Why Women Lose Muscle in Perimenopause, Even When They're Doing Everything Right

If you feel like your body has changed in ways you can't quite explain — softer where you used to feel firm, more tired than your lifestyle justifies, a metabolism that seems to have gone rogue — you're not imagining it.

Something real is happening. And it has a name.

It's Called Sarcopenia — And It Starts Earlier Than You Think

Most people associate muscle loss with old age. But for women, the process begins much earlier, typically from around age 30, and it can accelerate for many women during perimenopause.

Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength that happens as we age. It's not dramatic. It's quiet. You don't wake up one day and notice it, you just gradually feel less like yourself.

And here's the part that catches most women off guard: you don't have to be sedentary for it to happen. Being active helps, but hormonal and metabolic changes mean some muscle loss can still occur unless training and nutrition are specifically adjusted for this stage of life.

The Oestrogen Connection

Oestrogen isn't just a reproductive hormone. It plays a significant role in maintaining muscle tissue. It influences how your body builds and repairs muscle, regulating inflammation, and supporting efficient recovery after exercise.

As oestrogen begins to fluctuate and decline in perimenopause, that protective effect diminishes. Hormonal changes make it harder to build and maintain muscle, even when your habits haven't changed at all. This is one key reason many women notice shifts in body composition in their forties despite doing everything "right."

It's not a willpower problem. Hormones are a major piece of the puzzle - alongside other factors like nutrition, sleep, and activity levels - and that's worth understanding.

Why This Matters Beyond the Mirror

Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it burns energy even at rest. Less muscle is linked to reduced resting metabolism, lower strength, less support for bone health, and poorer blood sugar control, which together can affect how energetic and resilient you feel day to day.

In other words, protecting your muscle isn't just about how you look. It's foundational to how you feel, how you age, and how well your body functions for the decades ahead.

What You Can Do About It

The good news? Age-related muscle loss is common, but the extent of it is highly modifiable. You can slow it, and in many cases partially reverse it, with the right approach.

Prioritise protein - more than you think you need. The standard dietary guidelines significantly underestimate protein needs for women at this life stage. Most experts now recommend at least 1.2–1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to support muscle maintenance and growth. If you're a high-level athlete (training at high intensity multiple times a week), that target rises to 1.6–2g per kilogram. Spreading your intake across meals (rather than loading it all into dinner) helps your body actually use it for repair and synthesis.

Don't fear strength training. Resistance exercise is the most powerful tool you have for preserving muscle through perimenopause. You don't need to become a gym devotee, even two to three sessions per week makes a meaningful difference.

Support your recovery. Sleep, stress management, and adequate overall nutrition all influence how well your muscles repair and grow. Chronically elevated cortisol (driven by persistent stress and poor sleep) actively promotes muscle protein breakdown, making recovery harder and loss faster.

The Bottom Line

Some degree of muscle loss through your thirties, forties, and fifties is common. Its driven by hormonal shifts alongside lifestyle and health factors that are often outside your immediate control.

But how you respond to it? That part is very much within your control.

With the right nutritional strategy and support, you can protect your muscle, support your metabolism, and feel strong in your body for years to come.

Ready to get to the root of what's happening in your body? Book a Health Clarity call Here

Want to go deeper on what your specific weight loss blocks may be? Download my free Metabolism Detective quiz Here

Is Your Thyroid Behind Your Stubborn Weight Gain in Perimenopause?

You're eating well. You're moving your body. You're doing everything you're supposed to do. Yet the weight won't budge. If that sounds familiar, I want you to know something important: it's not a willpower problem. It might be your thyroid.

I know this one personally. A few years into perimenopause, I noticed weight creeping on despite my best efforts. My energy was low, my mood was off, and I just didn't feel like myself. I put it all down to "the change" Honestly, that's what most women do. Thyroid issues run in my family history, so when I finally investigated my thyroid, everything clicked into place. Suddenly the symptoms that had seemed so random made complete sense.

Why the thyroid matters so much for weight

Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland in your neck and it has an enormous job: It regulates your metabolism. Think of it like the thermostat in your home. When it's working well, everything runs at the right temperature. When it's sluggish (a condition called hypothyroidism), your metabolism slows down, and your body starts holding onto weight even when you're doing all the right things.

The tricky part? Even a mild thyroid issue - one that might be sitting just outside the "abnormal" range on a standard blood test - can have a very real impact on how you feel and how your body responds to food and exercise. Many women are told their results are "normal" and sent on their way, still feeling terrible and wondering what's wrong with them. Nothing is wrong with you. You just haven't had the full picture yet. This is why I’m so passionate about full panel Thyroid hormone testing . This allows us to get a complete picture.

