WHY? "I can't lose weight"
"I can't lose weight"
Many women notice changes in their body composition in their forties, even when they’re eating well and staying active. This isn’t just about aging; it’s largely driven by hormonal shifts, particularly the decline in estrogen, which affects how your body stores fat and uses energy. In midlife women put on more weight in the perimenopause transition compared to men, showing that hormones make a difference.
As estrogen levels drop, insulin sensitivity can decrease, making it easier to store fat (especially around the middle) and harder to access stored energy. This means that the same diet and exercise routine that worked before might not be as effective now. The key isn’t just doing more, but adapting to what your body needs at this stage.
A few things to focus on:
- Strength training: Building muscle is one of the best ways to support insulin sensitivity and keep your metabolism working efficiently. Prioritizing resistance exercises over excessive cardio can help shift body composition.
- Protein intake: Higher protein intake supports muscle maintenance, which naturally declines with age. This also helps with satiety and blood sugar balance.
- Fueling properly: Eating enough (rather than restricting calories too much) ensures your body doesn’t downregulate metabolism in response to perceived scarcity. Under-eating, especially carbs, can worsen fatigue and make weight management harder.
- Hormonal support: If symptoms like poor sleep, mood changes, or fatigue are making things harder, exploring hormone therapy (HRT) could help. But, it is important to know that there is no evidence that HRT causes weight loss (or weight gain).
- Recovery and stress management: High cortisol from stress or poor sleep can drive more fat storage, particularly around the belly. Prioritizing good sleep, managing stress, and allowing recovery days between workouts can help.
It’s frustrating when what used to work no longer does, but the good news is that with the right adjustments, you can support your body’s changing needs and feel stronger and more energized in this phase of life.
