asked questions