The perimenopause overlap that trips women up

Here's where it gets complicated. Thyroid symptoms and perimenopause symptoms look almost identical. Fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, mood changes, disrupted sleep, feeling cold - they're on both lists. And irregular periods, which most women understandably chalk up to perimenopause, can also be a sign of thyroid dysfunction. This is exactly why thyroid issues get missed so often in women in their 40s and 50s. We assume it's hormones. Sometimes it is. But sometimes, it's both.

What makes this even more layered is that perimenopause can directly affect thyroid function. Fluctuating oestrogen levels can increase a protein called thyroid-binding globulin, which means less thyroid hormone is actually available for your body to use, even when your levels look "normal" on paper.

And the relationship between progesterone and the thyroid is a true chicken-and-egg scenario: we need adequate thyroid hormone for the ovaries to produce progesterone, yet as progesterone declines, it hinders the production and functioning of the thyroid itself - each one making the other's job harder at exactly the wrong time. This hormonal interplay is why so many women in perimenopause develop thyroid issues during this life stage. This is why looking at both together, rather than in isolation, is so important.

What you can do right now

Ask for a full thyroid panel. TSH alone doesn't tell the whole story. Ask your GP to also test Free T3, Free T4, and thyroid antibodies. This gives a much clearer picture of how your thyroid is actually functioning day to day. GPs do the best they can, if they do not believe a full panel is warranted, you can order these tests privately through a Naturopath (Ahem, like me - wink wink). A consultation would be required to process this request.

Look at the full picture. Thyroid dysfunction rarely exists in isolation. Nutrient deficiencies (especially iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron), chronic stress, and gut health all influence how well your thyroid works. Addressing these alongside any medical treatment can make a meaningful difference.

Don't dismiss "subclinical" results. If your results come back borderline, don't let them be brushed aside. Subclinical hypothyroidism is real, and its impact on weight, energy, and mood is real too. You deserve to be heard and you deserve a practitioner who will dig deeper with you.

Your symptoms are telling you something

Stubborn weight gain in perimenopause isn't something you just have to accept. It's a signal worth investigating, and your thyroid is one of the first places to look. When you understand what's actually driving the problem, you can finally start addressing it in a way that works.

If you're not sure where to start, my free Metabolism Detective Quiz is designed to help you identify what might actually be driving your weight gain and whether it's your thyroid, your hormones, insulin resistance, or excess cortisol maybe contributing. Click the ‘Metabolism Detecive’ tab on the homescreen for your free download. Try it as a starting point to work out if your thyroid maybe contributing to how you’re currently feeling.

Why You Crash at 3pm: Blood Sugar, Hormones & Fatigue

Why You Crash at 3pm: Blood Sugar, Hormones & Fatigue

Part 2 of 3 in the Insulin Resistance Series

This has easily been one of the most common conversations I've been having in clinic lately.

Women are doing all the right things - they are eating well, staying active, trying to look after themselves -and yet almost like clockwork, they hit a wall around 3pm.

Energy drops. Focus disappears. Cravings kick in. And suddenly that second coffee or something sweet feels non-negotiable.

It's easy to brush this off as a busy day or poor sleep the night before.

But more often than not, this mid-afternoon slump can be a sign your blood sugar isn't as stable as it could be. Though it's rarely the only thing going on….

What the Image Above Is Showing You

If you look at the infographic above, you'll see exactly what I mean.

On the left, a high-carbohydrate meal causes a rapid spike in blood sugar, followed by a sharp drop. This is the kind of crash many women feel mid-afternoon.

On the right, a more balanced meal (with protein, fats and carbohydrates) leads to a slower, more stable rise in blood sugar, resulting in sustained energy.

For some women, a 3pm crash can reflect exactly this pattern playing out earlier in the day, particularly after a high-refined-carb lunch. It's worth knowing that blood sugar is just one piece of the puzzle, alongside sleep, stress, meal size, and your natural circadian rhythm.

What's Actually Happening at 3pm

Every time you eat, your blood sugar rises.

In response, your body releases insulin to move that glucose out of your bloodstream and into your cells for energy.

When this system is working well, your energy stays steady.

But if your blood sugar rises too quickly, even from foods that seem "healthy", insulin can overcorrect, causing blood sugar to drop too low. This is sometimes called reactive hypoglycaemia, and it can happen within a few hours of eating.

