If you’re wondering how to stop menopause hunger, you’re not alone. Many women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s struggle with sudden increases in appetite and cravings during the menopausal transition. You might feel as though you’re barely finishing a meal before you’re thinking about what you can eat next.
But don’t worry, this is normal for many women going through the changes that menopause brings.
The hormonal changes that come with menopause, especially the drop in oestrogen levels, can cause significant shifts in your body, including increased hunger, weight gain, and those dreaded menopause food cravings.
But thankfully, there are proven strategies to help you regain control of your appetite, manage your weight, and feel like yourself again.
At Trinity Transformation, we’ve worked with countless women who have struggled with menopause-related hunger and food cravings. For many, this time of life brings with it a frustrating combination of increased appetite, difficulty losing weight, and constant cravings, especially for sugary and salty foods.
Our Fit Over 40 program is designed to help women navigate this difficult phase with science-backed strategies that focus on balancing hormones, reducing cravings, and achieving sustainable weight loss.
In this article, we’ll explore why menopause can cause hunger, what hormonal changes are involved, and how you can manage your food intake and cravings. We’ll also share 10 actionable tips to stop menopause hunger in its tracks and achieve sustainable weight loss, so you can feel amazing in your own skin.
What Causes Menopause Hunger?
To sum it up: Your hormones.
During menopause, your hormones go through many different changes, with oestrogen and progesterone levels dropping. This hormonal imbalance doesn’t just lead to hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings, it can also cause you to experience dramatic changes in your appetite.
Oestrogen plays a critical role in regulating your hunger and body weight, so when oestrogen levels drop, it can lead to an increase in appetite and food cravings.
And that’s not all, the decline in oestrogen can also affect how your body stores fat. Specifically, many postmenopausal women experience weight gain around their midsection, as fat cells become more resistant to insulin and your body’s metabolism slows down. This can lead to a vicious cycle of overeating, weight gain, and frustration.
Hormones and Hunger: What Hormones Cause Food Cravings
Oestrogen
As we mentioned before, oestrogen is a critical hormone for regulating hunger and body fat distribution. Before menopause, oestrogen helps control appetite by increasing the sensitivity of your brain to leptin, the hormone that tells you when you’re full. It also plays a role in reducing the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.
As oestrogen levels drop during menopause, these appetite-regulating effects weaken. Low oestrogen levels make your body less sensitive to leptin, meaning you’re less likely to feel full after eating. At the same time, ghrelin levels can rise, making you feel hungrier.
This combination leads to an increase in appetite, food cravings (especially for sugar and high-fat foods), and a higher likelihood of overeating.
This is one of the reasons why many women find it harder to manage their weight during menopause and why cravings can feel more intense. At Trinity, we’ve helped many women navigate this hormonal shift by focusing on hormonally balanced eating—designed to work with your body’s changing needs.
By targeting the right balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, we help women reduce menopause food cravings and feel fuller for longer.
Leptin
Leptin is the hormone that signals to your brain when you’re full and should stop eating. It’s produced by your fat cells, and when your leptin levels are high, your brain receives the message that you have enough energy stored and can reduce your appetite.
However, during menopause, changes in oestrogen levels can cause leptin resistance. This means that even though your fat cells are producing leptin, your brain doesn’t receive the “I’m full” signal as effectively. As a result, you may continue to feel hungry even after eating a meal.
Leptin resistance is often linked to weight gain, especially in postmenopausal women, as your body may store more fat but struggle to regulate food intake. Managing leptin resistance through a structured diet and regular exercise, like the low-impact strength training (LIST) we use at Trinity, can help reset these hunger signals and curb cravings.
Ghrelin
Ghrelin is often referred to as the “hunger hormone” because it stimulates your appetite. When your stomach is empty, ghrelin levels rise, signaling your brain to trigger the sensation of hunger. After you eat, ghrelin levels fall, reducing your appetite.
Unfortunately, during menopause, the drop in oestrogen can lead to an increase in ghrelin production. This means you may feel hungry more often, even if you’ve recently eaten, and you might struggle with overeating or cravings for calorie-dense foods.
At Trinity, we encourage women to follow an eating plan that includes plenty of protein and fiber, which helps to keep ghrelin levels in check. By eating balanced meals at regular intervals, our clients can avoid the spikes in ghrelin that lead to ravenous eating and cravings.
Cortisol
Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone, and it plays a huge role in hunger and weight management. When cortisol levels rise due to stress, it can trigger an increase in appetite, especially for high-calorie comfort foods like sweets and carbs.
During menopause, women are more prone to stress and have a heightened cortisol response. This leads to higher levels of cortisol in the body, which can cause food cravings and promote fat storage, particularly around the belly area. Chronic stress can also lead to insulin resistance, making it harder for your body to use carbohydrates for energy, leading to more fat storage.
At Trinity, we focus on stress management techniques as part of our coaching, teaching clients how to reduce cortisol levels through gentle exercise, mindfulness, and proper sleep. By managing cortisol effectively, women can minimize menopause hunger and control cravings.
Insulin
Insulin is the hormone responsible for regulating your blood sugar levels and allowing your body to use glucose for energy. When you eat, insulin helps transport glucose from your bloodstream into your cells, where it’s used as fuel.
However, during menopause, changes in hormones can lead to insulin resistance, which means your cells don’t respond to insulin as effectively. This results in higher blood sugar levels, increased fat storage, and stronger cravings for sugary foods.
Insulin resistance not only contributes to weight gain but can also make it harder to control your hunger and cravings. At Trinity, we help our clients manage insulin levels by focusing on a balanced diet that stabilizes blood sugar, avoiding extreme low-calorie diets, and incorporating regular movement to improve insulin sensitivity.
