The body mind connection
How Your Thoughts Can Change Your Hunger
Hunger doesn’t come from the body alone.
It’s shaped by the brain, the nervous system, and the stories we tell ourselves about food, control, and worth.
This is the body–mind connection and it plays a powerful role in appetite, cravings, and weight regulation.
When your brain perceives safety, hunger signals are calm and clear.
When your brain perceives stress, urgency, or restriction, hunger becomes louder and more intense.
How Thoughts Influence Hunger
Your brain is constantly scanning for threat. That threat doesn’t have to be physical, it can be psychological.
Thoughts like:
“I shouldn’t be hungry.”
“I ate too much earlier.”
“I already messed today up, i might as well have another”
signal stress to the nervous system.
In response, the body increases cortisol.
Cortisol raises blood sugar and interferes with hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin. (which we talked about last week!)
The result?
Hunger that feels urgent, emotional, or hard to trust.
The Nervous System’s Role
When the nervous system is in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state:
digestion slows
hunger cues become distorted
cravings increase
This is why stress can either suppress appetite temporarily or drive overeating later.
Neither response is a failure, both are protective.
Why Ignoring Hunger Backfires
When hunger is ignored or judged, the brain interprets scarcity.
Scarcity leads to:
increased hunger signaling
heightened focus on food
stronger cravings
Not because you’re weak, but because your body is trying to keep you safe.
Rebuilding Trust With Hunger
Supporting the body–mind connection means:
eating consistently
responding to hunger without fear
calming the nervous system
releasing rigid food rules
When the brain feels safe, hunger becomes easier to interpret and easier to satisfy.
Hunger isn’t just physical.
It’s communication.
And when you listen without judgment, your body responds.
You have a second brain in your gut, and it arguably has a larger impact on your mood, mood effects hunger, and vice versa. Balance your blood sugar with whole food nutrition and your cravings will settle, your “food noise” will lessen. You will feel more incontrol, sleep better and have more energy through out the day!!
If you need help! Im here,
xo.
Toddia
