What works in menopause
If you've been told that menopause makes fat loss impossible, I want to start by saying this clearly believe me it doesn't. In my experience, believing it's impossible holds women back far more than their hormones do.
Here's what the evidence says, and what I see work with the women I coach week after week.
Your metabolism hasn't crashed
One of the biggest studies on human metabolism (Pontzer et al., Science, 2021) tracked energy expenditure in over 6,000 people across their lifespan. It stayed remarkably stable from our 20s until around 60.
There was no meaningful drop at the average age of menopause, which is 51 in the UK although women as young as 35 can begin peri-menopause. The decline after 60 was largely down to less muscle and less movement, nothing to do with hormones switching anything off.
What menopause does change
Falling and fluctuating oestrogen affects a lot of things that make fat loss feel harder:
Poorer sleep
Increased hunger and cravings
Lower energy and slower recovery
Low mood, anxiety and irritability
The physiology of fat loss is the same as it was at 35. What's changed is how hard it is to stick to the plan. That's a problem we can solve.
Why your old routine stopped working
As oestrogen fluctuates and declines, your body tends to store more fat around your middle. Clothes fit differently and the routine that used to work stops delivering. At the same time, muscle gets harder to hold on to as we age and less muscle means you burn a little less energy at rest.
When this happens, most women reach for the old playbook: slash food and pile on endless cardio. It's an understandable reaction and it usually backfires. Severe restriction on top of poor sleep makes hunger louder, energy lower and recovery slower, and it costs you muscle. Something has to give, and it's usually the plan.
The fitness industry loves this moment. You'll be told your hormones are broken, that you need an expensive supplement or that you just need to work harder. None of that is true.
Three shifts that make the difference
You can't starve your way through peri-menopause and treating your body like an enemy to be punished doesn't work. The goal is to support the body you're living in right now, shifting the focus from shrinking at all costs to building strength.
Train smarter, not less. Strength training stays at the centre, but recovery gets more attention. Shorter, more frequent sessions often work better for energy and mood. Lifting tells your body to hold on to muscle and protects your bone density.
Eat to manage hunger. Rather than cutting food, build meals that keep you full. With my clients we use the SHP Method (StrongHer Plate) balances protein, carbs, fats and fibre at every meal. Starving yourself only speeds up muscle loss.
Rebuild energy first. Most women I meet are exhausted and trying to move more and eat less at the same time. A few weeks focused on energy makes everything after it easier. Poor sleep and constant stress will stall your progress faster than a slice of cake ever will. Rest is part of the work.
Five menopause myths to stop worrying about
"HIIT spikes your cortisol, so stop doing it." Every type of exercise raises cortisol briefly. That's how your body fuels effort. If you enjoy HIIT, keep going.
"Avoid phytoestrogens." Foods like soy, lentils and flaxseed are nothing to fear and can be a helpful part of your diet.
"Have 15g of protein before training." Timing matters far less than total intake. A protein-rich meal (20g or more) within a couple of hours of your session is plenty.
"Cortisol is blocking your fat loss." Short cortisol rises are healthy. If you're worried about chronically high levels, speak to your GP. Exercise helps manage stress, so don't drop it.
"You're insulin resistant now, so go low carb." Insulin sensitivity isn't on or off. Strength training, staying active and managing body fat help most. Ultra-low-carb isn't required.
What actually works
Strength training: protects muscle, metabolic health and bone density.
Enough protein: around 1.6 to 2.2g per kg of body weight daily. Practically, aim for at least 20g per meal plus a protein-rich snack.
Sleep: improve it where you can, but don't let a bad night convince you progress is impossible.
HRT, if appropriate: a conversation you should have with your GP or a menopause specialist. Not diagnose yourself from a post of you read on Instagram or some influencer who has no qualifications on Tik-Tok.
Supplements: what's worth it
Worth considering:
Creatine monohydrate: 3 to 5g daily
Protein powder: If food falls short (remember protein is important)
Vitamin D: 10 micrograms daily from October to March (NHS advice) but if you don’t get much sunlight maybe consider this supplement all year round.
Omega-3: if you don't eat oily fish
Probably skip:
Collagen (enough protein covers it)
"Menopause blends" - Stoop listening to influences on social media
Anything promising adrenal support or cortisol balancing
Fat burners and detoxes
The bottom line
Menopause doesn't change how fat loss works. It makes it harder to stay consistent. You don't need a special menopause diet or supplement stack. You need the fundamentals, applied around your symptoms, starting with your energy.
Fat loss in midlife isn't about perfection or punishment. It's about building a strong, resilient body that handles change well.
Tired of the all-or-nothing cycle and want support that's built around you? Every programme I write is personal to you, never a template. Local to St Clears? Come and train with us at StrongHer with LB.
This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Speak to your GP before starting supplements or HRT.