Why Menopause makes weight loss harder — and what can you do to help?
If you're a woman in your 40s or 50s, perimenopause is probably the hot topic among your friends right now. It's a time when our bodies are changing, our emotions are running the full spectrum, and — for many of us — the scales are creeping up despite no real change in our habits. You're not imagining it, and you're not alone.
Weight gain during menopause is one of the most common and frustrating experiences women report, and it's driven by a combination of hormonal, metabolic, and lifestyle shifts happening all at once. We sat down with Dr Alasdair Patrick to discuss it.
Join us for our three-part series on Menopause and Weight with Dr Alasdair Patrick.
Part 1 — Menopause and Weight
Part 2 — Menopause and Exercise
Part 3 — Menopause and Fibre
Why is menopause making me fat?
Oestrogen drop = weight gain
Oestrogen isn't just a reproductive hormone — it's a key player in your metabolism. When levels drop during menopause, your body becomes more efficient at storing fat and less efficient at burning it — so weight goes on more easily and is harder to shift.
Oestrogen drop = fat redistribution
As oestrogen levels decline, the body also redistributes fat — particularly around the abdomen. Before menopause, women typically store fat on the hips and thighs; after menopause, it accumulates preferentially around the midsection.¹ ² ³
This isn't simply cosmetic. Fat around the tummy — particularly the deeper visceral fat that sits around your organs — is linked to increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction.⁴ ⁵
Oestrogen drop = poor carbohydrate processing
Oestrogen also plays a role in how your body processes and uses carbohydrates. When levels decline, your body becomes less efficient at managing blood sugar — making it more likely to store carbohydrates as fat rather than burn them for energy.⁶
Oestrogen drop = muscle loss
Muscle mass also declines during menopause, which is often compounded by increases in fat.⁷ Because muscle is metabolically active tissue, having less of it means your resting metabolism drops — so you burn fewer calories at rest than you used to. This is one of the reasons why you might be eating the same as you always have, but continue to put on weight.
Oestrogen drop = sleep disruption
Poor sleep affects up to 47% of women in perimenopause and up to 60% of women after menopause.⁸ Sleep disruption is not only frustrating but can also affect your weight. Restless sleep disrupts the production of ghrelin and leptin — the hormones that regulate hunger — with ghrelin (which signals hunger) increasing and leptin (which signals fullness) decreasing.⁸
Elevated cortisol levels can compound the problem: low oestrogen has been associated with higher cortisol levels, and cortisol is known to promote the accumulation of abdominal fat.⁹ ¹⁰
Add all of this together and it becomes clear why the old approach of "just eat less and exercise more" often stops working the way it once did.
What does help?
The good news is that targeted strategies can help shift the weight gain in menopause.
Prioritise protein
Eating more protein helps preserve muscle, improve satiety, support weight loss, and maintain bone density.¹¹
Aim for at least 60g of protein per day - try Fast FX which gives you 27 grams of protein per shake.
Resistance training
Exercise training improves insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women,¹² and strength training specifically helps preserve muscle mass.
Try to do resistance training two to three times per week - try bodyweight exercises, gym sessions, or Pilates.
Managing blood sugar
You can help balance blood sugar levels (and reduce cravings) by prioritising protein at every meal — especially breakfast — and by eating fewer refined carbohydrates, such as sugary foods and white bread.
Try to minimise refined carbohydrates and maximise lean protein.
Address sleep and stress
Prioritise sleep and stress-reducing activities.¹³
Stick to a consistent bedtime, stop screens at least an hour before bed, and keep your bedroom dark and cool.
Try stress-relief practices such as yoga, walking, and meditation.
Nutritional support
A high-quality meal replacement, like Fast FX or Eliminate, can help manage calorie intake without sacrificing protein or micronutrient targets. Three serves of Fast FX, for example, delivers 81 grams of plant protein while keeping calories low and nutrients high.
The bottom line
Menopause weight gain is real, it's hormonal, and it's not a failure of willpower. But it is responsive to the right approach.
The women who navigate this phase most successfully tend to shift their focus from restricting calories to prioritising the right ones — especially protein, vitamins, and minerals. Health FX meal replacements can help make that part of the equation easy.
Your body hasn't stopped cooperating. It just needs a different conversation.
References
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Davis SR et al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric. PubMed: 22978257
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Davis SR et al. (2012). Ibid.
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Lovejoy JC et al. (2008). Increased visceral fat and decreased energy expenditure during the menopausal transition. International Journal of Obesity. PMC: 2748330
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Franciscan Health (2025). Menopause, insulin resistance and diabetes risk. franciscanhealth.org
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Oura (2025). Menopause and metabolism: understanding changes in insulin sensitivity. ouraring.com
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Alemany M. (2021). Estrogens and the regulation of glucose metabolism. World Journal of Diabetes, 12(10):1622–1654. Full text
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NCT06098183. Metabolic effects of perimenopause. ClinicalTrials.gov. clinicaltrials.gov
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Hone Health (2025). How does cortisol impact menopause weight gain? honehealth.com
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NCT04043520. Bioenergetic effects of aging and menopause. ClinicalTrials.gov. clinicaltrials.gov
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Long Life Nutri (2025). Post-menopause strength: optimising training and protein for sarcopenic obesity. longlifenutri.com
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Haver MC. The science behind the menopause belly. The Pause Blog. thepauselife.com
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Mandrup CM et al. (2018). Effects of menopause and high-intensity training on insulin sensitivity and muscle metabolism. Menopause, 25(2):165–175. PubMed: 28953212
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Future Woman (2024). Insulin resistance and perimenopause. future-woman.com
