If you’ve been experiencing intense cravings for junk food in menopause, you’re not alone. Cravings during menopause can feel out of control, and it’s not your imagination. Hormonal changes can cause an increase in hunger, appetite swings, and a strong pull toward sugar, salt, and processed snacks, leaving you at a loss on how to stop craving junk food in menopause.
The good news? There is a way to regain control of menopause and cravings, and get back to feeling confident, healthy, and in charge of your body. At Trinity Transformation, we’ve helped over 7,000 women lose weight and beat cravings without restrictive dieting.
Our Fit Over 40 programme is designed specifically for women in perimenopause and menopause, giving you the structure, support and science-based tools to feel in control again.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through 10 expert strategies to reduce cravings, balance your hormones naturally, and stop emotional eating at the source. We’ll also break down the key hormones behind hunger in menopause and answer your most common questions about food cravings.
What Causes Extreme Hunger During Menopause?
Hormonal changes in menopause play a major role in increased hunger:
- Oestrogen: As oestrogen drops, it impacts the appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. This can lead to increased hunger and more frequent cravings.
- Leptin: This hormone tells your brain you’re full. When leptin sensitivity drops (common in menopause), your body doesn’t register satiety as effectively.
- Ghrelin: Known as the “hunger hormone,” ghrelin rises when estrogen falls, making you feel hungrier more often.
- Cortisol: Elevated cortisol (stress hormone) increases appetite and cravings, particularly for sugary, high-fat foods.
- Insulin: Menopause can lead to insulin resistance, causing blood sugar fluctuations and driving the urge to snack frequently.
Why Do I Crave Carbs In Perimenopause?
If you’ve found yourself reaching for bread, chocolate, or biscuits more often since entering your 40s, you’re not imagining things, and it’s not a lack of willpower. Carb cravings in perimenopause are extremely common, and they’re driven by real physiological changes happening inside your body as your hormones begin to shift.
As oestrogen and progesterone levels begin to fluctuate and decline, they impact other hormones that play a key role in hunger, satiety, and blood sugar regulation, including insulin, leptin, and cortisol. These hormonal changes can:
- Reduce insulin sensitivity: When your cells become less responsive to insulin, your body struggles to keep blood sugar stable. As a result, your blood sugar may spike after meals and then crash later, triggering intense cravings for quick energy sources, which are usually refined carbs or sugary snacks.
- Disrupt leptin and ghrelin: Leptin is the hormone that signals fullness, and ghrelin is the one that stimulates hunger. Hormonal shifts can interfere with these signals, making it harder to know when you’re truly full or hungry, often leaving you feeling unsatisfied after meals and reaching for more food.
- Lower serotonin levels: Oestrogen has a strong influence on brain chemicals like serotonin, which supports mood and appetite regulation. When oestrogen dips, serotonin often follows, and the body instinctively craves carbohydrates — especially sugary or starchy ones — because they provide a quick serotonin boost.
- Increase cortisol (your stress hormone): When cortisol levels are elevated, which is common in perimenopause due to poor sleep, life stress, or over-exercising, your body seeks out quick energy and comfort, and that often means carbohydrates. Over time, chronic stress and high cortisol can also increase fat storage, particularly around the belly.
So if you’re craving carbs more than ever, it’s not in your head, it’s your body trying to balance blood sugar, mood, and energy the fastest way it knows how.
What Types of Cravings are Most Common During Perimenopause?
Many women are surprised to find their cravings shift during perimenopause. You might start craving foods you never cared for before, or find that certain foods trigger hot flashes or bloating.
Here are the most common cravings during this stage:
- Perimenopause and sugar cravings (especially late afternoon or evening)
- Menopause and salt cravings (crisps, chips, cheese)
- Menopause sweet cravings (especially chocolate)
- Carb cravings (bread, pastries, biscuits)
- Comfort food (pizza, takeaway, creamy dishes)
You’re not imagining it. This happens because of changes in oestrogen, progesterone, and cortisol. All hormones that play a role in appetite, reward, and cravings.
“I had a major episode of depression and anxiety which was due to a mixture of things. I turned to food to make myself feel better, devouring huge bags of chocolate. My energy levels were pretty low and I often spent the day laid on the sofa under a blanket. Through Trinity I have changed my diet dramatically as I no longer eat sugary foods and I don’t crave chocolate anymore. Trinity has taught me more resilience.”
– Rachel Pratt, Trinity Client
Can Tiredness Cause Sugar Cravings?
Yes — and it’s one of the most common causes of carb and sugar cravings in women during perimenopause.
When you’re tired, your body sees that as a stressor. In response, it signals for fast-acting energy, usually in the form of sugar or refined carbohydrates, which are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and offer a short-term energy boost.
Here’s what happens behind the scenes:
Evening fatigue is a major trigger: Most women report stronger cravings at night, and that’s no coincidence. By the time evening rolls around, your energy is depleted, your willpower is low, and your body is desperate for quick fuel. That’s when chocolate, biscuits, crisps, or wine tend to become most tempting.
Poor sleep disrupts hunger hormones: Even one night of poor sleep has been shown to increase ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decrease leptin (the fullness hormone). This makes you hungrier the next day, especially for high-carb or high-fat foods, and less likely to feel satisfied after eating.
