Why You’re Hungry, Moody, or Stuck on a Plateau: Your Hormones Might be the Reason
Have you ever felt like your appetite, energy, or weight just don’t make sense?
You eat well, move regularly, and do your best, yet still feel out of control with cravings, emotionally drained, or stuck in your progress.
Before blaming your willpower… take a closer look at your hormones.
Hormones are chemical messengers that influence almost every system in your body, including how you feel, eat, and store fat. And when even one of them is out of balance, it can quietly sabotage your health goals.
Let’s talk about the plateau
At first, the changes came fast. Your clothes fit better, the scale moved, your energy lifted. But now? It feels like your body hit “pause.” That frustrating moment when nothing seems to work anymore is known as a weight plateau, and it’s incredibly common.
Why does it happen? Often, your body adapts to a lower calorie intake or increased activity, leading to a slower metabolism. Other times, it’s driven by factors you can’t see, like stress, poor sleep, or hormonal shifts.
You might be in a plateau if:
The scale hasn’t budged in weeks despite consistency
You’re feeling more tired or irritable
Cravings and hunger are creeping back in
You’re second-guessing your progress
Here’s the good news: a plateau isn’t failure. It’s feedback. It may be your body asking for rest, better recovery, more nourishment, or hormonal rebalancing.
And that’s where understanding your hormones comes in.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the most powerful hormones involved in hunger, mood, and weight, and how they might be influencing you more than you realize.
Ghrelin: The hunger hormone
Ghrelin is produced in your stomach and signals your brain when it's time to eat. It rises before meals and drops after you eat. But when you skip meals, over-restrict calories, or don’t sleep enough, ghrelin can stay elevated, making you feel constantly hungry.
How you might feel when ghrelin is high:
“Hangry” even shortly after eating
Thinking about food all the time
Easily tempted by snacks, especially at night
Tip: Eat at regular intervals and include protein-rich foods like eggs, tofu, or lentil soups to help keep ghrelin in check.
Leptin: The fullness hormone
Leptin is made by fat cells and signals your brain to stop eating. But here’s the tricky part, if you have excess body fat or eat a lot of highly processed foods, your brain can stop responding to leptin. This is called leptin resistance, and it makes it hard to feel satisfied after meals.
What leptin resistance can feel like:
Eating large portions but still feeling unsatisfied
Gaining weight even when you’re not overeating
Low energy and slow metabolism
Tip: Fiber-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, and brown rice, plus regular movement, can improve leptin sensitivity over time.
Insulin: The blood sugar boss
Insulin helps move sugar from your blood into your cells for energy. But frequent spikes (from sugary drinks, pastries, or frequent snacking) can cause your body to become resistant to insulin, leading to energy crashes, fat gain (especially around the belly), and cravings.
Signs of insulin imbalance:
Craving sweets or carbs shortly after eating
Energy dips in the afternoon
Difficulty losing weight, especially around the waist
Tip: Try pairing carbs with protein, like tempeh with rice or peanut butter with fruit to reduce blood sugar swings.
Cortisol: The stress hormone
Cortisol is released when you’re under stress, which isn’t always bad. It gives you a short-term energy boost and keeps you alert. But when stress is constant (deadlines, poor sleep, and skipped meals), chronically high cortisol can increase belly fat, intensify cravings, and disrupt sleep.
Signs cortisol might be high:
Feeling “wired but tired”
Intense food cravings after stressful events
Difficulty sleeping, even when exhausted
Tip: Relaxation practices, walking, and foods rich in magnesium like tofu, pumpkin seeds, or spinach may help regulate cortisol.
Serotonin: The feel-good hormone
Serotonin is often called the happiness hormone. It regulates mood and appetite, and about 90% of it is made in your gut. When serotonin levels are low, from poor diet, lack of sunlight, or stress, you might feel down and start reaching for sugary comfort foods.
Low serotonin may feel like:
Feeling emotionally low or irritable
Craving sweets and starchy foods
Poor sleep or disrupted appetite
Tip: Include more fermented foods like kimchi, miso, or yogurt, as well as starchy vegetables like pumpkin or squash to support gut health and serotonin production. Fermented foods support serotonin production by providing beneficial bacteria, known as probiotics, and the essential amino acid tryptophan.
Melatonin: The sleep hormone
Melatonin regulates your sleep-wake cycle. It’s triggered by darkness, but habits like late-night screen use, caffeine, or inconsistent bedtimes can reduce melatonin levels. And when sleep is off, other hormones (like ghrelin, leptin, and cortisol) follow suit.
Low melatonin = hormonal chaos the next day:
Increased hunger
Weaker self-control around food
Slower metabolism
Tip: Establish a consistent sleep routine and avoid caffeine or bright screens at night.
In summary: Hormones are always talking, are you listening?
Hormones aren't the enemy. They're messengers, telling you what your body needs.
If your mood is off, cravings are high, or your weight loss has stalled, the solution might not be a stricter diet or longer workouts. It might be giving your body more support, structure, and nourishment so your hormones can work with you, not against you.
How Welling may help you regulate hormones naturally
Feeling sluggish, different, more hungry than normal? With Welling, you don’t have to guess. Ask Welling about your past week’s food intake and what foods may have affected your mood.
Your hormones are powerful, but so is a routine that works with them.
Let Welling help you feel more in tune with your body, one choice at a time.
Welling is an AI weight loss coach that simplifies nutrition tracking and provides daily accountability and insights. Rated 4.8 in the App Store by thousands of users.