That drop is what you feel as:

• Fatigue

• Brain fog

• Irritability

• Sugar cravings

Your body is simply trying to bring your energy back up as quickly as possible.

(And yes - the normal circadian dip that happens in the early afternoon can amplify all of this, which is why 3pm tends to be the magic hour for so many women.)

Why This Gets Worse After 40

This is where hormones start to play a bigger role.

During the menopausal transition, changes in estrogen may influence glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity. However the relationship varies from person to person and is still an active area of research. What we do know is that many women notice a shift in their energy, cravings and metabolism during this time, and blood sugar regulation is often part of that picture.

Now lets add on top of that:

Cortisol (your stress hormone): Stress hormones like cortisol can raise glucose and alter how insulin works, especially around meals, meaning higher stress levels can make blood sugar swings more likely.

Muscle mass: Skeletal muscle plays a major role in glucose disposal. Resistance training is one of the most well-supported strategies for improving insulin sensitivity as we age, and it's something I'm a huge fan of for women in perimenopause.

This is why what worked in your 30s suddenly doesn't feel like it's working anymore. Your body hasn't failed you - it's just working differently, and it needs a different kind of support.

Signs Your 3pm Crash May Be Blood Sugar-Related

If this is happening regularly, you may notice patterns like:

• Needing coffee or sugar to get through the afternoon

• Feeling shaky, irritable or foggy

• Grazing or snacking constantly after lunch

• Feeling "wired but tired" later in the day

• Getting a second wind at night

These aren't random symptoms — they're signals worth paying attention to.

A Quick Easter Reality Check

And since it's Easter this week… let's be honest, there's probably more chocolate around than usual.

This isn't about avoiding it (because that's not realistic, or enjoyable).

But it is about how you eat it.

Chocolate, like any higher-sugar food, tends to affect your blood sugar more when eaten on an empty stomach or grazed on all day. The overall composition and timing of what you're eating matters more than any single food.

A few simple tweaks can make a real difference:

• Have chocolate after a meal, not on its own

• Pair it with protein or fat

• Avoid the "all day picking" pattern

• Sit down and enjoy it, rather than eating on the run

Your metabolism can absolutely handle chocolate… it just prefers not to be ambushed by it all day (GRIN)

How to Reduce the 3pm Crash

The goal isn't perfection — it's stability.

Simple strategies that support blood sugar balance include:

• Starting your day with protein : This sets your blood sugar up for the whole day. Aim for 30gms as a starting point

• Building balanced meals : Protein + healthy fats + quality carbohydrates that have fibre in them - i.e plenty of vegetables!

• Being mindful of long gaps between meals : Though this is individual; some women do well with fewer, larger meals, while others feel better eating more regularly

• Incorporating resistance training : Genuinely one of the most powerful tools for glucose regulation

• Being mindful with caffeine : especially on an empty stomach, which can amplify cortisol and affect blood sugar

Small, consistent changes here can have a significant impact on your energy, your mood, and how you feel in the second half of the day.

The Bigger Picture

If you're experiencing regular energy crashes, cravings or stubborn weight gain, these patterns are often connected, and they're worth investigating properly.

In my previous post, I talked about the early signs of insulin resistance and how they often go unnoticed. And in the next post, I'll be breaking down how blood sugar, cortisol and fat storage all connect, particularly when it comes to belly fat after 40.

Coming Up Next in This Series

In Part 3, we're going deeper into something I hear about constantly in clinic: why belly fat seems to appear (or stick around) after 40, no matter what you do. I'll be breaking down the connection between blood sugar, cortisol and fat storage, and why the usual advice of "eat less, move more" so often misses the mark for women in this stage of life.

Ready to Understand What's Driving Your Symptoms?

If you're reading this and recognising yourself in these patterns, a great place to start is figuring out what's actually going on under the surface. Head to the Metabolism Detective Quiz on my website. It takes just a few minutes and helps you pinpoint whether blood sugar, hormones, stress or something else might be at the root of how you're feeling.

Here’s the link: https://www.lisascarfonaturopath.com/metabolism-detective

Belly Fat & Burnout: The Midlife Metabolism Connection

Belly Fat & Burnout: The Midlife Metabolism Connection

If you feel like your body changed in your late 30s or 40s, you're not imagining it.

You're eating fairly well. You're trying to exercise. You're doing all the "right" things.

And yet:

the weight is settling around your middle

your energy is flat

you wake at 2–3am

and nothing works like it used to

This is the point many women start blaming themselves.

