Heat + Hunger = Help!
For me, summer time brings several things to mind: vacation days, pool time, popsicles, and most often…the heat! Believe it or not, heat can affect your appetite. For example, have you ever been at the beach all day either laying out in the sunshine or playing in the sand only to come home, cool down, and find that you are really hungry? This is because your body has to work overtime to stay cool during extended amounts of time in the heat. Essentially, it suppresses hunger cues in order to reduce the heat created during digestion. Thus, when you cool off again, you may feel ravenous and wondering where the increase in appetite has come from! A similar situation occurs when working out. When your body is working hard to cool itself after a workout, you may not feel as hungry. Without fail, however, about an hour (or less) later, you find your hunger cues working in full force! So, don’t freak out if this happens to you. Your body is just doing its thing and working hard to keep you alive and well.
If you are struggling with an eating disorder and trying to eat intuitively, this can be somewhat confusing so check these ideas to help you combat the hot weather and any confusing hunger cues:
Take breaks. Scheduling time to go inside and cool down can make all the difference in how your body feels and adapts to the heat. Everyone needs time to rest from the sun!
Be sure to bring cool drinks and snacks if you are going to be outside for a while. Popsicles or frozen fruit to the rescue!
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate !! Summer is a busy time, so it is easy to forget to bring water. Remember, staying hydrated is a game-changer!
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the heat, what to eat or even feel out of touch with your body, reach out!
Written by Trinny Duncan, Student Intern and Peggy Pratt, PhD, RDN, LDN, CEDS-C
Sources: Herman, P. (1993, January 1). Effects of heat on appetite. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236229/#:~:text=Eating%2Dinduced%20thermogenesis%20presumably%20combines,environment%2C%20all%20things%20being%20equal.