It’s a common mistake: You get home from a long run, decide to quickly check a work email or play with your kids for just a minute… and then you get sucked in and accidentally forget to eat anything. You don’t even realize a couple hours have gone by until the “runger” strikes and your stomach is suddenly growling at volume 100.

Of course, feeling hungry after running or working out is totally normal. But if you consistently find yourself becoming downright ravenous, it could potentially lead to real health consequences. Here’s what dietitians want you to know. 

What Is Runger?

“Runger” is an unofficial word combining “running” and “hunger” that describes the famished feeling runners can sometimes get following a particularly long or hard run if they haven’t eaten enough before, during, or after their workout. “You can feel like a bottomless pit,” says registered dietitian nutritionist and runner Danielle Crumble Smith, RDN.

We all experience hunger in a number of ways, though. So while runger can show up as that rabid, I-need-five-burgers feeling, “it could be you’re exhausted [or] irritable; you could just feel kind of shaky and [notice symptoms of] low blood sugar,” says board-certified sports dietitian Claire Shorenstein, RD. 

These symptoms can set in at any point. Runger may strike first thing in the morning (or overnight) if you had a long run the day before. Or it could potentially hit mid-run if you haven’t eaten enough to fuel your miles. But the most common scenario is for runger to turn up in the afternoon or evening, just a few hours after your run. 

No matter the timing, it can come on surprisingly fast: “You feel fine until you don’t,” Shorenstein says. 

Why Does Running Make Me So Hungry?

Like any kind of exercise, running uses up energy, aka calories. And when you don’t adequately make up for what you’re burning through, your body will let you know. “The hormone ghrelin that signals hunger can increase, and leptin, the hormone that signals satiety, might also decrease,” Crumble Smith says. She adds that since running can be a stressor, it can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which also stokes your appetite. 

This is most likely to happen when someone goes from a sedentary lifestyle to training for something like a 5K, or maybe they’re ramping up marathon training and burning a whole lot more energy than they’re used to. “Most people get themselves into this trouble area because they have fallen behind, whether it’s their total energy intake or perhaps the composition of their meals and snacks wasn’t satisfying enough,” Shorenstein says.

The most typical mistake is skipping that all-important recovery meal after running (or not making it hearty enough), she says. This often happens because a hard workout can initially suppress your appetite—particularly if it’s hot out—so you might not feel like eating right away, even though you probably should. 

Why You Should Take Runger Seriously

Despite its silly-sounding name, runger is no joke. Sure, it can be uncomfortable to deal with. But it’s also a red flag that you’re not giving your body enough fuel to support your running. “Hunger is information,” Crumble Smith says. “And so [if you’re] experiencing that extreme hunger, your body is saying, ‘Hey, we need more.’”

Under-fueling could potentially lead to short- or long-term health issues, Shorenstein says. She explains that you need ample calories to keep all of the systems in your body running the way they’re supposed to; not eating enough can negatively affect your immune system, lean muscle mass, reproduction, bone health, brain health, heart health, and more. 

She compares it to not paying your utility bills. “Eventually, everything will go out,” she says. “Maybe it’s a gradual process: It’s not all going to shut off immediately, but it will slowly dim, and you will not be functioning at full capacity.”

How to Prevent Runger

Fortunately, there are a few simple steps runners can take to avoid runger. 

1. Make Sure You’re Eating Before, During (If Needed), and After Your Run

If you’re consistently feeling hungry after running, the first step is to do an audit of your day-to-day diet. Are you getting enough carbs before your run? Taking in adequate fuel during more intense workouts? Recovering with an appropriate mix of carbs and protein afterwards? 

“A lot of what I work on with people is just increasing self-awareness,” Shorenstein says. Once you identify where the fueling gaps are, you can focus on those areas that need improvement. Usually, it doesn’t take much to get to a better place, she adds.  

One pro tip: If you find yourself consistently skipping that recovery meal because you don’t feel like eating right after a run, Shorenstein recommends sipping a smoothie as soon as you finish your cooldown, then following up with a solid meal later on once your appetite comes back. 

2. Eat Throughout the Day

Clearly, eating before, after, and sometimes during a run is key. But both dietitians stress that fueling regularly throughout your day will help prevent extreme hunger, too, so try to pay attention and listen to your body whenever it’s asking for food. “A lot of people are very disconnected from their body until suddenly all the alarm signals are flashing,” Shorenstein says.

3. Be Prepared

Make sure you don’t get stuck without anything to nosh on. Shorenstein recommends stashing plenty of snacks in your car, your gym bag, at the office—wherever they’re going to be helpful. That way you won’t have to succumb to runger purely because you don’t have any fuel on hand.

4. Keep Eating Plenty On Your Rest Days

You might assume that you don’t need to eat as many calories on the days when you’re not running. But Crumble Smith recommends keeping your consumption up, aiming for an overall balance throughout the week.

And while you might (smartly) fuel up with fast-digesting carbs before your training sessions to fend off a case of runner’s stomach, try to reach for higher-fiber carbs on your off days to support a healthy gut and give your body a steady supply of energy.

4. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can lead to the kind of gastrointestinal (GI) distress that makes you not want to eat, Shorenstein says. Or, on the flip side, you could mistake thirst for hunger. So make sure you’re sipping enough water throughout the day, and add in electrolytes to retain those fluids during particularly long or hot runs. 

5. Get Enough Sleep

Being overly tired can seriously mess with your appetite, so make sure to prioritize proper rest too. “We know that sleep is very important for performance, for health,” Shorenstein says. “If you are well-rested, you’re also more likely to have a better workout and to recover well—all these different pieces of the puzzle.”

6. Eat ASAP When Runger Strikes

If you’ve slipped up and find yourself in the throes of runger, Shorenstein suggests you “get something in your body stat—don’t stress about it being the perfect choice.” 

If you can, aim for something with extra protein and a little healthy fat to help fill you up, Crumble Smith suggests. But snacking on whatever you’ve got is better than nothing. “I always hear, ‘Yeah, I got really hungry, but I was doing this.’ Or, ‘I figured, dinner’s in an hour, so I’m going to wait,’" Crumble Smith says. However, waiting will only worsen the problem and make you more likely to uncomfortably overeat later on.

The Takeaway

As a runner, learning how to fuel yourself to properly support your mileage is just as important as, say, nailing good running form or mastering the art of the long run. “It’s learning how to care for yourself on a consistent basis, and not just prioritize the run, but prioritize the fueling,” Shorenstein says. 

If you’re regularly dealing with runger, don’t just ignore it or assume it’s a normal part of being a runner. Feeling starved is a sign that you’re not giving your body the nutrients it needs, which could eventually affect your overall health if it becomes a regular pattern. 

Get ahead of the problem by sufficiently fueling up before, during, and after your runs. When you’re training a lot, keep snacks ready for whenever you might need them—and don’t hesitate to start munching as soon as a craving hits.