I have decided I could only keep my deepest and darkest secret from you for so long. It was last night, after reflecting on my behavior, that I felt compelled enough to finally tell you the real truth. There is a real reason why I make sure I eat frequently, regardless of my hunger level. It’s to keep myself from getting hungry (duh). Many health professionals would agree that this would definitely help to keep my metabolism revved up and ready to go to keep my energy levels stable throughout the day.
However, I don’t eat frequently for myself.
I do it for the safety of others.
Ever since I was young, regardless of the situation, when I got hungry, I got crabby. Okay, that’s an understatement. Have you seen the movie The Hulk? I have not, but I have a very vivid picture of a green monster with scary angry eyes glaring into every person’s eyes he meets. Minus the ripping off of my clothes and actually turning green, I could actually be the Hulk when I am hungry. Words fly out of my mouth, angry scowls are made, my voice actually gets louder, and people become afraid of this Mr. Hyde like person I have become.
::sigh:: I am so ashamed.
I waited too long to eat dinner yesterday. After a pretty busy morning, the Husband and I decided we would go see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — which is a whole other story in and of itself. I’m probably going to have nightmares from that movie for at least three weeks. On the way home, I had the overwhelming sense of just how hungry I was. We had eaten lunch around 11:45, and here it was, at 6:30 and I had yet to eat. Thinking back, I think I actually growled at the Husband — which now makes me think about a little boy that used to be in the pre-school class I used to teach. He always growled at everyone. I’m wondering now if he was always just hungry. I could have hooked the kid up with some extra cheese and crackers. Poor Joseph…
However, after my animalistic rage that made Charlie’s tail permanently go between his legs for the night, I stumbled upon an actual reason why people get cranky when they’re hungry — because, I know I can’t be the only one out there that his happens to.
I came across a great article on Health.com about recent research that has been done to determine why hungry people get cranky and aggressive. Long story short, when your body becomes stressed and hungry, your serotonin levels fall. Sounds pretty innocent huh? What if I told you serotonin levels in your brain help people to control their anger and aggression? Well, that to me sounds like a perfect excuse for me to pull out when someone lovingly asks me why I am so crabby when I get hungry.
::ahem:: Husband.
Instead of barking back at this said person that my parents warned him about this before we got married and that he knew what he was getting himself into, I can calmly (or not so calmly) remind others that my serotonin levels are off and I am incapable of making sound decisions at the moment.
Oh, and to get me some freaking food for goodness sake!
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Hahaha love this post- a hangry Khushboo is not a fun Khushboo either! Too bad we can’t walk around with a warning label…I’m sure it would save us from unnecessarily dishing out profane language
!
I am the same way, which is why I do not do well on these 1000-1200 calorie a day diets. No way. I’d be a raging B and my family would want to call for an exorcism.
Now I can come back with a reason WHY people should not eat 1000-1200 calories a day - your serotonin levels fall and it puts stress on your body! Yikes!
I get really sleepy when I’m super hungry…when then makes me grouchy. I don’t know if I’ve ever growled at anyone though
I feel my energy levels dropping too!
You are definitely not alone! When I’m at work I can easily grab a bite if I get hungry, my desk drawer is always stocked with fruit, trail mix, rice cakes, etc. Saturdays tend to be a problem, though, as we are usually out and about all day long. After a few hours, my husband tends to notice that my mood has gone south. It took him a while to figure out why I always got cranky at the same time of day. This lady needs lunch! Somehow men don’t understand female hangryness. (Is that a word? It should be!)
I believe last night my words were “do not touch or talk to me until I get food in my body”. I’m quite frightening.
HAHAAH. I have said something similar to that to a loved one before! I will definitely be using this as a resource when I reach this point of hunger in the future.
Hahaha, I feel like you just described me. I have to eat 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day, otherwise I am Miss Crabby Pants (yes, that’s what my fiance calls me…).
Your fiance sounds like my husband!
Hahaha I’m the exact same way! Except I’m crabby up to a point and then I just go into a hunger trance. I lose all my energy and I just sit there with a glazed look until someone feeds me.
I’ve gotten to that point before and it definitely isn’t fun!