But in clinic, I see a different pattern: midlife belly fat is rarely about willpower — it's about a metabolism under stress.

The connection between burnout and belly fat is one of the most overlooked drivers of weight gain after 35. Once you understand it, things start to make sense.

Why Belly Fat Increases in Midlife (Even When Nothing Has Changed)

One of the most common things I hear is:

"I'm not eating differently… so why am I gaining weight now?"

Midlife metabolism is influenced by several overlapping shifts:

Hormone changes

Perimenopause can begin years before menopause. Fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone are linked to more abdominal fat, more sleep disturbance, reduced insulin sensitivity and higher inflammation in many women.

Rising cortisol

Ongoing stress, poor sleep and busy schedules keep cortisol elevated. Higher cortisol is strongly associated with abdominal fat storage and visceral adiposity.

Blood sugar changes

Insulin resistance often creeps in during the late 30s and 40s, especially in women who have dieted for years or live in a constant stress response.

Thyroid sensitivity

The thyroid is very responsive to stress, under-eating and poor sleep. Even with "normal" blood tests, metabolism can feel slower.

Muscle changes

From our mid-30s onward, muscle mass gradually declines if we don't actively support it. Less muscle = lower metabolic output.

The key takeaway: Your body hasn't suddenly become lazy. It has become protective.

Burnout Shows Up as a Metabolic State

We often think of burnout as emotional exhaustion. But physiologically, burnout shows up as a state where your stress system and metabolism are stuck in survival mode, often leading to more hunger, more central fat storage and subtle reductions in energy expenditure over time.

When the body perceives ongoing stress, it adapts by:

conserving energy

storing fat

increasing hunger

lowering metabolic rate

This is not a flaw. It's a survival response.

Women juggling work, family, aging parents and poor sleep are often running on stress hormones for years. Over time, this creates the perfect environment for stubborn belly fat.

The Cortisol–Belly Fat Loop

Here's how the cycle typically unfolds:

Stress increases cortisol

Cortisol raises blood sugar

Insulin rises

Fat is stored (especially around the middle)

Sleep becomes disrupted

Cravings increase

Cortisol rises again

Cortisol doesn't create fat out of thin air, but it can nudge you toward eating more and storing more of what you eat around your middle.

Signs this may be happening for you:

Belly fat that won't budge

Afternoon energy crashes

Sugar cravings

Feeling wired but tired

Waking overnight

Brain fog

Feeling puffy or inflamed

If you recognise yourself here, it's not because you've lost discipline. It's because your metabolism is trying to protect you.

Why Dieting Often Backfires After 35

Many women respond to midlife weight gain by eating less and exercising more.

In your 20s this may have worked. In your 40s, it often does the opposite.

Chronic dieting is associated with reduced active thyroid hormone (T3), lower resting metabolic rate, and a tendency to regain fat (often centrally) once restriction ends. This is the body's adaptive response to prolonged restriction.

When stress and restriction combine, the metabolism shifts further into survival mode — making weight loss harder, not easier.

Signs Your Metabolism Is in Burnout Mode

You may be experiencing metabolic burnout if you notice several of these:

Weight gain around the middle

Persistent fatigue

Waking overnight

Brain fog

Feeling overwhelmed

Sugar cravings

Feeling cold easily

Irregular cycles

Low motivation to exercise

Blood tests "normal" but you feel off

Many women are told everything looks fine on paper — yet they don't feel fine at all.

These symptoms overlap with conditions like thyroid disease, anaemia and depression, so it's important to rule those out with your GP or specialist.

The Midlife Metabolism Reset

The solution isn't harsher dieting or more intense workouts. It's restoring metabolic safety.

When the body feels supported again, it becomes more willing to:

release stored fat

improve energy

balance hormones

restore sleep

Key areas to focus on:

stabilising blood sugar with balanced meals

rebuilding protein intake

supporting the nervous system

improving sleep

supporting thyroid and hormone health

choosing exercise that supports, not stresses, the body

Once your stress system, sleep and nutrition are more stable, moderate calorie deficits and the right type of movement tend to work better again.

You don't need more restriction. You need a strategy that works with your metabolism.

Why One-Size-Fits-All Plans Don't Work

Not all midlife weight gain has the same driver.

In clinic, I commonly see different metabolic patterns:

stress-dominant

insulin-dominant

thyroid-dominant

hormone-dominant

These aren't official diagnoses, but helpful patterns I see clinically that guide where we start.

This is why generic plans often fail. If the root driver isn't addressed, the body continues to resist change.

