Menopause and Perimenopause. What Actually Changes…
The honest reality
One of the most common conversations I have with clients in this stage of life is this:
“I’m eating well. I’m exercising. Why does my body feel different?”
This phase is real. Hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause affect how your body responds to food, stress and training. That does not mean weight gain is inevitable. It means the strategy needs refining.
What actually changes
As oestrogen levels fluctuate and gradually decline, a few key things happen:
Muscle loss can accelerate if you are not strength training
Insulin sensitivity may reduce slightly
Fat storage often shifts towards the midsection
Recovery becomes slower
Sleep disruption increases hunger and cravings
The body is not broken. It is adapting. Your plan needs to adapt too.
Why protein becomes more important
Protein is not a trend. It becomes essential during this stage.
It helps to:
Preserve and build lean muscle
Improve fullness and appetite control
Support blood sugar stability
Increase daily calorie burn slightly through digestion
Improve recovery from training
Most women I assess in this stage are under eating protein, often without realising it.
Simple protein targets that work
For most active women:
Around 1.6 to 2g per kg of bodyweight per day
Split across three structured meals
Aim for 30 to 40g per meal
Hitting this consistently often improves body composition, energy and cravings within weeks.
What that looks like in a normal day
Breakfast:
Skyr or Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds
Or eggs on sourdough with smoked salmon
Lunch:
Chicken salad bowl with rice or quinoa
Or tuna with lentils and roasted vegetables
Dinner:
Salmon with new potatoes and greens
Or turkey mince chilli with beans
Smart snacks if needed:
Cottage cheese, protein yoghurt, boiled eggs, edamame, cooked chicken slices
You do not need extreme diets. You need structure.
Strength training is non negotiable
Nutrition alone is not enough.
If muscle naturally declines during this phase, the answer is simple: give your body a reason to keep it.
Two to three progressive strength sessions per week is the minimum I recommend. This protects metabolism, improves insulin sensitivity and reshapes the body far more effectively than cardio alone.
Long cardio sessions without strength work often make fatigue worse.
What tends to backfire
Aggressively cutting calories
Living on light salads with minimal protein
Removing all carbohydrates
Relying on cardio alone
Jumping from plan to plan out of frustration
This often increases stress, worsens sleep and makes fat loss harder.
The balanced approach that works
Prioritise protein at every meal
Strength train consistently
Keep fibre intake high
Manage stress where possible
Protect sleep
Keep carbohydrates in, especially around activity
This phase is not about fighting your body. It is about training and fuelling it properly for where you are now.
The bottom line
Perimenopause and menopause are not a setback. They are a shift.
When protein intake increases, strength training becomes consistent and calories are managed sensibly, the body responds.
If your old approach is not working, it is not a lack of discipline.
It is a signal that the strategy needs updating.
And that is completely fixable.