I’m similar… that shut-down glazed over zombie mode… I just get sad and less and less interactive, and really brain foggy where I can’t make decisions or think. @_@ I didn’t realize it one time getting off a night shift until the nice manager at Qdoba offered me a free drink when I got sad that they weren’t on breakfast anymore… sitting there drinking sweet tea brought me up enough to realize what was going on and lo and behold, I went back up, thanked him profusely, and ordered food!
I’m exactly the same….when i get hungry and food isn’t readily available I either resort to A) shutting down and ignoring the world around me until food arrives or B) get super cranky! So eating often keeps the monster at bay….and we all know monster free is the way to be lol!!!
I don’t think I could ever ignore what’s going on around me when I’m hungry! Not possible!
This post made me giggle - or cackle (haha) - because I am definitely the same way. I guess most people must be, but there are some of us who can get super-angry (me included). My parents and husband know that if I’m grumpy it’s usually because I’m hungry (or hot - that also seems to affect my mood)… So turn around and run the other way or I will say some things that I will want to take back once I have some food in me and the beast has been satiated!
In fact, that reminds me, I better go eat some breakfast
Oh my gosh, don’t even get me started on when I’m too hot. The Husband learned during the first month of marriage that messing with the thermostat in the dog days of summer is not a good thing.
No way! I knew I wasn’t alone about the hunger thing, but now I know I’m not crazy when I used the excuse “I’m sorry! I’m too HOT!”
My husband knows that if I say I’m hungry - we better find food immediately. I turn into a complete monster - grouchy, crabby, snarky, everything. We usually keep granola/protein bars in the vehicle and my purse for those occasions when we can’t get food right away. How ridiculous
It is quite ridiculous as to what extremes those husbands will take to make us happy!
I have learned not to let my husband get too hungry. He turns into the meanest man alive! Newborns don’t do well with hunger either.;-)
That’s funny that it’s the other way around in your family!
haha i feel like i could’ve written this… i’m the same exact way. my husband always says he needs to make sure he brings a few granola bars everywhere we go just in case the “hungry ashley” comes out (aka crabby monster ashley).
Lol I’m the exact same way. When I’m really hungry I’ll go completely silent and not talk until I’ve gotten something to eat, otherwise I’ll snap at people. Lol I also refuse to answer my phone if I’m making a meal and I’m hungry.
Um yeah, answering the phone while I’m making something to eat does not happen because then I just get impatient if the person keeps talking when I want some food!
I think this is a mostly female thing…I’m totes the same way but all the men in my life can like skip breakfast, go for 6, 7, 8 hours before even a stomach grumble. Every 3 hours I feel hungry and I don’t eat something around 4 or 5 hours I can get pretty mean! Glad to know I’m not alone!! ps. I’ll even wake up starving in the middle of the night if I didn’t eat enough. I used to try to wait it out but I won’t fall back asleep so I’ve just realized eating some cereal or a banana or SOMETHING allows me to sleep.
That’s how my husband is! I think women are must more in tune with their hormones? I have no idea.
haha when I’m cranky and hungry I always blurt out “I CAN’T HELP IT, MY SEROTONIN LEVELS ARE LOW. IT’S BEEN PROVEN BY SCIENCE” sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t…
Yessss!!! You seriously do this? I love you.
Oh heck ya. If there’s one thing I love most about having gone to school for all this stuff, it’s that I can blame pretty much anything that happens to my body, on science. I do it just as a joke, of course. But it’s still fun!
Oh, I’m such a bear when I’m hungry. I am completely irrational, too. My husband and I have conversations like this when I get too hungry:
Me: I’m huuuuuuuungry!
Him: What do you want to eat?
Me: I don’t knoooooow. Food. Now. I’m hungry.
Him: Okay. What do you want?
Me: I am too hungry to decide! I don’t know! Get me something!
Poor husband.
I distinctly remember a time when the Husband and I were dating when I literally cried because I was so hungry but didn’t know what I wanted to eat. It was like a life or death situation apparently.
I have done this. Cried with frustration because I was too hungry to even decide what to eat! Ha- totally a life or death situation!
I am the same way and my family makes me feel like there is something wrong with me. I get hungry pretty often and have to eat a bunch of little meals throughout the day to stay sane. My desk at work is stock piled at all times because I don’t want to lose my job over being hungry on a night I have to stay late! Otherwise I literally turn into a monster and am just massively grumpy and mad at the world. I will find a way to find something wrong with just about everything around me, except food going into my body. My parents had me tested for my blood sugar a few times growing up! But it’s nice to hear that it is somewhat normal!!