“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 led 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 any more. I’ve used my love of food and cooking to make healthy, delicious and “non-diety” meals.”
– Rachel Pratt (52), Trinity Client
10 Tips To Stop Menopause Hunger and Control Food Cravings
To manage menopause hunger effectively, you need an approach that addresses hormonal imbalances, lifestyle changes, and smarter eating habits.
1. Focus on Balanced, Nutrient-Dense Meals
Instead of focusing on cutting calories drastically (which can increase stress and make weight loss harder), aim for balanced meals that include lean protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fiber. This will help you stay fuller for longer and minimize cravings. Try to hit the “Key 3” in every meal: calories, protein, and fiber.
2. Prioritize Low-Impact Strength Training (LIST)
Avoid high-intensity workouts like HIIT or spinning that can spike cortisol and increase appetite. Instead, focus on Low Impact Strength Training (LIST), which helps build lean muscle and boost metabolism without overstressing your body. Three 30-minute sessions a week can work wonders for your body composition, keeping hunger and weight gain in check.
3. Eat Mindfully
When you eat, focus on the experience of eating. Avoid distractions like the TV or your phone and instead, eat slowly and savor each bite. This mindful eating approach can help you tune into your body’s natural hunger signals, prevent overeating, and reduce cravings.
4. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger, especially during menopause. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day, especially before meals. Adding a squeeze of lemon or drinking herbal teas can help keep hydration interesting.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Poor sleep is linked to an increase in hunger and cravings. When you’re sleep-deprived, your body produces more ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, and less leptin, which signals fullness. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night to keep these hormones in balance and prevent overeating.
6. Manage Stress to Lower Cortisol
Chronic stress can elevate cortisol levels, leading to increased hunger, cravings for sugary and salty foods, and weight gain, particularly around the belly. Implement stress-reducing techniques like deep breathing, yoga, meditation, or even a walk outside in nature to keep cortisol in check.
7. Limit Processed Foods and Sugar
Foods high in sugar, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats can trigger cravings and spikes in hunger. These foods disrupt your body’s blood sugar levels, leading to crashes that make you feel ravenous. Instead, focus on whole foods that provide steady energy and keep your appetite stable.
8. Increase Non-Exercise Activity (NEAT)
In addition to your workouts, make an effort to increase your general movement throughout the day. Simple activities like walking, standing more, or even using a walking desk can help burn more calories and reduce the urge to overeat without putting extra stress on your body.
9. Consider Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) may help manage some symptoms of menopause, including hunger and weight gain. Oestrogen therapy can help regulate your appetite by addressing the drop in oestrogen that causes increased hunger. However, always consult a doctor to see if hormone replacement is right for you, and ensure you get personalized medical advice.
10. Eat More Protein
Protein is the most filling macronutrient and can help reduce cravings and overeating. Aim to include a good source of protein with every meal, whether it’s lean meats, eggs, fish, or plant-based options like beans and tofu. Protein not only keeps you full but also supports muscle maintenance, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight during menopause.
One study actually found that women often experience increased hunger and cravings during the menopausal transition, while their overall energy and protein intake tends to decrease, and their sense of fullness diminishes.
” I would often feel hungry mid-morning and afternoon but was careful with snacks. I would generally have a glass of wine in the evening once home. The more I tried to concentrate myself to lose some weight (not following any specific diet but being careful), the more I would find myself thinking about food. In just over a year with Trinity, weight wise I have lost 13kg. My mind-set has totally changed. I feel much happier, and satisfied with life.”
– Helen Huntington, Trinity Client
How To Stop Menopause Food Cravings
Maintaining a healthy weight after menopause can be challenging, but with the right strategies, it’s achievable.
Some ways you can control your cravings are by:
Plan ahead: Reduces temptation to reach for unhealthy foods when hunger strikes.
Incorporate more fiber: Slows down digestion and keeps you feeling full longer.
Add healthy fats: Helps control cravings by promoting satiety.
Meal prep: Plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks in advance to avoid impulsive eating.
How Trinity Can Help You Take Back Control
Menopause hunger doesn’t have to rule your life. At Trinity, we understand how challenging it can be to manage your appetite, cravings, and weight gain during this time. Our Fit Over 40 program offers personalized, one-on-one coaching that’s specifically designed to address the hormonal changes you’re going through.
We focus on:
- Hormonally balanced eating plans to reduce cravings and stabilize blood sugar.
- Low-impact strength training that works with your body to build lean muscle and support weight loss.
- Stress management techniques to lower cortisol levels and minimize emotional eating.
- Sustainable strategies for lasting weight management, without extreme dieting or deprivation.
Our program has helped women drop 1-2 dress sizes in just 12 weeks, regain their confidence, and feel comfortable in their favorite clothes again. Whether you’re struggling with constant hunger, sugar cravings during menopause, or feeling stuck in a weight-loss plateau, we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main hormones that increase hunger are ghrelin (which signals hunger) and cortisol (the stress hormone). Leptin and estrogen help reduce hunger, but their effects can weaken during menopause, leading to increased appetite.
Why Am I So Hungry During Menopause?
During menopause, the drop in estrogen and rise in cortisol can increase your appetite and cravings, making you feel hungry more often and leading to overeating.
Why Am I Gaining Weight So Fast During Menopause
Hormonal changes, including lower estrogen levels and increased cortisol, slow down your metabolism and increase fat storage, especially around the belly, making weight gain more likely.