Ready to Understand Your Metabolism?

If you're:

gaining weight around your middle

feeling exhausted

doing everything "right"

and nothing is working

Your metabolism may be stuck in survival mode.

Take the free Metabolism Detective Quiz to discover your dominant metabolic driver and where to start. (See separate tab at the top of my Homepage)

Final Thoughts

Midlife is not the beginning of decline. It's a transition that requires a different approach.

When you stop fighting your body and start supporting it, things can shift:

energy improves

sleep settles

weight becomes easier to manage

and you feel like yourself again

Your metabolism isn't broken. It's communicating.

The Belly Fat Puzzle — Solved

🔑 Belly fat after 35 is rarely about eating too much. It's about cortisol, insulin, and metabolic burnout working against you.

🔑 Cortisol stores fat around your middle and slows your metabolism.

🔑 Insulin blocks fat burning — especially when combined with high cortisol.

🔑 Dieting harder often makes it worse, not better.

Ready to understand YOUR metabolic pattern? Book your free Health Clarity Call with Lisa today.

The Real Reasons Calories Feel Like They Stop Working in Perimenopause

You're not imagining it.

If you're eating less, moving more, and the scale is still creeping up — especially around your middle — I want you to know: this isn't in your head, and it's definitely not a lack of willpower.

For so many women in their late 30s, 40s, and early 50s, the same strategies that worked for years suddenly stop delivering. You're counting calories, skipping meals, pushing through workouts... and you're exhausted, frustrated, and stuck.

This isn't about what you're doing wrong. It's about your body changing — and needing a different approach now.

Why "Eat Less, Move More" Stops Working

Calories don't tell the whole story. They don't tell us how your hormones are functioning, whether your blood sugar is stable, if your stress response is running on overdrive, or how much muscle you're carrying.

In perimenopause, your hormones, muscle mass, sleep, and stress levels dramatically change how many calories you burn, how hungry you feel, and whether those calories get burned or stored as fat.

The Four Big Shifts Happening in Your Body

1. Estrogen changes fat storage

As estrogen fluctuates and drops, your body becomes more insulin resistant and starts storing fat around your middle — even if you haven't changed how much you're eating. This is especially true when combined with poor sleep, stress, or refined carbs.

2. Eating less can backfire

When you chronically under-eat, your body interprets it as stress. It responds by cranking up hunger, making blood sugar erratic, breaking down muscle, and lowering your metabolic rate.

Sound familiar? Waking at 2am with racing thoughts. Afternoon energy crashes. Intense evening cravings. Stubborn belly fat that won't budge. These aren't signs you're failing — they're signs your body feels under threat.

3. Muscle loss tanks your metabolism

From your mid-30s onward, you naturally lose muscle unless you actively preserve it. In perimenopause, this accelerates. When you cut calories without enough protein and strength training, you lose muscle along with fat — and end up eating less while burning less at the same time.

4. Blood sugar chaos drives cravings and fat storage

Hormonal changes make blood sugar control more fragile. Unstable blood sugar means feeling "hangry," energy crashes, intense carb cravings, and more fat storage around your midsection. Calorie counting doesn't address this — and it's often the missing piece.

What to Focus On Instead

Sustainable weight loss in perimenopause requires a hormone-aware approach, not endless restriction:

Eat enough protein — Aim for protein at each meal (around 1.0-1.2g per kg of body weight daily for most women) to preserve muscle.

Balance your meals — Combine protein, fiber, healthy fats, and lower-glycemic carbs to stabilize blood sugar. Avoid under-eating all day then overeating at night.

Support your stress response — Prioritize sleep and nervous system regulation. Keep training realistic. When your body doesn't feel threatened, it's far more willing to release stored fat.

Get the right tests — If you have extreme fatigue, hair changes, irregular cycles, or significant belly weight gain, check your thyroid and metabolic health.

Create safety for your nervous system — Consistent meals, adequate fuel, and recovery tell your body it's safe to let go of stored energy.

When these systems are supported, a moderate calorie deficit becomes far more effective — and weight loss can happen without extreme restriction.

The Bottom Line

If "eat less and exercise more" has stopped working, you're not failing. Your body has changed, and it needs a different strategy.

Weight loss after 35 isn't about eating less and less. It's about working with your physiology — your hormones, muscle, metabolism, stress, and blood sugar — so a gentle energy deficit actually delivers results.

You deserve an approach that honors what your body is going through, not one that fights against it.