Ahhh I’m the exact same way!! I get SO crabby when I get hungry. I almost always carry some sort of snack around in my purse just in case, which I now realize sounds completely nutty, but at least it keeps me from becoming a crazy angry person!
Yeah, one would think I would do that.
my parents warned kyle of the same thing…our parents seem similar. mine will pick kyle over me to adopt as their own any day of the week. i hope yours like you a little more.
ha! I think my parents feel the same way.
I was being serious about your hubby coming to BLEND! He can just hang out and explore Boulder while you party with us!
I’ll see what I can pull out - although he’s usually busy at that time because his work season starts April 1st. I’ll see if I can work some magic.
It is well known fact in my family that if more than 3 hours pass without my mom or me eating something, back up because we both will become angry bi-atches! Luckily we both carry snacks to avoid these hulk-like meltdowns
I used to blame it on my blood sugar issues, but now I can add in the seratonin fact too- wahoo!
I think I’m the only person in my family like this actually! My mom and I are similar, but she can hold her emotions together better than I can!
I am the same way! Hahah loved this post
Oh Chelsey I am the EXACT same way! I can get really grumpy when I do have my food and my mom gets so frustrated with me haha. That’s why I’ve learned to pack snacks when I know that I won’t be eating for a while or won’t be around food!
I don’t so much get angry, but definitely impatient. This is why I should be like an old woman and keep hard candy in my purse…
I am kind of scared to go see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Really really want to… but yeah. I’m reading the book right now and my dreams have gotten a little weird.
There were definitely some disturbing parts. The movie itself was awesome, but some of the scenes are burned into my mind!
So interesting, getting angry at people when hungry seems to be quite common…I know it definitely happens to me! I always have to take some food with me when I know I’m going to spending a day out of the house. Partly because I’m cheap and party because I don’t want to get hungry. Great post!
I’m the same exact way! I eat all the time regardless of hunger, because the second I’m hungry I’m tired, cranky, and it’s just bad news! My fiance luckily knows this going in to the marriage and is usually the one to encourage me that it is time to eat. haha.
haha nothing like someone reminding you that it’s been too long without eating! I love this!
My best friend posted that someecard on my Facebook wall the other day - and my other friends began “liking” it and commenting on how hangry I get - and what a dangerous situation it can be for THEM. Shame.
I’ll stick by you no matter what Colleen.
Oh my gosh I am the same way! I always warn ppl that when I say in hundred you have about 5-10 mins to find food or I will bite your head off. Yesterday I had a crab attack at my bf b.c. I was starving and pmsing and I has given him plenty of warning! I am showing him this article and everyone else in my life for that matter
im scary wen dinner rolls around and i have no leftovers and im hungry my parents get scared and just say stay away from the witch lol.. now im guna just say but its my serotonin levels! lol
That’s right! Hopefully they’ll excuse your behavior.
That’s me! Which is why my purse is always packed with snacks, no matter where I’m going, or who I’m with.
It just amazes me how off we can feel when our hormones get unbalanced! Serotonin, dopamine, melotonine….agh! I can only imagine at how many people (especially women) are walking around with symtoms of low hormone levels.
I am exactly the same way! This usually happens on weekends when we are out running errands and I miss lunch or my afternoon snack. I get grumpy and even a little mean, which I don’t realize until my husband asks if I need something to eat. After 7 years he has learned that I need to eat every few hours too!
My husband and son become the devil. It’s lovely-or not.
Oh boy - male offenders too?
Oh my gosh, there’s a REASON I get cranky when I’m hungry? Though the weird thing is that when most other people (my family and friends) get hungry they say so but don’t get cranky… weird!
Hahaha…I’m not bad about being cranky or mean when I’m hungry…but when I’m TIRED?! Watch out!!!
Oh I’m the same when I’m tired. If I’m tired + hungry, that’s a double whammy!
I love this post! I am guilty of getting crabby when I don’t eat! My parents warned my boyfriend about this when we started dating!
I think soooo many people get angry when they’re hungry!!! It’s just natural for your body to be pissed that you’re not feeding it properly.
Amen sister!
