Many people do everything right – eat less, exercise more, follow plans consistently yet their body doesn’t respond.
If this feels familiar, the issue may not be willpower or calories. It may be hormonal signals working against you.
Here are 10 common signs your hormones need attention, not restriction.
1. You’re Eating Less but Not Losing Weight
Chronic calorie restriction increases cortisol (stress hormone) and lowers thyroid activity, slowing metabolism.
Your body shifts into survival mode, conserving fat instead of burning it.
2. Fat Is Stubborn Around the Belly
Persistent abdominal fat is often linked to insulin resistance and high cortisol. This type of fat is hormonal, not simply dietary – and doesn’t respond well to extreme workouts.
3. You Feel Tired Even After Proper Sleep
Low energy despite rest may indicate:
• Low thyroid hormones (T3)
• Iron or B12 deficiency
• Poor cortisol rhythm
Fatigue is a metabolic signal, not laziness.
4. Frequent Cravings for Sugar or Refined Carbs
Strong cravings point toward blood sugar imbalance.
When insulin spikes frequently, fat storage increases and hunger cycles worsen.
5. Irregular Periods or PMS Symptoms
Hormonal imbalances in estrogen, progesterone, and insulin often show up first in menstrual changes, bloating, mood swings, or painful cycles.
6. Difficulty Losing Weight After 30
With age, muscle mass, thyroid efficiency, and insulin sensitivity naturally decline. Without hormonal support, old strategies stop working.
7. Digestive Issues or Bloating
Gut health directly affects hormone regulation.
Poor digestion impacts:
• Estrogen clearance
• Thyroid conversion
• Blood sugar stability
A bloated gut often means a dysregulated metabolism.
8. Mood Swings, Anxiety, or Low Motivation
Hormones influence brain chemistry.
Imbalances in cortisol, estrogen, or thyroid hormones can cause emotional eating, anxiety, and burnout.
9. Hair Fall, Dry Skin, or Cold Sensitivity
Classic signs of thyroid dysfunction and nutrient deficiencies.
These symptoms often appear before abnormal lab values are flagged.
10. Weight Loss Happens Briefly – Then Stops
If you lose weight initially and then plateau quickly, your body may be adapting defensively. This is common when hormones are not addressed alongside nutrition.
Why Calories Alone Don’t Fix This
Your body responds to signals, not just food quantity.
Hormones decide:
• Whether calories are burned or stored
• How hungry you feel
• How efficiently your metabolism runs
Healing requires regulation, not restriction.
What Helps Restore Hormonal Balance
✔ Adequate protein and fibre
✔ Stable meal timing
✔ Micronutrient correction
✔ Stress and sleep regulation
✔ Gut health support
✔ Targeted hormone testing when needed
This is why structured, hormone-aware programs work better than short-term diets.
Final Thought
If your body is resisting change, it’s communicating – not failing.
Listening to hormonal signals is often the missing piece in long-term healing and sustainable weight loss.
Here are some Hormone friendly recipes:
1] Gut-Healing Lunch Bowl (Thyroid & PCOS Friendly)
Best time to consume: Lunch
Why this works
✔ Supports estrogen detoxification
✔ Improves digestion and gut bacteria
✔ Reduces inflammation and bloating
✔ Keeps energy steady through the day
Ingredients
• Steamed rice – ½ cup
• Cooked moong dal or chickpeas – ½ cup
• Mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, bottle gourd, spinach) – 1 cup
• Homemade curd or fermented vegetable – 2 tbsp
• Ghee or cold-pressed oil – 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds & turmeric – a pinch each
• Lemon juice – optional
Method
1. Temper cumin in ghee/oil, add vegetables and lightly sauté.
2. Mix cooked dal and vegetables with rice.
3. Add curd or fermented food just before eating.
4. Finish with turmeric and lemon juice if tolerated.
Hormonal Benefits
• Complex carbs prevent cortisol spikes
• Protein + fibre support insulin balance
• Fermented foods improve estrogen clearance
• Healthy fats aid hormone production
2] Hormone-Friendly Millet Ladoo
Best time to consume:
Mid-morning or evening snack (with tea or as a standalone snack)
Why This Ladoo Is Hormone Friendly
✔ Low glycaemic load → stabilizes insulin
✔ Rich in fibre → supports gut & estrogen detox
✔ Healthy fats → essential for hormone production
✔ Magnesium & iron → help reduce fatigue & cravings
Ingredients
• Jowar /Bajra / Ragi – ½ cup
• Roasted chana dal – ¼ cup
• Almonds or peanuts – 2 tbsp
• Dates – 4–5 (seedless)
• Ground flaxseeds – 1 tbsp
• Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp
• Ghee – 1–2 tsp
• Cardamom powder – a pinch
Method
1. Dry roast millet on low flame until aromatic. Cool and grind into a coarse flour.
2. Dry roast chana dal and nuts separately; grind coarsely.
3. Dry roast sesame seeds and flaxseeds lightly.
4. Grind dates into a paste (add 1–2 tsp warm water if needed).
5. Mix all ingredients together with ghee and cardamom.
6. Shape into small ladoos.
Hormonal Benefits Breakdown
• Millets: Slow-digesting carbs → reduce cortisol & insulin spikes
• Seeds: Support estrogen balance & inflammation control
• Dates: Natural sweetness without refined sugar
• Ghee: Improves hormone signalling & nutrient absorption
3] Hormone-Friendly Roasted Makhana Snack
Best time to consume:
Mid-morning or evening snack (especially during cravings or fatigue)
Why This Snack Is Hormone Friendly
✔ Supports insulin balance
✔ Calms stress-related cravings
✔ Light on digestion & gut-friendly
✔ Rich in magnesium → supports cortisol regulation
Ingredients
• Makhana (fox nuts) – 1 cup
• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Turmeric – a pinch
• Black pepper – a pinch
• Roasted cumin powder – ¼ tsp
• Rock salt – to taste
• Optional: crushed curry leaves or dried herbs
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (roasted)
• 1 tsp flaxseeds (roasted)
Method
1. Heat ghee in a pan and add makhana.
2. Roast on low flame, stirring continuously, until crisp.
3. Add turmeric, pepper, cumin powder, and salt.
4. Mix well and switch off the flame.
5. Cool slightly before eating.
Hormonal Benefits Breakdown
• Makhana: Low-GI carb → prevents blood sugar spikes
• Ghee: Supports hormone synthesis & gut lining
• Magnesium & calcium: Help reduce PMS, anxiety & fatigue
• Warm spices: Improve digestion and hormone signalling
Clinic Address:
Ganesh Apartments, Ground Floor, Shop No.16, Opposite Jade Blue, Murida, Fatorda, Margão – 403602, Goa, India.
Contact Numbers:
+91 72184 35543 / +91 97642 40528 (also available via WhatsApp).
Website: drjoline.com ,where you can explore programs, read success stories, and book consultations.
