During a workout, you’re challenging your muscles, torching calories, and exhausting your energy-providing glycogen stores—so it makes sense, then, that you’d be ready to refuel afterward. 

“It’s common for athletes to feel extra hungry after a workout,” says sports dietitian Jena Brown, RD, owner of Victorem Performance Nutrition. “It means your hunger cues are working and it’s trying to tell you that it’s time to fuel to help promote growth and recovery,” adds Colleen Rilling, RD, a registered dietitian with Expedition Wellness.

But standard post-workout hunger isn’t the same thing as feeling uncomfortably ravenous after every single exercise session. And while it’s wise to refuel after a training session, that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable to feel famished every time before doing so. 

Below, discover why you may feel so hungry after working out—and learn how to prepare for success so your stomach isn’t growling louder than your cooldown playlist.

Why Am I So Hungry After Working Out?

Post-workout hunger is normal and common. However, if you’re dealing with an insatiable appetite after every sweat session, it may be a sign that you could benefit from dialing in your fueling throughout the rest of the day, Rilling says. 

But what leads to this unpleasant feeling in the first place? There are several possible causes behind extreme post-workout hunger.

1. Under-Eating Calories Throughout the Day

Even if you fuel well before your workout, if you’re not meeting your body’s overall energy needs, “your body will likely give a hunger signal,” Brown says. “Hunger cues are complicated, though, so even if you do not feel hungry, this may not necessarily mean your body is getting what it needs,” she adds, pointing to the science-backed possibility of appetite suppression that can occur in a state of low energy availability. 

“Consuming enough calories and macronutrients spread throughout the day is the best strategy for the body to digest and absorb all the important nutrients our bodies need to recover and perform our best,” Rilling adds.

2. Trying a New Workout Routine

It takes time for a body—and its hardworking muscles—to get familiar with the challenge of exercise, Rilling says. Regardless of whether you’re introducing it to a hot yoga class, lap swimming, indoor cycling, or otherwise, the increased energy needs spurred on by a sweat session might trigger intense hunger, she explains. (More on this later.)

3. Skipping a Pre-Workout Snack or Meal

Fasted workouts are another common reason for feeling excessively hungry post-workout, says sports dietitian Kelly Jones, RD. “Not all exercise sessions require a meal or snack beforehand, especially those that are low intensity or moderate intensity and under 30–45 minutes,” she says. “Still, regardless of the workout type, intensity, and length, if you’re thinking about food before it ends and often have strong cravings after, it’s probably time to start having a small pre-workout snack.”

This will also reduce the risk of bonking (aka depleting your glycogen stores during exercise), and it’ll keep your blood sugar more even-keeled so you don’t feel famished right after you’re done. It’s also wise to eat before you exercise if your goal is muscle gain.

Instead of going into a workout fasted, try adding a snack with about 30–60 grams of simple, fast-digesting carbs to top off your glycogen stores before you start moving. A large banana (31 grams of carbs) with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (7 grams of carbs) will get you in that sweet spot.

4. Overlooking the Importance of Fuel During Endurance Workouts

Again, not every workout requires this, but if you’re putting your muscles through the paces for more than 60–90 minutes, it’s wise to consume calories during a workout, Jones says. This will help add to your glycogen bank that’s being cashed out by the minute. 

“Most people exercising for over an hour often can benefit from intra-workout carbohydrate intake,” Jones says. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends having 30–60 grams of carbs per hour during long workouts, but “even 15–30 grams of carbs per hour can help stabilize blood sugar and prevent excessive hunger, with the bonus of helping you maintain intensity,” Jones notes. Honey, pretzels, dry cereal, raisins, sports gels, or even candy can help you get there. 

5. Postponing a Recovery Snack or Meal

It can be tempting to hop right in the shower and move along with your day after exercising, but “missing a recovery meal after a workout can lead to muscle breakdown and depleted energy stores, which can lead to extreme hunger,” Brown says. 

Whether it’s because folks are busy, simply unaware that they need to eat, or purposefully limiting calories as part of a personal weight loss goal, Brown has noticed that delaying or skipping a post-workout nosh is one of the top reasons her clients seem to be hungry after exercise. 

“Protein is essential for muscle recovery to reduce muscle breakdown and begin muscle repair, and carbohydrates help refill the glycogen in your muscles, so I recommend a post-workout meal or snack with both [macronutrients],” Brown says. “Consuming this within two hours of a workout, at the most, can help reduce hunger and stabilize blood sugar levels.”

6. Not Drinking Enough Water

A new fitness routine, increased body temperature and sweat rate, and not drinking enough water throughout the day can all increase the likelihood of dehydration, Rilling says. And even mild, early stage dehydration can impact hunger cues and increase cravings, which is why Jones recommends carrying a water bottle with you throughout the day to make it easier to hydrate before, during, and after a workout.

7. Not Getting Enough Sleep

If you’re behind on quality sleep, your body may pump out more of a hunger hormone called ghrelin, which can trigger cravings and famished feelings, Rilling explains. It’s far easier said than done, but adults should try to prioritize 7–9 hours of sleep a night.

Do Certain Workouts Make You Hungrier Than Others?

Different types of exercise may utilize different amounts of your energy stores, Rilling says, which can also leave you wondering, “Why am I so hungry after a workout?” Here are a few fitness scenarios that could leave you with an extra-strong appetite:

Tips for Mitigating Ravenous Hunger After Workouts

It’s both normal and common to notice voracious hunger after exercise—but it’s not exactly pleasant. Fortunately, it’s not inevitable, either. 

Try these dietitian-approved strategies to help you feel less like you must eat the instant after exercise:

The Takeaway 

Feeling super hungry after a workout does not necessarily mean something is “wrong.” In fact, Brown says you should celebrate that your body is giving you a cue. 

Still, it’s vital to tune into why you might be extremely hungry—especially if this begins to be a regular post-exercise occurrence. The most common causes of extreme hunger after exercise include not eating enough calories overall, skipping a snack before or during exercise, dehydration, sleep deprivation, trying new types of exercise, and waiting too long to consume your recovery meal or snack. 

To stay more even-keeled and wrap up your workout not feeling like you need to sprint to the kitchen, “you may need to adjust your food timing or overall intake,” Brown says, or adjust lifestyle habits like hydration and sleep. If you’re unsure of how to start or want help timing your food intake around your workouts to avoid feeling too hungry after exercise, Brown suggests meeting with a sports dietitian for support and guidance on how to feel your best.