Have you ever looked at the clock and realized it’s 4 p.m. and you haven’t eaten anything all day? Or maybe you’ve found yourself eating snacks even after a full meal, wondering why you still feel hungry.
You're not alone — and there's a fascinating explanation behind it.
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| Why Do Some People Forget to Eat While Others Can’t Stop Thinking About Food? |
Understanding why some people forget to eat while others constantly crave food isn’t just a curiosity — it’s a journey into the intricate world of brain chemistry, emotions, lifestyle habits, and psychological triggers. Let's explore why appetite behaves so differently for each of us.
My Personal Journey: From Forgetting to Eat to Overeating
Last year, I experienced something strange. For seven months, I had almost no appetite. I survived on cottage cheese and pineapple, not out of discipline, but because I genuinely had no desire to eat. Cooking and shopping for food became meaningless tasks.
But everything changed after I started taking an appetite stimulant. Suddenly, food was back on my radar — intensely. Some days I forgot to eat until late afternoon, and on others, I would binge on everything in the pantry after dinner.
This extreme swing in my eating patterns left me wondering: What really controls our appetite?
1. The Role of Brain Chemistry in Hunger
Your brain is the command center for hunger and fullness. It constantly monitors energy needs and controls when you feel hungry or satisfied. Two main hormones play a critical role:
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Ghrelin: Known as the “hunger hormone,” ghrelin increases your appetite and signals the brain that it’s time to eat.
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Leptin: Produced by fat cells, leptin tells your brain you’re full.
When these hormones are out of balance, your body might trick you into thinking you’re not hungry when you are — or vice versa.
Stress, poor sleep, certain medications, and underlying health issues can disrupt this hormonal balance, leading to appetite fluctuations.
2. Visual and Environmental Triggers: How TV Makes You Eat
Think about how many food ads you see during one hour of television. Bright, colorful burgers, dripping pizzas, and perfectly plated desserts — all designed to make your mouth water.
Even if you’ve just eaten, watching these ads can stimulate your brain’s reward center, specifically the dopamine pathway, which increases cravings for high-calorie, sugary, or fatty foods.
When I stopped watching TV in the evenings, my late-night snacking drastically decreased. That’s no coincidence — that’s neuroscience.
3. Busyness and the Distraction Effect
Many people unintentionally skip meals because they are simply too busy. When your brain is focused on tasks — whether you're working, commuting, or running errands — it often suppresses hunger signals.
This happens because your body switches into “go mode,” prioritizing immediate action over digestion. As a result, hunger cues can go unnoticed until you suddenly realize you haven’t eaten all day.
If this sounds like you, carrying healthy snacks or setting reminders can be a game-changer.
4. Creativity and Right-Brain Focus
Here’s something most creatives can relate to: You sit down to paint, write, or design, and before you know it, six hours have passed. You weren’t ignoring hunger — you just didn’t feel it.
This phenomenon is due to something called the "flow state", when your brain is deeply focused on a task. In this state, bodily needs like hunger can be temporarily turned off as your right brain takes over.
This is common among writers, artists, musicians, and programmers who find themselves immersed in their craft.
5. Emotional Eating vs. Emotional Fasting
Emotions play a massive role in how we relate to food. People often fall into two categories:
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Emotional Eaters: Stress, boredom, sadness, or even happiness can lead to overeating as a form of comfort or reward.
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Emotional Fasters: These individuals lose their appetite during emotional turmoil, anxiety, or depression.
This isn’t about willpower — it’s about how your body and brain process emotional states. Recognizing this pattern is the first step to managing it more effectively.
6. The Power of Habits and Conditioning
Many of us eat not because we’re hungry, but because it’s a habit. Watching TV with chips? It’s not about hunger — it’s a learned behavior.
Here’s how the habit loop works:
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Cue: Watching TV
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Routine: Reaching for snacks
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Reward: Feeling satisfied or entertained
Breaking this cycle requires replacing the routine with a healthier habit — like drinking herbal tea or doing something with your hands, like knitting or journaling.
7. Physical Health and Medical Conditions
Appetite changes can also be linked to health conditions such as:
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Thyroid imbalances
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Depression or anxiety
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Gut disorders
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Nutrient deficiencies (like zinc or vitamin B12)
If your appetite has changed drastically and you can't explain why, it’s always a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional.
8. Rebalancing Your Eating Patterns
Understanding the cause of your eating behavior helps you make small, sustainable changes. Here are a few tips:
✅ Practice mindful eating: Sit down and focus on your food — no screens, no multitasking.
✅ Set structured meal times: Helps regulate your hunger and prevent impulsive snacking.
✅ Stay hydrated: Dehydration can mimic hunger.
✅ Keep healthy snacks nearby: Avoid reaching for junk in moments of stress or boredom.
✅ Reduce food triggers: Skip food-heavy content on TV or social media if it triggers cravings.
Final Thoughts: It’s Not Just About Willpower
Whether you’re someone who forgets to eat or someone who can’t stop thinking about food, know this — your appetite is a complex, beautifully orchestrated system influenced by hormones, emotions, habits, and environment.
Understanding the why behind your eating habits is the first step toward developing a healthier, more balanced relationship with food.
You don’t have to eat perfectly. You just need to eat mindfully.
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