Why You’re Always Hungry (Even When You’re Full)
Have you ever wondered why, despite your best efforts, you still feel constantly hungry – or why weight gain feels almost inevitable no matter how little you eat?
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
What many people don’t realize is that hunger, cravings, and stubborn fat storage often stem from stress and hormonal imbalance not just willpower or diet.
The good news? There’s a way to break the cycle.
The Glucose–Insulin Loop: Why Sugar Spikes Keep You Stuck
Every time you eat, especially sugary or high-carb foods, your blood glucose rises. This triggers a release of insulin, a hormone that helps your body store that glucose.
But when we eat too frequently or rely on sugar for energy, insulin stays elevated for long periods. Over time, your body becomes more efficient at storing fat and less efficient at burning it.
Result: You may feel hungry soon after eating and gain weight more easily – even on a “normal” diet.
Leptin and Ghrelin: The Hormones Driving Your Appetite
Two powerful hormones influence how hungry or full you feel:
- Leptin tells your brain, “I’m full.” It’s produced by fat cells. Ironically, the more fat you have, the more leptin your body makes—but too much can lead to leptin resistance. Your brain stops receiving the “I’m full” signal, so you keep eating.
- Ghrelin tells your body, “I’m hungry.” When insulin and stress hormones (like cortisol) are high, ghrelin increases—so you feel ravenous even if your body has plenty of energy stored.
The Cycles:
More Fat → More Leptin → Leptin Resistance → Overeating → More Fat
Stress → More Cortisol → More Ghrelin → More Hunger → More Eating
Chronic Stress: The Root Cause That’s Often Overlooked
If your life feels like a never-ending to-do list or emotional rollercoaster, your body may be living in constant fight-or-flight mode.
This triggers the release of cortisol, your body’s main stress hormone.
Cortisol:
- Increases your appetite (especially for sugary, high-fat “comfort” foods)
- Encourages abdominal fat storage
- Keeps you in a loop of stress → eat → guilt → stress
And here’s the twist: fat cells in the belly area have more cortisol receptors. So the more stress, the more belly fat. The more belly fat, the more cortisol. And so it continues.
Why Diets Alone Don’t Always Work
Here’s why diets can often fail:
- They don’t address the root issue: stress and hormonal dysregulation.
- They ignore emotional eating patterns formed in early life and stored in the subconscious brain.
- They often create more stress (and therefore more cortisol), leading to rebound weight gain.
Unless you change how your mind responds to stress, the hunger, cravings, urges and comfort-eating will keep returning.
Breaking the Cycle with Solution Focused Hypnotherapy
At Jo Ray Hypnotherapy I can help clients go far beyond traditional diets.
Using Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, we work together to:
✅ Empty the “stress bucket” – reducing background stress and calming the nervous system
✅ Engage the intellectual brain – helping you respond consciously instead of reacting on autopilot
✅ Reframe old patterns – such as emotional eating, guilt, binge eating, or late-night snacking
✅ Create new, empowering habits using the brain’s natural neuroplasticity
Many clients are surprised to find that they’re no longer obsessed with food or battling constant cravings, because they’ve changed the pattern at the root.
Real Change is Possible
You may simply need a new approach—one that works with your mind and body, not against it.
If you’re feeling stuck in the cycle of stress, hunger, and weight gain contact Jo Ray Hypnotherapy based in Hove, East Sussex.