Fatigue lowers glucose tolerance: When you’re sleep-deprived, your body becomes less efficient at managing blood sugar. This leads to bigger blood sugar spikes and crashes after meals, which often results in even more cravings and mood swings.
What helps? A few strategies:
- Don’t rely on caffeine all day—this can worsen crashes
- Add healthy fats to meals to slow down digestion
- Include complex carbs (like oats or sweet potato) to keep energy steady
- Make rest and recovery part of your daily routine
10 Ways to Combat Food Cravings in Perimenopause
1. Increase Your Protein
Protein is essential for balancing blood sugar, reducing appetite, and building muscle, even more so in menopause. You should be aiming for 25–35g of protein per meal.
Great sources include:
- Lean meats
- Fish
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt
- Tofu
- Legumes
Try starting your day with a high-protein breakfast like eggs with avocado or a protein smoothie with berries and chia seeds.
2. Improve Your Sleeping Routine
One of the biggest issues our clients face is getting a good nights sleep. Sleep is when your body rebalances key hormones like ghrelin and leptin. Poor sleep increases cravings, especially for sugar and carbs.
Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, limit screens at night, and keep your bedroom cool and dark. Herbal teas, magnesium, and gentle stretches before bed can also help.
3. Incorporate Strength Training for Muscle Building
Building muscle boosts your metabolism, supports fat loss, and helps manage insulin, which is why we encourage low-impact strength training (LIST) to all of our clients.
Start with full-body workouts 2–3 times per week. Try squats, lunges, push-ups, and dumbbell exercises. You don’t need a gym, just 30 minutes at home with resistance bands or body weight is enough.
4. Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress increases cortisol, which drives cravings, especially for sugary, high-fat foods. We know how busy life can get and it can seem impossible to fit everything into your day but making time for yourself, even if it’s only 30 minutes a week can make a world of difference. It can be something as simple as walking outdoors, breathing exercises, journaling, or yoga. Even a few minutes of stillness can help reset your stress response.
5. Make Sure You’re Drinking Enough Water
Dehydration can disguise itself as hunger. Aim for 1.5 to 2.5 litres of water per day, more if you’re active. Add lemon or cucumber slices for flavour if you find plain water hard to drink. Herbal teas also count toward your fluid intake.
6. Reduce Your Sugar Intake
Sugar triggers dopamine (the brain’s reward chemical) which creates a cycle of cravings. Start by switching out sugary snacks with fruit, dark chocolate, or protein-based treats. Avoid artificial sweeteners, which can still trigger cravings.
7. Focus on Whole Foods
Whole foods provide steady energy and help regulate hunger hormones. Fill your plate with colourful veg, quality protein, healthy fats, and whole grains. Think grilled salmon with quinoa and roasted vegetables or a chickpea and spinach stew with olive oil. Take a look at some examples our coaches suggest if you need inspiration.
8. Ensure You’re Getting Enough Healthy Fats
Healthy fats support hormone production and keep you feeling satisfied. Include nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, and oily fish in your meals. Try a handful of almonds as a snack or drizzle tahini over roasted vegetables.
9. Balance Your Hormones
Menopause shifts hormone levels, which can increase hunger and fat storage. Supporting your hormones through food, sleep, exercise, and stress management can reduce cravings. Some women may also benefit from professional guidance on HRT or natural supplements like maca or magnesium.
10. Identify Your Triggers
Emotional eating is common during menopause. Track when cravings strike—do they follow stress, boredom, or exhaustion? Use a journal or app to log your moods and meals. Then, build new coping habits like a 5-minute walk or calling a friend.
“Before I joined Trinity, I was 50 years old and at 104kg (16st 5lbs) I was size 18-20.There were chocolate wrappers hidden in my car and elsewhere around the house as I comforted myself with sugar. I know its a cliche but Trinity has actually transformed my life. I’ve lost 30kg. I’m not on a diet, I’ve changed my lifestyle. I’ve done the work to get here, but Trinity gave me the tools. Now I look to the future with optimism and excitement.”
– Rachel Hillier, Trinity Client
Ready to Take Control of Your Cravings and Your Confidence?
You’re not broken and you don’t need another extreme diet to feel like you again. You just need a plan that works with your hormones, not against them.
At Trinity, we’ve helped over 7,000 women lose weight, stop menopause cravings in their tracks, and feel confident in their bodies again. If you’re struggling to know where to begin, we’re here to help.
Here’s what’s included in our Fit Over 40 programme:
- Personalised coaching designed for women over 40.
- Flexible nutrition (no banned foods)
- Weekly check-ins and accountability
- Training that fits your lifestyle (no gym needed)
- Hormone-friendly fat loss methods
- Supportive community of women like you
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, cravings are often triggered by emotions, habits, or hormonal signals, not true physical hunger.
How To Stop Craving Junk Food At Night?
Eat balanced meals during the day, avoid skipping meals, and create a relaxing evening routine to reduce cortisol and emotional eating.
Why Do I Eat So Much During Menopause?
Falling estrogen can increase hunger hormones and reduce your body’s ability to register fullness—making you feel hungrier, more often.
How Do I Stop Hormonal Overeating?
Focus on protein-rich meals, manage stress, improve sleep, and identify emotional eating patterns so you can respond in healthier ways.