I have the sameeeeeee problem. Whenever I get grumpy someone in my family says
“get her some food!” which typically makes me more annoyed and grumpy. But, once I eat. I feel a million times better. Damn you serotonin!
haha! I do the same thing! I like to be the one to point out I’m crabby, not anyone else!
ha! i love this post because i am the EXACT same way. the second i boast a little bit of attitude or start being at all cranky, the first comment is “uh-oh… kathleen must be hungry…”
Getting Hangry is no fun at all. I always try to keep snacks in my purse to protect others from me getting hangry.
I am exactly the same way! I am quite embarrassed of it because I kind of throw mini 3-year-old style tantrums until I get some food. It gets really bad, and I can’t control it, when I need to eat I need to EAT!!
Uh, yeah - it is quite embarrassing to admit!
I am the same way! I know even before my stomach does when I am getting hungry because my mood totally changes! Hello, irritability.
I get SO cranky when I’m hungry or when I’m thirsty - and I’m bad, because I don’t gradually get hungry or thirsty - one minute I’m fine and the next bam! My ex used to say that it doesn’t give him any warning time because I’d be fine and then I’d be like “Get me some FOOD!”. I also get low blood sugar so I have to be careful. But hey anything that gives me an excuse to eat more I’m happy with!
haha - mine isn’t gradual at all either. One second I’m happy, the next I’m crazy!!!
I’m the same, I get super crabby if I don’t eat every couple of hours. I feel bad after it happens but in the heat of the moment, I just can’t help it, I need food!
Girl everyone!! gets cranky and irritable when waiting too long to eat. And as a mom, I’ve learned if there is one thing than can DERAIL things with a child, it’s when they get hungry. They burn so much, so fast, when they’re playing and they can go from happy to hungry and cranky in like 3 minutes flat..thus, having snacks at the ready is Key!
Oh yes, moms have to be prepared!!! Apparently my mom should still be prepared and her child is 24!
love the title of this post.
it’s literally been since 1999 that i’ve heard my stomach growl, until just last week.
much of that relates to my former bulimia.
i don’t even know what else to say other than, i totally get your crabbiness! i’m the same way but can normally kill it with a martini.
mmm how about a mojito?
Haha this made me laugh because I am the exact same way! It blows my mind that my husband can go hours without thinking of food if he is in the middle of something. Me? The whole world stops….yes stops…until I feed my hunger beast!
My husband is the EXACT same way. I do not understand how he functions!!!
Haha! I was starved yesterday by dinner too and was NOT very happy with the bf’s inability to decide where he wanted to eat… because I obviously couldn’t even think straight, let alone decide where to eat!
I totally get cranky when I’m too hungry. I’m worse though when I’m too hot. My mom is the exact same way and my poor husband had to learn early to be extra patient with me in the summer!
Ugh, I’m no fun in the heat either - Okay, I take that back. I can handle the heat when I’m outside, but if it’s hot in the house, all bets are off!
Girl, I’m totally with you. I like to think of myself as a pretty pleasant and fun person who could even be considered a joy to be around… until I get hungry. Then it’s like, get out of my way you stupid a** because Mama needs some food and I will rip your head off if you even so much as try to talk to me right now! Kinda scary. In fact I think I’m worse when I’m hungry than when I’m PMS-ing. Now if the two of those were to (heaven forbid) combine some day, watch out! She-devil will appear and everyone is fair game
bahaha! I loved your play by play. That was awesome.
Love this post! I am the same way; my whole family knows when it’s time to feed Sarah!
I get completely grumpy when I don’t eat! It’s funny how many people have this problem!
I definitely have a few friends like this — I generally just accept it of them and love them anyway! And get them food ASAP
I suppose I can feel the same way sometimes, but not quite to that extreme
Consider yourself so lucky.
So we need to both make sure we are well fed when I visit. I get MEAN when I’m hungry too. I hate when I do because its usually times with the kids.
yep I can relate to this, from dealing with an eatng disorder for s many years and realising now what starvation does to the brain. Thankfully now I am not quite so irratable
Thank you for giving me an excuse to justify my hunger rage! When I go more than 5-6 hours without food I go into total bitch mode. Now I’m going to scream “my seratonin levels are falling” though and maybe that will help convince the husband how important it is I get some food!
LOL…I had to laugh at this post! I act the exact same when I’m hungry….now I know why!
I’ve always wondered why I morph into a cranky toddler in the midst of a tantrum if I skip lunch. Now I know! Hooray for another reason to make sure I eat every 3 hours!!
