#187 - Second Helpings - Decoding Cravings & Emotional Hunger in Midlife & Menopause

If your cravings feel more intense than ever, you're not alone. 

In this second helping (my creative take on replay 🤣) of episode 117, I'm tackling one of the most-asked questions in my inbox: why do cravings feel so out of control in perimenopause and menopause, and what can you do about it? Spoiler alert: it's not about cutting out sugar or having more willpower.

I break down the three types of hunger (physical, taste, and emotional), explain why perimenopause symptoms like sleep disruption and hot flashes amplify emotional hunger, and share a framework for decoding your cravings instead of fighting them. Whether it's the 7pm snacking spiral, the weekend binge, or those intense drive-thru cravings when you're alone in the car, I walk you through how to press pause without judgment and respond in a way that addresses what you need.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt hijacked by a craving, blamed themselves for lack of control, or wondered if menopause is making everything harder. Because yes, your hormones matter, but the solution isn't another restrictive food rule.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why cravings are normal and everyone is an emotional eater to some degree
• The difference between physical hunger, taste hunger, and emotional hunger
• How estrogen and progesterone influence appetite (and why perimenopause amplifies cravings)
• Why restricting foods you enjoy intensifies cravings for those exact foods
• The critical skill of pressing pause without saying no
• Real examples of decoding evening cravings, weekend patterns, and alone-time eating

Related Episodes You Might Enjoy:

• #147 - How to Stop the Cycle of “Starting Over” Every Monday
• #70 - From Dieting Rock Bottom to Intuitive Eating - 3 Common Mistakes

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