Always hungry in the morning? Same. Ah, breakfast. The most important meal of the day they say (does quickly stuffing a pain au chocolate before that 9am meeting count?) Croissants aside, breakfast is a chance to replenish your body with nutrients and energy to start the day. It’s been linked to better brain performance (hello, porridge) and healthier eating habits. However, not everyone starts the day feeling hungry - in fact, some say they have no appetite in the morning and, according to nutrition and wellness coach Marisa Hope, this might be a sign your body is struggling.
The influencer posted a video about this very topic. She wrote: “But I’m not hungry in the morning and have so much energy when I fast!”
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“Not having an appetite in the morning or for hours upon waking is NOT a positive thing. It’s often a sign of elevated cortisol, blood sugar imbalances and a sluggish liver. Having an appetite, especially in the morning, is a GOOD thing 🥳”
The coach added: “Our liver can only hold so much stored glucose, until it needs to tap into other sources for fuel (cue elevated cortisol to break down our own tissues - yum 🙃).”
A real-life limitless tablet.
She went on to explain: “This is a recipe for a suppressed metabolism and hormonal imbalances 🫣 The last thing we wanna do (especially if we’re already on a starvation diet) is place more stress on the body ❌”
She told her followers to firstly “get off the starvation diet” and secondly “start eating upon waking.”
The coach said: “Your morning hunger will return overtime once you start to eat upon waking more consistently.”
She finished by telling fans: “Nourish your body queens” and that “everyone is different & this is not medical advice - but most women benefit from consistent nourishment.”
However, according to some experts, waking up and not being hungry isn't always a bad sign. Registered Dietitian Kristi Ruth told Woman’s World, “It is pretty common to wake up not feeling hungry. This is thought to be caused by a combination of hormones and how much someone ate the day or night before.”
In other words, eating a big meal late at night can reduce your hunger levels the next morning. This was backed up by registered dietician Tara Tomaino, who said: “Cortisol is naturally elevated in the morning. Higher levels of cortisol in the morning help us wake up and get up to start our day. Blood sugar is low after sleeping because you haven’t eaten in several hours. This is normal.
“The liver works while we sleep to make sure that our blood sugar levels remain at a healthy level to keep us functioning, Also, blood sugar can be lower in the a.m. if the last meal that you ate in the evening was high in carbohydrates or refined sugars.”
The bottom line? It’s okay to not feel hungry in the morning, but if you don’t have an appetite and you’re experiencing other symptoms it may be best to speak to a medical professional. Oh, and a healthy and nutritious breakfast can do no harm - your body will love you for it.
