Hunger vs Appetite

Hunger vs Appetite

HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR HUNGER AND YOUR APPETITE

HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR HUNGER AND YOUR APPETITE

It’s leading up to your lunch break at work, you had breakfast hours ago, your stomach is starting to rumble and you’re getting irritable- guess what, YOU’RE HUNGRY!

Compare the above to when you’re on the couch at night, stomach full of dinner, but you go back to the kitchen countless times for cookies, ice cream, chips, you name it.

There is a difference between HUNGER and APPETITE.

True hunger is when your body is genuinely asking for food, because at that point in time it is requiring energy for the many things it is trying to do/complete. It’s okay to feel hungry, and if you are generally healthy it isn’t an emergency to get food inside you straight away, but you should probably eat sooner than later. Below are some of the main attributes of hunger:

  • A physiological request by your body for food
  • Mild discomfort, or ‘gurgling’ in your stomach (just below your left ribs)
  • Becomes apparent with food present, OR WITHOUT food present (EG at your office desk with no food in sight)
  • Hunger will dissipate once sufficient food has been eaten

On the other hand, appetite is the MENTAL DESIRE to eat. You have an appetite when you are truly hungry, but may also have an appetite when you’re not actually hungry. Emotions like stress, sadness, boredom and even excitement can increase your mental desire to eat, and the sight/smell/sound of food can increase your desire to eat as well.

Here’s some general characteristics about appetite, try compare them to the points on hunger earlier:

  • A mental desire to eat food, hunger may or may not actually be present
  • Internal factors like emotions (stress, sadness, boredom, anger) can trigger appetite
  • External factors like a food stimulus (sight, smell, sound of food) can also trigger appetite
  • Appetite may or MAY NOT disappear after eating food

It’s okay to eat based on appetite sometimes, and it’s not anything to feel guilty about. But, it’s good to be aware of the difference between the two, and eat according to your genuine hunger as much as possible.

Eating more in line with your hunger and fullness (satiety) signals will lead you more closely to eating how much your body actually requires, whereas eating according to your appetite too often may lead you to eat in excess of your energy requirements.

Long story short, be hunger aware!

More Articles for you

We work with the world's biggest brands

HeartFoundation
Deliveroo
CSIRO
Women'sHealth
Rolld
Avalonairport
WebjetLimited
Hp
Carlisle
ForeverNew
Livin
Harvey Norman

What People Are Saying

655+ five-star Google reviews from real clients across Melbourne.

4.9 average from 655+ reviews
Marta
4 weeks ago
★★★★★

Jack is wonderful! He is a knowledgeable trainer who pushes us to our own limits, not some textbook idea of what we should be able to do. He is also just a great person to get to know. We highly recommend him to anyone wanting to improve their fitness and strength.

Google Review
Matthew
7 weeks ago
★★★★★

We are in Melbourne Bayside, and we’ve been training with Mia for the past three months and honestly couldn’t be happier. From day one, she has been incredibly punctual and professional. What really sets Mia apart is how personal and supportive she is — she knows exactly how to encourage you to push a little harder while still feeling supported.

Google Review
Harry Lyle
17 weeks ago
★★★★★

Emily Smith is my personal trainer who has worked with me for the past few months. I have never had a PT before and I must say Emily was absolutely amazing and extremely professional. Emily actually gave me my life back as I have been troubled with poor health for a few years.

Google Review
Chloe M
13 weeks ago
★★★★★

I’ve struggled to get into PT. Been a member of gyms for ages, but hated going. Honestly the PT I have, Steven Stocker (Steve) is the only one who’s had any success with me. I’m a very anxious person, so having someone calm yet motivating was the only reason I kept rocking up.

Google Review
Tea Christmas
19 weeks ago
★★★★★

Highly recommend Get Going! My coach Mia D has been absolutely amazing! With her guidance I was able to lose 6kg in 5 weeks leading up to my wedding! But what has been even more impactful for me, was that Mia has been a huge support and has redefined my relationship with exercise.

Google Review
Nathan Hill
10 weeks ago
★★★★★

Get Going is exactly what I needed. Been working with Chris for a couple months now I’ve lost 10kg so far, my body is moving much better, higher levels of energy throughout the day. Highly recommend. The flexibility of days and times is perfect for me being a shift worker.

Google Review
Annie McDougall
23 weeks ago
★★★★★

Working with Bree-Anna has been a total game-changer! From day one, she took the time to understand my goals, fitness level, and lifestyle, creating a plan that was both challenging and sustainable.

Google Review
Leonard Mancini
17 weeks ago
★★★★★

Have been training with Adrian at Get Going Fitness with my 12 year old son at home. Adrian is a fantastic trainer and he was able to get us all on track and achieve our fitness goals.

Google Review
Alisha Komninos
23 weeks ago
★★★★★

Bree-Anna is an amazing personal trainer!! Warm, friendly, and genuinely supportive. She takes the time to understand your goals, align your program to match this, and explains everything clearly.

Google Review
Rachel A
32 weeks ago
★★★★★

Mia D is an amazing trainer she totally understands my goals and needs while respecting and working around my limitations while helping me push those limits and get fit.

Google Review
Taitum Mason
23 weeks ago
★★★★★

Bree-Anna is such a knowledgeable and motivating PT at Get Going. The balance of compassion and drive she has for health and wellbeing has gotten me back into exercise and sport.

Google Review
Khallum
18 weeks ago
★★★★★

Highly recommend Steven Stocker to anyone serious about reaching their health and fitness goals! Training with him over the past few months has completely changed how I feel about exercise.

Google Review
Chris Byass
30 weeks ago
★★★★★

I’ve been training with Jack for a while now, and his dedication has made a huge difference in my fitness journey. He has helped me improve my running technique and overall performance.

Google Review
Liam Ellison
30 weeks ago
★★★★★

I love training with Jack, he always finds a way to push you without making things overwhelming. He explains exercises really well and makes me feel like I can take the exercises into my personal work outs too.

Google Review
Lisa Coate
23 weeks ago
★★★★★

Elvira is an awesome trainer who works you at your capability level and then some. Don’t be deceived by her friendly smile or sweet demeanor, she’ll push you to become a stronger, fitter version of yourself.

Google Review