Midlife Weight Gain Isn’t Your Fault (and how to reclaim your body)

Have you recently looked in the mirror and wondered, "What happened?" It seems like all of a sudden, your body has a mind of its own, and weight feels impossible to manage. But here's the truth: weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is common, but it's not inevitable. Let’s break down what is happening….

I've been exactly where you are. Frustrated. Confused. Feeling like my body was betraying me. But I discovered something powerful: knowledge, understanding and compassion are the key to moving through this frustrating side effect of your yo-yo-ing hormones.

When it comes to trying to lose weight in midlife, it’s not about wha you’re eating. It’s about how your body is processing what you eat.

Let’s dive into what’s likely getting in your way….

The Hidden Factors Behind Midlife Weight Gain

As you might now know, from about the age of 35 progesterone decreases and estrogen follows suit (through perimenopause). But in many cases, estrogen doesn’t decrease quietly. It bounces up and down, eventually decreasing but the side effects on its way down can be a whole host of unpleasant symptoms. One of which is insulin resistance.

1. Insulin Resistance: The Silent Saboteur

Belly fat is a sign of insulin resistance, which becomes more common in perimenopause. Think of insulin like a key trying to unlock your cells to use glucose (energy source). As we age, that key becomes rusty. The result? The cells no longer accept the glucose insulin is delivering, which leaves it in the bloodstream. Your liver will then convert the excess to fat. Your body stores that fat, especially around your midsection. Your body is struggling to process carbs effectively, leading to fat storage around your belly.

This shift towards fat storage into the abdominal cavity, is an increase in visceral fat - visceral fat is not only harder to lose, it behaves very DIFFERENTLY. Visceral fat is fat stored around the internal organs, deep within your midsection. It doesn't respond to the same rules as subcutaneous fat. It will NOT respond to a simple calorie deficient diet.

Let me say that again: VISCERAL FAT IS NOT DRIVEN BY A CALORIE DEFICIT.

VISCERAL FAT IS NOT DRIVEN BY EATING LESS AND MOVING MORE

➡️ Instead, Visceral fat is influenced by:

- Hormone shifts (especially cortisol and insulin)

- Inflammation

- Chronic stress

- Poor sleep

- Unstable blood sugar

As much as this is upsetting because our clothes don’t fit the same way anymore, even more concerning is that overtime, insulin resistance can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, cancers, dementia and more.

Research Insight: A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that insulin sensitivity decreases by approximately 30-40% during perimenopause.

2. The Fatigue Factor

Hormonal changes can lead to profound fatigue. When you're exhausted, your body craves quick energy – hello, sugar and carbs! This creates a vicious cycle of energy crashes, quick pick-me-ups, and then and weight gain. You can find my sleep strategy toolbox here.

3. Hunger Hormones Gone Wild

Ghrelin, the "hunger hormone," increases during perimenopause. It's like having a loud, persistent voice constantly whispering, "I'm hungry" – even when you've just eaten, and leptin, the ‘satiety hormone’ goes down. I have found that hydrating adequately really helps me to know that I’m hearing the right cues. Eating sufficient protein and fibre will also quiet that gremlin, ghrelin. Plan your meals to ensure each meal has 20-30 grams of protein and plenty of fibre. This way, you’ll know how to respond appropriately to hunger cues.

4. The Stress and Sleep Connection

Cortisol (stress hormone) + Disrupted Sleep = Weight Gain Formula

Sleep plays a huge role. If you’re being robbed of a good night’s sleep by night sweats or hot flashes, you won’t be as capable of making healthy choices. A deficit of sleep can also impact those two appetite regulating hormones, leptin (satiety) and ghrelin (hunger).

And this stage of life comes with it a range of stressful issues. Kids are going to away to school, work is demanding, parents are ageing and the list goes on. When we are stressed, the adrenal glands release cortisol and cortisol impacts insulin resistance and can further disrupt our sleep patters.

I don’t preach about meditation, mindful and deep breathing to be all woo-woo - these practices truly do help your body regulate the stress response. Try taking a bath, a walk, a yoga class or doing some deep breathing and be all-in when you do it. I think you’ll find you feel better right away.

5. Gut Health: The Hidden Culprit

Here's something most people don't talk about: Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining and protecting the gut lining. Think of your gut lining as thousands, if not millions of little micro organisms. As estrogen declines, gut health can become compromised, leading to inflammation, nutrient absorption issues and metabolism changes.

How to Managing Midlife Weight Gain

1. Nutrition is your #1 line of defence.

Start small and Consume a diet that is high in protein and fiber with a few processed foods as possible. Ensure you are adequately hydrate.

2. Mindful Movement

Start your day with some morning sunlight and gentle movement. Walking or stretching outside not only calms your nervous system, but that sunlight in your eyes will reset your circadian rhythm, helping you to sleep better. Try to get 10,000 steps in every day (a 10 minute walk after every meal is a great way to sneak in those steps and this will also help to balance those blood sugar levels), and aim for 30 minutes of strength training exercises 3-4 times a week. Muscle burns more calories at rest. As we age, we naturally lose muscle so intentionally building that muscle back is key.

The HRT Conversation

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can be a helpful, but it's not a magic solution. Lifestyle changes are the true game-changers. HRT can support your body by replacing the dropping estrogen, but it isn’t for everyone.

Your Midlife Manifesto

In order for you to achieve optimal health and to feel strong and powerful throughout this season, we need to understand and work with the changes in midlife. I believe that changing your mindset about how your care for yourself is the first step. Acknowledge and embrace the physical and emotional changes and be open to making adjustments for your health and wellbeing. This is a powerful mindset shift.

● Your body is not broken and it’s not your fault.

Final Thoughts

You’re right if you feel like the tips and tricks that have worked for you in the past don’t now. Because the truth is, you have changed!

A lot of factors contribute to menopausal weight gain. Your lifestyle margin for error is very slim and to achieve optimal health, you need to change the way you eat and live.

And one more thing that I want you to know: There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight. There is no shame in wanting to feel healthy and living in a body you feel incredible in. There is no shame in wanting to take care of yourself. Celebrate that desire.

Remember: Vibrant health at midlife isn't about perfection. It's about progress, compassion, and understanding.

Let’s keep the conversation going! I’d love to hear about your experiences or answer any questions you have about navigating menopause.

Curious about how we can work together to address midlife weight gain? Book a free Menopause Breakthrough Session with me.

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