Want to know exactly what's blocking your weight loss? I've created a free Metabolism Detective Quiz to help you uncover what's really happening with your metabolism, hormones, and stress response. Head to the home page of my website and look for the ‘Metabolism Detective” tab to download your free quiz. In just a few minutes, you'll get personalized insights into which metabolic pattern you're stuck in — and the exact steps you need to take to finally start seeing results again.

Why Eating Less Is Slowing Your Metabolism After 35

Why Eating Less Is Slowing Your Metabolism After 35

If eating less actually worked, you wouldn't still be here.

You wouldn't be tracking calories, skipping meals, choosing the "good" option, or wondering why weight feels harder to shift now than it ever did before.

Yet for many women in their late 30s, 40s and 50s, the pattern looks like this: you're eating less than you used to, often less than your partner, you're trying to be disciplined — and your body responds by holding on tighter.

I know how isolating this feels. You're doing everything the internet tells you to do, everything that worked in your 20s, and your body seems to be working against you. You might even feel like you're failing at something that should be simple.

This isn't a willpower problem. It's a physiology + context problem.

And once you understand what's really happening inside your body, the struggle starts to make sense.

Why "Eat Less, Move More" Stops Working So Well in Midlife

The basic principle of energy balance still applies at any age: fat loss ultimately requires a sustained negative energy balance.

What changes after 35 is how the body responds to dieting.

Much of the traditional advice around weight loss:

• didn't account for perimenopausal hormonal shifts

• didn't consider chronic stress and sleep disruption

• and often ignored age-related loss of lean muscle

In midlife, these factors interact in ways that make aggressive restriction harder to tolerate and less effective over time.

And here's what makes this so frustrating: the advice you're following isn't wrong for everyone — it's just incomplete for where you are now. Your body has different needs than it did a decade ago, and no one warned you about that shift.

What Happens When You Undereat for Too Long

Low Energy Availability Is a Physiological Stressor

Consistently eating too little for your body's needs is recognised as a form of low energy availability.

The body responds by shifting into an energy-conserving state:

• slowing processes that aren't essential for immediate survival

• prioritising blood sugar stability over fat loss

This isn't dysfunction — it's adaptation.

Thyroid Hormone Conversion Can Downshift

Prolonged calorie restriction — particularly when combined with low carbohydrate intake — is associated with:

• lower circulating T3

• reduced conversion of T4 to active T3

• lower resting energy expenditure

This pattern has been described in studies of low energy availability and chronic dieting.

Importantly, this can occur even when basic thyroid screening appears "normal", especially if only TSH and T4 are measured and T3 is not assessed, or if values sit within wide reference ranges.

If you've been told your thyroid is "fine" but you still feel exhausted and cold all the time, this might be why. It's incredibly invalidating to feel terrible while being told everything looks normal on paper. This is where I would normally suggest we get a blood test with a full Thyroid panel done so we can learn exactly what’s going on regarding TSH, T4, T3, thyroid antibodies and Reverse T3. Only then can we have a true understanding of your current thyroid health.

Common experiences associated with this possible underactive thyroid state include:

• feeling colder than usual

• low energy

• reduced exercise tolerance

Cortisol Helps Maintain Function — at a Cost

In energy deficit, counter-regulatory hormones such as cortisol help maintain blood glucose.

When restriction, stress and poor sleep persist together, cortisol exposure over time is associated with:

• increased central (abdominal) fat storage

• muscle breakdown

• disrupted sleep

• increased cravings

Not every woman will experience all of these — but this pattern is well-described in chronically stressed, under-fuelled states.

Why Very Restrictive Dieting Can Backfire Around the Middle

To be clear: in controlled conditions, sustained calorie deficits reduce total and abdominal fat.

The problem arises when very low or prolonged dieting is layered onto:

• perimenopausal hormonal change

• chronic stress

• sleep disruption

• and age-related muscle loss

In this context, aggressive restriction:

• increases metabolic adaptation

• reduces resting energy expenditure

• and raises the likelihood of weight regain — often preferentially around the abdomen — when normal eating resumes

This is the cruel irony that so many of my clients describe: the harder they try, the worse it seems to get. You're not imagining it, and you're not doing it wrong. The approach itself needs adjusting.

This is why many women report "doing everything right" yet cycling between loss and regain, particularly around the middle.

The Metabolic Adaptation No One Prepared Women For

Metabolic adaptation (also called adaptive thermogenesis) is well-documented.

