Why Losing Weight is Different in Perimenopause – and What to Do
If you’ve hit your 40s and suddenly feel like your body is working against you, you’re not alone! The weight that once seemed to shift with a little effort now clings stubbornly. Your usual go-to diet? No longer working. The workouts you used to swear by? They leave you exhausted instead of energised. It’s frustrating, confusing, and can feel like a complete drain.
Don’t worry, and don’t be discouraged. Know this: your metabolism isn’t broken, and this isn’t a losing battle. It’s simply time to take a different approach - one that aligns with perimenopause.
But first…
Why Is Weight Loss Harder in Perimenopause?
Hormonal shifts are at the heart of the challenge. Estrogen, progesterone, insulin, and cortisol are all playing a new game, and if we don’t adapt, we’ll feel like we’re constantly fighting against ourselves.
1. Lower Estrogen, Higher Fat Storage
Estrogen levels fluctuate and eventually decline in perimenopause, leading the body to store more fat, particularly around the belly. This visceral fat is more metabolically active and linked to higher inflammation and insulin resistance.
2. Insulin Sensitivity Drops
With estrogen in flux, our cells become less responsive to insulin, making it easier for blood sugar spikes to turn into fat storage. This means the carb-heavy meals that once fueled you can now leave you bloated and sluggish.
3. Cortisol and Chronic Stress
Perimenopause often brings increased stress, and with it, higher levels of cortisol. When cortisol is elevated for too long, it signals the body to hold onto fat (especially around the midsection) and break down muscle, making weight loss even harder.
4. Muscle Loss Slows Metabolism
From our 40s onwards, we naturally start losing muscle mass. Since muscle is metabolically active, less muscle means a slower metabolism. And if we’re not strength training, this process speeds up, making it easier to gain fat even if we’re eating the same as before.
So, What Can You Do?
The key is shifting from a restrictive, punishment-based approach to a nourishing, supportive one. Perimenopause isn’t a time for extreme dieting—it’s a time to work with your body, not against it. Here’s how:
1. Eat in a Way That Stabilizes Blood Sugar
Focus on balancing your meals. Prioritize protein (think eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, or legumes), healthy fats (avocados, nuts, olive oil), and fiber-rich carbs (vegetables, berries, and whole grains). This helps stabilize blood sugar and prevent energy crashes, cravings, and fat storage.
2. Prioritize Strength Training
Muscle is your metabolic ally. Strength training 2–3 times a week helps preserve and build muscle, keeping your metabolism active. And no, you don’t need to lift heavy if that’s not your thing—bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and Pilates can all help maintain lean muscle.
3. Reduce Chronic Stress and Support Your Nervous System
Weight loss in perimenopause isn’t just about food and exercise—it’s also about stress. Chronic stress and poor sleep fuel inflammation and fat storage. Practices like breathwork, gentle movement, time in nature, and quality sleep (aim for 8–9 hours) help lower cortisol and support your nervous system.
4. Rethink Your Relationship with Cardio
Long bouts of high-intensity cardio can spike cortisol and backfire in perimenopause. Instead, shift towards a mix of strength training, walking, and short bursts of high-intensity movement (like 20-minute interval workouts). Walking, in particular, is an underrated tool for reducing cortisol and burning fat.
5. Ditch the Super Low Calorie Mindset
If you’ve spent years in cycles of low calorie dieting (under 1200 calories a day), and restriction, now is the time to let that go. Perimenopause is about nourishing, not depriving. Instead of focusing on what to eliminate, focus on what to add—nutrient-dense foods, movement that feels good (and makes us strong!), and daily rituals that support you from the inside out.
This could be a personal revolution
Perimenopause isn’t the end of the body you knew—it’s the beginning of a new relationship with yourself. A time to tune in, trust your body, and shift away from the outdated notion that weight loss is about suffering. We’ve been through too much for that! When you focus on nourishing rather than punishing, supporting rather than forcing, the weight begins to balance itself - alongside renewed energy, mental clarity, and emotional strength.
So, take a deep breath. Your body is changing, yes. But this is an exciting opportunity to approach weight loss—and yourself—with more grace, and self-compassion than ever before. And that is a revolution worth embracing.
Ready to step into this next chapter with some hand holding? The 21-Day Peri Reset is here to guide you every step of the way.