The Midlife Feast

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


Listen Later

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

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

➡️ Join The Midlife Body Image Lab here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/bodyimagelab 

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now!  Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife,  menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Midlife FeastBy Jenn Salib Huber RD ND

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

87 ratings


More shows like The Midlife Feast

View all
Well Beyond 40 by JJ Virgin

Well Beyond 40

1,086 Listeners

Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison by Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CEDS

Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison

3,083 Listeners

Not Your Mother's Menopause with Dr. Fiona Lovely by Dr. Fiona Lovely

Not Your Mother's Menopause with Dr. Fiona Lovely

288 Listeners

The mindbodygreen Podcast by mindbodygreen

The mindbodygreen Podcast

2,032 Listeners

Energized with Dr. Mariza by Dr. Mariza Snyder

Energized with Dr. Mariza

995 Listeners

Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+ by Everyday Wellness™

Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

150 Listeners

You Are Not Broken by Kelly Casperson, MD

You Are Not Broken

1,146 Listeners

Hit Play Not Pause by Hit Play Not Pause

Hit Play Not Pause

739 Listeners

Diet Culture Rebel Podcast by Bonnie Roney

Diet Culture Rebel Podcast

405 Listeners

We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

We Can Do Hard Things

41,512 Listeners

This Is So Awkward by Peoples Media, This Is So Awkward

This Is So Awkward

320 Listeners

Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information: Menopause, Midlife, and More by Lauren Streicher, MD

Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information: Menopause, Midlife, and More

376 Listeners

The Metabolism and Menopause Podcast by Stephanie Crassweller

The Metabolism and Menopause Podcast

216 Listeners

OvaryActive by Dr Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, Dr Amy Voedisch

OvaryActive

89 Listeners

The Tamsen Show by Tamsen Fadal

The Tamsen Show

413 Listeners