After sustained dieting, the body may:

• burn fewer calories at rest than predicted

• reduce spontaneous movement

• become more energy-efficient

This occurs at all ages, but its impact is greater in midlife when:

• lean mass is already declining

• recovery capacity is lower

• stress load is higher

Repeated dieting without adequate recovery often leads to diminishing returns.

Possible Signs You May Be Under-Fuelled

These signs are not diagnostic and can overlap with other conditions (such as anaemia, thyroid disease or depression), but they can be compatible with low energy availability:

• stalled or reversing weight loss

• fatigue that doesn't improve with rest

• hair thinning or brittle nails

• low motivation or flat mood

• exercise feeling harder over time

If you're reading this list and nodding along to most of them, I see you. These symptoms are real, they're disruptive to your life, and they deserve proper attention — not another round of "just try harder."

Clinically, these patterns warrant proper assessment rather than further restriction.

What Helps Restore Metabolic Responsiveness

Adequate Energy Comes First

For women with a long history of dieting and high stress, restoring sufficient energy intake, sleep and recovery often needs to happen before another fat-loss attempt.

This allows some of the body's conservation responses to ease.

I know this can feel counterintuitive — even scary. After years of restricting, the idea of eating more can trigger real anxiety. But this isn't about giving up on your goals; it's about creating the foundation that actually allows them to happen.

I'm currently working with several women where undereating was actually contributing to their weight gain. Once I had them eating more regularly and more of the right foods, they began burning fat. For example, one client on my 3-month program is at the 7-week mark and has lost 6.6kg and 6cm off her waist — not by eating less, but by eating appropriately for her body's needs.

Protein Supports Lean Mass and Satiety

Adequate protein:

• helps preserve muscle during weight loss

• supports appetite regulation

• increases post-meal energy expenditure via the thermic effect of food

While this thermic effect is modest, it contributes to overall metabolic health.

Carbohydrates Have a Role — When Used Appropriately

Very low-carbohydrate intake, particularly alongside low energy intake, has been associated with:

• lower T3

• higher cortisol responses

For some women, reintroducing appropriate carbohydrate (especially around training or in the evening) can:

• improve sleep

• reduce perceived stress

• support thyroid hormone patterns

This doesn't mean "more is better" — it means context matters.

Why Repair Often Comes Before Sustainable Fat Loss

From a physics standpoint, fat loss still requires a calorie deficit.

The clinical reality is that in chronically under-fuelled, high-stress midlife women, repairing metabolic stress first often makes later, moderate restriction:

• more effective

• more sustainable

• and far less miserable

In other words: addressing low energy availability, sleep and stress doesn't replace fat loss — it enables it.

The Bottom Line

If eating less was the answer, you wouldn't still be struggling.

Your body isn't lazy. Your metabolism isn't broken. And pushing harder isn't the solution.

You've been working so hard for so long. The exhaustion, the frustration, the feeling like you're fighting your own body — it all makes sense now. Understanding why your body is responding the way it is changes everything.

Want to Understand Your Own Metabolic Pattern?

If you're eating well, trying hard, and still not seeing results, your metabolism is giving you information — it just needs to be interpreted correctly.

I've created a free Metabolism Detective Quiz to help identify which metabolic patterns may be at play for you, and what your body likely needs next.

👉 You can download the Metabolism Detective Quiz from its own tab on the homepage of my website.

Clarity is the first step toward working with your body instead of against it.

Weight Loss After 35: Why New Year's Resolutions Fail (And What Works Instead)

Every January, I see the same thing happen.

Big promises. Extreme rules. "All or nothing" plans.

And by the time February rolls around? Most New Year's resolutions have quietly disappeared.

Sound familiar? You start strong on January 1st, but by week three, you're exhausted, the rules feel impossible, and you're wondering why you can't just stick with it.

Here's what I want you to know: it's not because you're lazy. It's not because you "lack willpower."

It's because most resolutions are unrealistic, unsustainable, and disconnected from how the body actually works — especially if you're a woman over 35 navigating hormonal shifts, a slower metabolism, and energy that doesn't bounce back like it used to.

Maybe you've noticed the same diet that worked in your 20s isn't working anymore. Perhaps you're dealing with energy crashes by 3pm, weight that seems to cling on no matter what you try, or a body that feels like it's working against you instead of with you.

As a naturopath, I don't love New Year's resolutions — particularly when it comes to weight loss after 35 — because they often set people up to fail before they've even begun.

Let's talk about a better way.

The Problem With New Year's Resolutions

Most resolutions sound something like this:

"I'm cutting sugar completely"

"I'm going to exercise every single day"

"I'll lose 10kg by March"

"No carbs, no treats, no slip-ups"

They're ambitious… but they're also short-term, rigid, and driven by pressure, not physiology.

