Hunger, Haste, and Hanger: What to Do When It Hits

watson2wellness
Jul 4
3 min read

You’ve been in the airport for two hours, crawling through security. The gate's finally in sight, boarding has started, and your stomach is growling. You didn’t have time to grab real food—and the scent of a nearby Cinnabon hits you like a sugar-soaked freight train.

Ten minutes later, you’re on the plane, hands sticky, riding a cinnamon high, unsure what just happened.

Sound familiar?

When we’re rushed, overwhelmed, and thrown into unfamiliar spaces, hunger can feel like a five-alarm fire. But here’s the truth:

🔥 Hunger is not an emergency. It might feel like one—but in most cases, you are OK.

Let’s break down what’s really happening and what you can do differently next time.

⚙️ The Physiology of Panic-Hunger

When your blood sugar dips, your body releases adrenaline—your “fight or flight” hormone. It doesn't just make you hungry. It makes you feel anxious, frantic, irritable.

That buzzed, ungrounded feeling? It’s not just hunger—it’s a full-body chemical reaction.

It gets worse if you’ve been feeding your system sugar and caffeine on repeat (hello, donut and coffee loop). Many of us aren’t used to being truly hungry—we’re used to immediate food access, anytime, anywhere. So when discomfort shows up, our brain hits the panic button.

🧠 How Lean People Think Differently

Through coaching, we’ve seen patterns in how those who maintain a healthy relationship with food react:

They check in: Am I really hungry—or just stressed, bored, or tired?
If they’re hungry, they eat—just enough to feel satisfied.
If food’s not available, they stay calm, knowing their next meal isn’t far away.

They understand that hunger is a signal—not a crisis.

💡 What You Can Practice

Try these steps the next time you feel that hanger creeping in:

Pause. Are you physically hungry—or just reacting to emotions, habit, or adrenaline?
Breathe. Literally. Slow breathing settles your stress response.
Rate It. On a 1–10 discomfort scale: Is it mild or intolerable? If it’s under a 5, keep breathing and stay curious.
Choose. Ask: What’s the most thoughtful, self-aware choice I can make right now? That might still be a cinnamon roll—but you’ll own it consciously.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about self-awareness and reclaiming your power in the moment.

🪞 The Mirror Metaphor: What Food Reveals About Life

Your relationship with food is rarely just about calories and nutrients. It’s a mirror—a powerful reflection of your deeper values, habits, and needs.

“Food is love. Food is control. Food is pleasure. Food is comfort.”

Sound familiar?

Whether it’s skipping workouts because you “don’t deserve the time” or eating secretly because you feel shame—you might find that your habits around food and fitness are echoing bigger life themes.

When you reflect on your patterns, ask yourself:

What does this say about how I value myself?
What needs am I trying to meet in this moment?
Where else in life do I feel similarly?

🔁 One Client’s Realization

A client once told me: “I thought we were eating healthy as a couple… but my body disagreed. I realized I was constantly compromising on food to keep my partner happy.”

Her transformation began not just with what was on her plate—but by choosing to speak up, define her needs, and ask for something different. Food became the first step toward stronger communication in her relationship.