Struggling with Sugar Cravings? Here’s What Your Body is Trying to Tell You!
Feel like you’re ALWAYS craving something sweet? You’re not alone! Sugar cravings can be super common, especially for women over 30. There’s a huge difference between liking sweet foods and that seemingly gravitational pull towards sweet snacks you constantly have to battle. Here’s what might be causing them and how to take control:
1 Hormonal Changes
During peri-menopause and menstrual cycles, fluctuating hormones (especially estrogen and progesterone) can lead to intense sugar cravings. These shifts can increase hunger and the desire for comfort foods.
🛠️ Minimise it: Balance your meals by including protein, healthy fats, AND fibre at each meal. Also eating every 2-3hours, keeping your blood sugar stable helps reduce those cravings!
2 Stress and Cortisol
Stress is a huge trigger for sugar cravings. When cortisol (the stress hormone) is high, it makes you crave quick energy from sweets.
🛠️ Minimise it: Observe how stress presents itself in your body/behaviour. Find ways to de-stress—whether it’s a walk, deep breathing, or journaling. And remember, self-care is non-negotiable! Stress has the ability to derail the healthiest diet and exercise plan.🧘♀️
3 Lack of Sleep
When you’re sleep-deprived, your body craves sugar to keep going. Sleep is essential for regulating hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which control appetite and cravings as well as managing stress, mood and brain fog. Sleep is THE most under-rated health hack out there. It has the biggest impact on our physical health and our mental health, yet we accept poor sleep as the norm.
🛠️ Maximise it: Prioritise sleep! Work on your pre-bedtime routine, screens, eating and caffeine aren’t doing you any favours. Just like a toddler, we need to give our body and mind cues to wind down; a hot shower, some stretches, reading, dim lighting, writing a to-do list for tomorrow can all help signal to your mind, body and nervous system its time for rest. Aim for 7-9 hours per night to help your body recover and reduce cravings.
💡 Important to Remember: Eating sugar won’t actually stop the craving! It gives you a quick high, but then your blood sugar drops, making you want more—so the cycle keeps going. Breaking free means fueling your body the right way and addressing the root cause of the craving.
✨ Cravings are normal, but understanding the why behind them helps you take action. Balance your hormones, manage stress, and prioritise rest, and you’ll notice a big difference! 🙌
#HealthyHabits #HormoneBalance #SugarCravings #CortisolControl #WomenOver30 #WellnessJourney #hforhealth
If you need help implementing some of these suggestions or any other part of your health journey, I’d live to help!