How to Balance Your Hormones Naturally: Five Key Hormones That Run Your Metabolism

Your metabolism isn’t just about calories, it’s a whole hormonal conversation happening inside your body every day. Hormones direct hunger, energy, cravings, and how your body stores or burns fuel.

Let's look at five key hormones that drive your metabolism and five small, doable steps you can take to support them.

1. Insulin – Your Fuel Traffic Controller

Insulin moves glucose from your blood into your cells for energy or storage. When insulin stays elevated too often (from frequent refined carbs and sugars) it signals your body to store more fat, especially around your tummy, while making it harder to access stored energy.

Small steps to support insulin:

• Swap one ultra‑processed snack for a real‑food option like cheese and cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs, or nuts, or skip snacking altogether and eat 2–3 proper meals a day.

• Aim for at least 25 g of protein with every meal to reduce blood sugar spikes and stay fuller longer.

• Finish eating 2–3 hours before bed a couple of nights each week to give insulin a rest overnight.

2. Ghrelin – The “I’m Hungry” Hormone

Ghrelin signals hunger, it rises before meals and drops after eating. But sleep deprivation, stress, restriction, and ultra‑processed diets can keep ghrelin levels high, increasing cravings, especially for sugar.

Small steps to calm ghrelin:

• Build each main meal around protein (meat, eggs, fish, cheese) to keep hunger quieter for longer.

• Add at least one serving of non‑starchy veggies to two meals today to support steady hunger signals.

• Protect your sleep, regular “lights out” times help lower ghrelin and reduce evening snacking.

3. Leptin – The “We’ve Had Enough” Hormone

Leptin, made by fat cells, tells your brain you have enough stored energy. When you have insulin resistance or excess weight, your brain can stop responding to leptin properly so you can feel hungry even when you don’t need more energy.

Small steps to support leptin:

• Prioritise real, minimally processed food and protein‑rich meals to support healthy signalling.

• Avoid grazing, have clear meal times so leptin and insulin can reset between meals.

• Get enough sleep; insufficient rest can lower leptin and drive appetite the next day.

4. GLP‑1 – Your Natural Appetite Calmer

GLP‑1 is a gut hormone released after meals that helps control insulin, slow digestion, and promote fullness. Meals with protein, fat, and non‑starchy vegetables boost GLP‑1 far better than refined carbs alone.

Small steps to boost GLP‑1 naturally:

• Build mixed‑macronutrient meals: combine protein, healthy fats, and non‑starchy veggies.

• Reduce evening grazing, stick to a defined dinner and enjoy non‑caloric drinks afterward.

• If you’re using GLP‑1 medication, pair it with higher‑protein, lower‑carb real food to maintain muscle and metabolic health.

5. Cortisol & Melatonin – Managing Stress and Sleep

Cortisol is your stress hormone, it raises blood glucose when you’re under pressure. Chronic stress keeps it elevated, contributing to abdominal fat and insulin resistance. Melatonin, the sleep hormone, regulates your night‑time rhythms. When cortisol is high and melatonin is low at night, metabolic health suffers.

Small steps to steady stress and sleep hormones:

• Create a nightly wind‑down cue: turn off your phone, dim lamps, or use soft lighting to support melatonin.

• Take 2–5 slow breaths before meals or bedtime to lower cortisol and steady appetite signals.

• Keep screens out of the bedroom or set a screen curfew 30–60 minutes before bed.

Your Hormones Can Work For You

Your metabolism isn’t broken, it’s just communicating. Small, consistent steps in food, sleep, and stress management help bring your hormones back into harmony, letting your body regulate energy, hunger, and weight more naturally.

At Real Life Medicine, we teach a lifestyle framework that nurtures every aspect of health. Our 6S approach creates a foundation for real, sustainable change:

• Sustenance: Nourish your body with a low carb, high-protein, real-food diet.

• Sleep: Prioritise deep, restorative rest for better energy and blood sugar control.

• Strength: Incorporate regular resistance training to build muscle, boost metabolism, and improve insulin function.

• Stress: Manage daily pressures through mindfulness, movement, and relaxation practices.

• Sunlight: Get regular natural light exposure to support your mood, circadian rhythm, and vitamin D levels.

• Social Connection: Stay engaged with loved ones—strong relationships build emotional resilience and protect overall health.

When your hormones work with you, not against you; you’ll find energy, focus, and a calmer relationship with food naturally returning.

Dr Mary Barson and Dr Lucy are the founders of Real Life Medicine. They help women who have been on every diet under the sun, optimise their health and achieve long lasting weight loss without feeling miserable or deprived.

They do this with their 3 step framework:

• Strategies to improve your metabolism
• Brain-based skills to overcome self-sabotage
• Tools to make it easy to implement

With this comes increased energy, vitality and confidence.

You can avoid chronic disease and stop living life on the sidelines!