24 Aug 4 Reasons You Have Days You Can’t Stop Eating

Why You Have “Bottomless Pit” Eating Days

The days when you feel like you are constantly hungry. You are continuously eating and not feeling satisfied. You have breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. This feeling is often referred to as “bottomless pit” eating. I am using this term because it will connect best with you. While this is a trendy term, and this eating pattern may be common, there are clear reasons why this happens and ways you can best manage this out of control eating frenzy! When you understand how your body works and why you feel the way you do on certain days, you can work in partnership with your body, instead of against it.

These are some of the main reasons why you may feel this way.


Eating patterns throughout the day

The amount of food volume and nutritional quality of the foods you had earlier in the day can directly affect hunger and satisfaction. If you are picking at random foods throughout the day, or you are eating single food group meals you are likely not truly feeling satisfied with what you are eating. This leads to blood sugar instability and your body is not getting the nutrients it needs. So while you may be eating enough calories at a meal, the meal may be lacking protein or fiber which helps with feelings of fullness. If you are not eating enough micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) this is another time when your body will be searching for more calories because that is where these micronutrients come from.

Eating patterns throughout the week

If you are eating very little on the weekdays, your body is just simply trying to play catch up over the weekend. This can feel very out of control with food and eating, if you aren’t aware of why this feeling is happening. Going crazy with food on the weekends is often a result of your body feeling deprived of nutrients throughout the week. Your body is always seeking homeostasis and will naturally self regulate with hunger and fullness. However, if you do not trust your body, and are more focused on what everyone else is doing, or being tied to dieting rules, this can be a frustrating cycle. This is why one of the first steps, is creating a rhythm to meals throughout the day for yourself with macronutrient balanced meals.

Days before your menstrual cycle starts

We often discount the work our bodies are doing BTS in all of the phases of the menstrual cycle. It takes energy for our bodies to work each month to thicken the lining of the uterus with tissue and cells. Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) also increases about 8% three to seven days leading up to menstruation. So it makes sense WHY you feel so hungry at this point. There is a greater calorie demand on the body, which doesn’t necessarily mean you need to eat more calories. This is equivalent to about 164 calories, so this is not another full meal, and likely met through normal fluctuations in our diet. Adding an additional snack with protein and carbs can be helpful during this time. Then BMR slightly decreases during menstruation, which is why you don’t feel as hungry in this phase.

Activity Level

If you were more active through the day, even walking more than you normally do, you will likely feel changes in appetite. Everyone is different when they feel the affects of changes in activity patterns related to hunger levels. Some people notice it the same day they are more active. Others feel it more the following day. If you are doing a high intensity workout, your body is in a stressed state. It is normal that you may not feel very hungry right after, until your nervous system comes back into a more restful state. 

This is why I have my nutrition clients journal their nutrition in relation to activity, sleep, menstrual cycle, mood, energy, and other circumstances throughout the day. We have a clear picture of the day as a whole which can best guide meaningful changes and patterns.


Creating a rhythm with meals to your day is so helpful in keeping blood sugar stable which directly affects mood and energy. It is not about being perfectly regimented. It’s about not pushing off hunger too long until you feel completely ravenous. Or skipping meals throughout the day because you are so busy, and then eating everything in sight through the evening.

It’s giving your body what it needs to feel your best and show up more full in all aspects of your life.

 

Join us for Rhythm, you are the beat in the rhythm of your day. 

If you are looking for more individual guidance apply for 1:1 coaching together.