Why You’re Not Feeling Hungry and How to Gently Turn Hunger Signals Back On
Many women tell me the same thing:
“I just don’t feel hungry anymore.”
This often feels confusing, especially when we’ve been taught that hunger is something to control, ignore, or override. But not feeling hunger isn’t a sign that your body doesn’t need food. More often, it’s a sign that your body has adapted to stress and inconsistency.
When the body experiences ongoing stress, whether from busy schedules, under-eating, dieting, emotional load, or irregular meal, it prioritizes survival over appetite.
Several key hormones are involved:
Ghrelin (your hunger hormone) thrives on routine
Leptin helps regulate fullness and energy balance
Insulin supports stable blood sugar and safety signaling
Cortisol, when elevated for long periods, can blunt hunger cues altogether
When meals are skipped or unpredictable, the body learns not to rely on hunger signals. This is not failure…. it’s adaptation.
Consistency Creates Safety
The fastest way to rebuild hunger cues isn’t forcing yourself to “feel hungry.”
It’s creating consistency.
Regular meals, balanced plates, and predictable timing signal safety to your nervous system. Over time, your body begins to trust that food is coming and hunger hormones slowly turn back on.
Hunger returning is not something to fear.
It’s a sign your body feels safe again.
Not sure what to eat? A basic rule of thumb, half your plate in non starchy veggies (leafy greens, peppers, cucumbers, celery, cabbage etc) 1/4 protein and 1/4 of starch (quinoa, rice, potatoes)
The Missing Link: How You Eat Matters Too
Reconnecting with hunger isn’t only about what you eat, it’s also about how you eat.
When meals are rushed, eaten standing up, or consumed while distracted, digestion and hormone signaling stay partially “offline.”
This is where intuitive eating practices can be incredibly supportive.
A Simple Hunger Reconnection Practice
Before eating:
Sit down in a calm, unrushed environment
Look at your food and notice the colors and textures
Smell your meal and take a few slow breaths
Allow saliva to build before the first bite
This activates the cephalic phase of digestion — the communication between your brain, gut, and hormones that prepares your body to digest, absorb, and recognize hunger and satisfaction.
This process supports:
Digestive enzymes and stomach acid
Ghrelin and insulin signaling
Vagus nerve activation (rest-and-digest mode)
Over time, this gentle practice helps your body remember how to feel hunger again — without pressure or force.
The Takeaway
If you’re not feeling hungry, your body isn’t broken.
It’s asking for:
Predictability
Nourishment
Calm
When those needs are met, hunger returns naturally as a sign of healing, not loss of control.
need help with this?
Reach out with a direct message on IG or email and Id be happy to chat further about this.