When goals are:

Too extreme

Too many at once

Not aligned with real life

Your nervous system pushes back. Motivation fades. Fatigue sets in. And suddenly, the old habits creep back in — often with guilt attached.

This isn't a mindset failure. It's a strategy problem.

Sustainable Weight Loss Requires Playing the Long Game

Here's what I see again and again in clinic:

The clients who achieve lasting weight loss and better energy aren't the ones who go hardest in January.

They're the ones who:

Make small, realistic changes

Focus on months, not weeks

Work with their hormones, metabolism, and lifestyle — not against them

Health isn't built in a 4-week sprint. It's built through consistent habits repeated over time.

Consistency beats intensity. Every time.

Weight Loss Is a Side Effect of Healthy Foundations

Sustainable weight loss isn't about eating less and pushing harder.

It's the by-product of supporting the body properly across multiple pillars of health — especially blood sugar balance, hormones, stress regulation, and metabolism.

Here are the foundations I encourage clients to focus on instead of rigid resolutions:

1. Eat Real Food (Most of the Time)

You don't need perfection.

Start with:

Reducing ultra-processed foods

Eating meals that actually nourish you

Prioritising whole, colourful foods

Ensuring at least half your plate is non-starchy vegetables

Think leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and colourful options like capsicum, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, mushrooms, asparagus, and green beans. These foods provide fibre, micronutrients, and antioxidants that support digestion, blood sugar balance, liver function, and hormone metabolism — all essential for sustainable weight loss.

Progress over perfection.

2. Aim for Around 30g of Protein Per Meal

Protein is one of the most under-eaten nutrients in women, particularly over 35.

Adequate protein supports:

Blood sugar stability

Appetite regulation

Lean muscle maintenance

A healthier metabolic rate

This one habit alone, done consistently, can dramatically reduce cravings and energy crashes.

3. Stay Hydrated (Yes, It Matters)

Dehydration often masquerades as:

Fatigue

Hunger

Sugar cravings

Headaches

A practical place to start: begin with a small glass of water each hour and gradually build to a larger glass as your body adapts. This helps ensure proper hydration without feeling overwhelming.

Hydration plays a key role in metabolism, digestion, energy production, and appetite signalling.

4. Prioritise Sleep for Hormonal Balance

Poor sleep increases cortisol, disrupts blood sugar, and drives hunger hormones — making weight loss far more difficult.

You don't need perfect sleep. You just need better sleep, more often.

5. Move Your Body in a Sustainable Way

Exercise does not need to be extreme to be effective.

Sustainable movement might include:

Walking most days

Strength training 2–3 times per week

Choosing movement you can maintain long-term

Burnout is not a requirement for results.

6. Address Mindset (Because It's Not "Just Discipline")

Your thoughts influence your nervous system, hormones, and behaviours.

Shifting from:

"I've failed again"

to

"I'm learning what my body needs"

creates physiological safety — and that's when real change begins.

7. Build in Accountability

We are not meant to do this alone.

Support and accountability significantly improve long-term success, especially for women navigating stress, hormonal changes, and metabolic resistance.

This might look like:

Asking a friend or family member to support your long-term changes

Or seeking professional accountability with a health practitioner, such as a naturopath who specialises in this area — this is exactly the kind of support I provide in my practice

Having someone in your corner helps turn good intentions into consistent action.

Forget the Resolution. Build the Routine.

Instead of asking:

"What can I achieve by February?"

Try asking:

"What habits could I realistically maintain over the next 6–12 months?"

When you focus on:

Nourishing your body

Regulating stress

Supporting hormones

Building realistic, repeatable habits

Weight loss becomes a natural outcome, not a constant battle.

I'll be honest with you: this approach takes patience. It won't deliver dramatic results in two weeks. But here's what it will do — it will actually work. And it will keep working, month after month, because you're building something sustainable instead of another short-term fix that leaves you starting over next January.

Ready for a More Sustainable Approach?

If you're tired of starting over every January and want a more personalised, physiology-based approach to weight loss and energy, there are two simple ways to get started:

Download my Metabolism Detective Quiz This free quiz helps identify which metabolic and hormonal factors may be holding your body back — and where to focus first.

Book a no-obligation Discovery Call If you'd prefer personalised support, you can book a free discovery call via the Book Online button on my website to explore whether working together is the right fit.

You don't need another resolution. You need a strategy that works with your body — long term.