Losing weight during menopause? A hormone therapist explains how to maintain your weight

You may notice that your body responds differently than it used to. The weight seems to creep on more easily—sometimes three to five pounds, sometimes even more. This doesn’t just happen if you’ve always been slim; even if you were already a bit fuller before menopause, you might experience the same weight gain.

It’s frustrating because it alters how you perceive yourself. And during this stage of life, your self-image is often already under strain. It can feel as though the weight has appeared out of nowhere, even in areas you’re not accustomed to, such as your abdomen.

It may seem as though those extra pounds have come out of nowhere. Yet, you’re not doing anything differently. After a few days of less healthy eating, you return to watching what you eat and drink, just as you always have. This approach used to work well, helping you maintain a healthy balance and stay at your desired weight. But what worked before suddenly doesn’t seem to have the same effect.

Don’t worry: gaining a few pounds, particularly around your abdomen, is actually functional. The fat in your abdominal area acts as one of the body’s backup systems after your ovaries stop producing female hormones. This abdominal fat produces oestrogens, which are also beneficial for your skin. However, if the weight gain is significant, other factors may be at play.

A lot is happening in your body during this stage of life, often due to a temporary hormonal imbalance. Hormones play a crucial role when it comes to weight.

Think of it as steering a ship, with you as the captain. Previously, you navigated calm waters, but now the sea has become much rougher. How well can you steer the ship now? In other words, is your foundational health strong enough to handle these turbulent waters?

This is where your opportunities lie. By improving your health, you can successfully lose weight. It may require more effort than before, but with the right tools, you can absolutely return to your previous weight.

Understand that losing weight during menopause isn’t simply about counting calories. This is because multiple imbalances are often at the root of the issue, and these need to be addressed. Sometimes, these imbalances are even more troubling than menopause symptoms like hot flushes, poor sleep, and irritability. Women often feel as though they’ve lost themselves, and this can have a profound impact.

Several factors often play a role, such as insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation, chronic stress, thyroid function, disruptions in hunger and satiety hormones, and unhealthy eating habits.

The oestrogen your ovaries used to produce protected you from these issues. That’s why you didn’t gain weight (or gained it more slowly) before.

What makes losing weight during menopause particularly challenging is that it can become a self-perpetuating cycle. The more body fat you have, the more your hormones become imbalanced. This vicious cycle needs to be broken. But how?

The first step is identifying the underlying mechanisms, which vary from person to person. A hormone therapist can guide you through this process, helping you develop a personalised plan that is both effective and achievable. What works will depend on your specific situation. However, there are also tips that apply to all women going through menopause:

From the age of 30, muscle mass begins to decline. The fewer muscles you have, the fewer mitochondria—tiny energy factories in every cell—you have. These energy factories play a crucial role in fat burning.

The equation is simple: the more muscle you have, the more mitochondria you have, and the easier it is to shed pounds. And even when you’re sitting on the sofa, they burn energy (and fat). This is called your resting metabolism.

Want quick results? Train your major muscle groups (thighs, glutes, and lower back) twice a week. You don’t necessarily need a gym for this; a resistance band and YouTube can be incredibly effective.

If you’re someone who’s always busy, constantly “on”, and rarely takes breaks, your body produces more cortisol. This stress hormone makes it easier for your body to release sugar, which negatively impacts your weight. It also increases cravings for sugary and fatty foods.

Balance in your nervous system is essential: where there’s a lot of effort, there must also be room for sufficient relaxation. You need to create balance between your “accelerator” and your “brake”.

Reflect on what this balance looks like for you. Do you regularly schedule time for yourself? And when you plan to relax, do you secretly end up ticking something off your to-do list instead? Becoming aware of your behaviour is the first step. After that, you can make agreements with yourself about how and when you’ll find more relaxation.

Nutrition is a key pillar when it comes to balancing your hormones. Take a critical look at the composition of your diet and keep a food diary for a week.

Write down how many eating moments you have each day (yes, even when you grab a small biscuit or piece of chocolate) and when you consume carbohydrates. Think of bread, crackers, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.

Each of these carbohydrate moments causes your blood sugar to spike. A good hormonal balance benefits from stable blood sugar levels. Replace fast carbohydrates (like white bread, white rice, and white pasta) with wholegrain products. These are absorbed more slowly into your bloodstream, resulting in a lower impact on blood sugar.

Also, try eating meals that consist only of fats and proteins more often. Think of an egg fried in butter with avocado, tomato, and asparagus. Your hormones will thank you, and it’s also a delicious way to start your day. Bet you won’t have a growling stomach for the rest of the morning?

Enjoy your meal!