I have hypogycemia so I always have to make sure I eat constantly or my blood sugar drops too low. I also get super cranky! I always thought it was just me, so I am glad to know I am not the only one
now maybe my husband will believe me!
I just found your blog, Chelsey, and I love it! Partially because I am the EXACT same way when I go for too long without food. I get so grumpy! My family, boyfriend, and friends all know that when I am grumpy either put me down for a nap or feed me. Or feed me, then put me down for a nap.
Anyway, I also swam and played water polo, so I was excited to see you did too. I can’t wait to read more!
Don’t feel bad, I am the same way! If I go more than 4 hours (tops!) without eating my mood quickly changes to hulk status and.. yes… lurking out at people does happen. Good to know I have an excuse for eating so often
p.s. - I made your People Pleaser Dip recently with a few minor changes and OH MY GOODNESS it is AMAZING!
Thanks for the wonderful recipes and entertaining blog posts!!
I get super cranky when I am hungry too. I also start shaking and have to eat ASAP. My husband will come home and be like “I’m hungry, I forgot to eat today”. How in the world does someone forget to eat?? Its always on the front of my mind!
Haha! I don’t understand how anyone DOESN’T get crabby and aggressive with they’re hungry. My mom handles hunger so calmly and rationally- I have no idea how she does it. For me? WWIII ensues. Embarrassing but true.
At least there’s a scientific reason for it…we’re not compleeetely crazy. (:
I get even worse when I get hungry, I get past the point of anything sounding good. Nothing sounds good enough, and I want something that will be the most *perfect satisfying* meal evah! So I’m not only acting like a jerk, I can’t figure out what I want and just get on with it…I am actually an awful person when I’m hungry and I try not to let it get to THAT point.
I am the SAME WAY when I’m hungry. (So are my mom, my sister, and several of my aunts and cousins.) It’s nice to know there’s a scientific explanation for it!
Never thought about it that way, but it’s such a good point! Yay for food
omg I am SO glad I stumbled on this post! This happens to me ALL THE TIME and I never knew why! Just last Friday, I had my internship for the first time ever and for some reason, I never left to go get anything to eat all day… I didn’t eat anything from 7am to 9pm when I got home, and when I left my internship at 6pm I called my mom hysterically crying and yelling for some stupid reason, which definitely wouldn’t have happened if I had eaten something!! I shall be bringing snacks with me from now on!
This would be me as well!
I am so glad I ran into your blog. I have had this problem for years and recently have started eating small portions several times a day. I also use a hunger scale of 1-10, #1 being starving and #10 stuffed. If I try to stay at a 5, I never get crazy, angry-hungry and I avoid overeating. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I get crabby if im hungry too but NOTHING compares to the amount of crabbiness my BF exudes when he is hungry. I think its hillarious.
I go into savage mode when I’m hungry. Were not you when your hungry….grab a snickers.
I think I have figured out why women are like this. I think women are programmed this way so they feed their kids. Children need to have snacks just like their mom. As I have gone about my mom day, I have noticed that when it is time for me to eat to have a snack it is also my childrens time to eat or have a snack. I can’t count how many times I have thought, “I’m hungry… I bet the kids are too.” And most if the time they are. That can’t be a coincidence. Hubby (who can go a lot longer between eating) has a lot harder time understanding kids misbehaving or such when kids get hungry. He use to say,”But they just ate!” Two-3 hours ago to a child isn’t just eating. Children of the world would starve if women didn’t have this (in my opinion).
Oh my goodness! It is so nice to know I am not the only one who goes through this! Except I don’t get angry, I cry
It happened just today. I went over to a friends house and he offered me scrambled eggs. Since I was just starting to get a little too hungry I thought that sounded great… Then, he looked in his fridge and realized he didn’t have any eggs. He offered me a myriad of other very delicious and edible options but, for some reason, I had my heart set on eggs. I politely declined the other alternatives and said I would just go home and make some.
Within 30 minutes, I was STARVING! I told him I should go (not wanting to let on that I can have an emotional collapse solely due to hunger). He somewhat kept talking and I kept inching closer to the door. We made it out to my car and, mid conversation, I felt the tears start to well behind my eyes….I quickly, but sternly said I MUST leave. The second I pulled out of the driveway I had tears streaming down my face. Obviously, I made a beeline for the nearest drive through…
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