Photographed by Ben Ritter.
We learned a lot in college: time management, how to make an argument stronger, the art of making boxed-wine-drinking classy. But, we also learned that if you give us a boat load of stress, we're gonna eat our way through it. Ditto on times when we're just kind of bored and/or procrastinating. Now that we're full-grown adults, though, we can't so easily chalk up our bad eating habits to stress and boredom. Instead, we've gotta be on the lookout for the sneakier causes of hunger that stem from our everyday lives.
One major cause? Not enough sleep. Since a lack of sleep has been linked to higher levels of ghrelin (the hormone that triggers hunger), we often feel hungry when we're really exhausted. Plus, a tired body naturally craves carbs and calories, since our bodies are searching for alternative sources of energy. A better night's sleep could mean smarter choices for breakfast or at least less snacking between breakfast and lunch.
Though we've been using it as an excuse for years, it turns out that premenstrual syndrome actually is a huge cause of hunger. During this time, progesterone increases, which boosts both your appetite and that general dissatisfaction you have with your body. See? We're biologically engineered to eat a lot in the few days leading up to our periods — and feel awful about it.
Check out the full list of sneaky hunger causes so you can better navigate your cravings. Though, we're pretty sure we're still going to feel totally guilty of all that PMS eating. (Huffing Post)
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