5 Reasons You’re Still Hungry After Breakfast

If you’re trying to lead a healthier lifestyle, it can be frustrating to find yourself reaching for a snack shortly after eating a ‘clean’ breakfast. However, moments like this can be a useful opportunity to address potential flaws in your efforts. Finding yourself always hungry after breakfast is a sign that you’re not eating the right nutrients, or that you’re mistaking hunger signals.

Satiety is the sensation of fullness that signals to the body to stop eating, and prevents hunger shortly after eating. This sensation is in part due to satiety hormones like GLP-1, which influence our metabolic health by controlling blood sugars, enhancing insulin sensitivity and slowing digestion. Knowing the right foods to eat to support the production of satiety hormones will help prevent hunger shortly after eating, and aid in a healthy weight loss journey.

So if you’ve been asking yourself the question ‘why am I hungry after eating?’, keep on reading to find out why, and for a few ideas of breakfasts that will keep you full until your next meal.

5 reasons you’re always hungry after breakfast

There are a few reasons why you may feel you’re always hungry after breakfast. Below are the top five to address first:

1. The sugar spike: Traditional breakfasts like cereals, toast and fruit juices are packed with simple carbs and hidden sugars that trigger rapid insulin spikes. This causes an energy slump and hunger shortly after eating. So, instead of cereal opt for Greek yogurt, and ditch the fruit juices in favour of whole fruits for the added fibre to keep you fuller for longer.
2. Lack of protein power: If you’re wondering ‘why am I hungry after eating?’ chances are you’re not eating enough protein. Protein is essential for satiety. In fact, protein has been linked to an increased secretion of GLP-1 and a decrease of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.¹ Furthermore, a high-protein breakfast reduces ghrelin more strongly than a breakfast high in carbohydrates, and reduces the speed of gastric emptying, reducing the risk of getting hungrier sooner.² 
3. Fear of healthy fats: The idea that fat has no place in a healthy diet is a myth. Skipping healthy fats removes the slow-digesting fuel needed to sustain you until lunch. Studies have found that meals rich in omega-3 fatty acids have a correlation with higher overall feelings of fullness and lower hunger sensations after eating.³ When planning your next nutritious breakfast, make sure you’re including foods like olive oil, full-fat Greek yogurt or avocados for those extra satiating fats.
4. Low on fibre: Fibre is a key nutrient to prioritise if you’re always hungry after breakfast. It slows gastric emptying and soaks up water in the intestine, adding to the overall feeling of satiety. Add berries, nuts and seeds to your Greek yogurt or load up your omelettes with non-starchy, fibre-rich vegetables for easy ways to add fibre into your breakfasts and help you hit your daily fibre goals. For an ultra-convenient option, try our Apple Fibre Blend, which is a delicious cold drink packed with 5.9g of fibre and the perfect breakfast accompaniment.
5. Mistaking hunger signals: The brain easily confuses thirst and hunger signals, so ensure that you’re not getting your signals mixed up. If you’re always hungry after breakfast, you may in fact be thirsty. If you’re sure you’ve had a breakfast rich in protein, fibre and fats, but you’re still feeling hungry, try slowly sipping a glass of water before deciding whether to eat. Pop a wedge of lemon or cucumber in to add flavour, and reassess whether you still feel hungry after ten minutes.

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Breakfast recipes to keep you full until lunch

If you’ve now realised why you’re always hungry after breakfast, but you’re not sure where to start, here are a couple of ideas for inspiration:

• Eggs and Avocado Keto Breakfast: Eggs are rich in protein and healthy fats, so we often recommend them in our Programme’s breakfast recipes that will keep you full until your next meal. This particular keto-friendly recipe also champions avocado, another food rich in satiating omega-3 fatty acid.
• Blueberry and Almond Yogurt: If you like to kick your days off with something sweet, this recipe offers a natural sweetness with its antioxidant-rich blueberries. It also boasts almost 10g of protein and 6g of fibre to help keep you full all morning.
• The Fast 800 Shakes: Our range of shakes were designed to be a convenient option for busy days when you don’t have the time to prepare a nutritious meal. They come in a range of delicious flavours, like Chocolate, Strawberry, Salted Caramel, Coffee and more, so you’re sure to find one you love. Made from all-natural ingredients, they contain no added sugar or simple carbohydrates, and are rich in all the nutrients you need to stay full until your next meal.

Explore the full range of shakes here, and sign up for your 7-day free trial of The Fast 800 Programme to unlock all the tools you need to guide you through a healthy lifestyle or weight loss journey. There, you’ll find helpful meal plans tailored to your goals, as well as recipes for every meal that are designed to keep you satiated until your next meal, so you can finally stop being always hungry after breakfast.