Are You HANGRY???

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Most people have heard of the term “Hangry”, but for those of you who haven’t the official definition is:

Hangry is the combination of the words hungry + angry, and an adjective that describes being irritable due to hunger.

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For those of you who have experienced being Hangry you often regret the things you said to your loved ones in a moment of blind hunger.

It’s ok, we have all been there.  

 

The good news is YOU HAVE THE POWER to prevent being Hangry!

 

Becoming Hangry happens after a person eats a large amount of simple carbohydrates in one sitting (i.e. breads, pastas, desserts, pizza). When these foods are consumed our body turns them into sugar also known as glucose. This is because glucose is the easiest and fastest form of energy for our body.

 

The problem is after you eat a LARGE portion of these foods your blood sugar (glucose in your bloodstream) rises to a higher than normal level. This creates that classic giddy or high feeling you have after eating ice cream.

 

The downside is with great highs will always come great lows. After 30-90 minutes, depending on the person, our blood sugar comes crashing back down from the high level making you feel anxious, sad, lethargic, and even “fuzzy.”

 

Next, our bodies start panicking sending signals called hormones that urge you to find food quickly to raise your blood sugar back to the higher level again. The combination of a high blood sugar hangover (sad, lethargic, anxious feelings) and the sounding alarm of these hormones creates the Hangry sensation.

 

But how do I stop this cycle? How can I be free of feeling Hangry?

Simple!

  1. Decrease the amount of simple carbohydrates you have in one sitting

  2. Include Fat, Protein, and Fiber with simple carbohydrates

  3. After several days of 1 & 2, start eliminating carbohydrates that leave you feeling Hangry even if eaten with other foods

 

Real Life Example:

You eat breakfast at 7am, it consists of oatmeal with brown sugar and a banana. By 10am you are sitting at your desk feeling frustrated and hungry. What could you do differently?

  1. Substitute your oatmeal and banana for scrambled eggs with peanut butter on toast.

  2. If you want to go take it a step further, make a large side of sauteed veggies in butter or olive oil in addition to or as a substitute for the toast

 

Let’s break it down! The first real life breakfast example was completely made of carbohydrates and did not include a fat or protein source and offered a minimal amount of fiber. By substituting the oatmeal and banana for eggs you have incorporated healthy fats and protein, while reducing the bulk of your quickly digested carbohydrates.

 

Adding in toast is a less time intensive way to incorporate a carbohydrate with some fiber since you will be cooking the eggs. By finishing the toast with peanut butter you add healthy fat with some additional protein.

 

Going the extra step and adding sauteed vegetables gives you not only fiber but a host of vitamins and minerals that are important to be healthy. Don’t forget to cook vegetables in a fat, but more on that later!

Now it’s your turn, try these simple tips yourself! See if making these changes helps you feel less Hangry!

 

For more personalized information and suggestions on how to improve your Hanger email today to schedule an appointment!