Menopause and Metabolism: Why You're Not Imagining the Weight Gain (And What I Did to Find Relief)

Jemma Billings

Hello, wonderful women!

If you’re in the thick of the perimenopause or menopause transition, you’ve likely felt that creeping frustration when your clothes suddenly feel tighter, or your joints ache for no clear reason. Perhaps you’ve been eating the same way for years, yet your body seems to be changing overnight.

Let me assure you of this: You are not imagining it.

The truth is that weight changes, a slowing metabolism, and an increase in joint pain and hot flushes are classic hallmarks of the menopausal transition, affecting at least 50% of women. This post breaks down exactly why this happens and shares the actionable, consistent steps I took to manage my own symptoms, from drastic hot flush reduction to soothing joint pain.

🔥 The Menopause Metabolic Shift: Why You Gain Weight Eating the Same Food

It's tempting to think weight gain is simply due to overeating, but the process is far more complex and rooted in hormonal change. The decline in oestrogen, the core characteristic of menopause, fundamentally changes how your body uses and stores energy.

Here is the breakdown of the three key factors at play:

1. The Slowing Metabolism (The "Same Food, More Weight" Factor)

  • Muscle Loss: As we age, we naturally lose lean muscle mass. Muscle is metabolically active, burning more calories than fat, even at rest. Less muscle means your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) slows down.
  • Hormonal Impact: Oestrogen decline directly contributes to this metabolic slowdown.
  • The Result: Your body requires fewer calories to maintain the same weight than it did in your 30's. If you eat the exact same amount, you create a calorie surplus that gets stored as fat.

2. A Shift in Fat Storage (The "Belly Fat" Factor)

  • Distribution Change: Before menopause, oestrogen favoured fat storage in the hips and thighs (the 'pear' shape). As oestrogen levels drop, fat storage shifts to the abdomen (the 'apple' shape).
  • Visceral Fat: This abdominal fat is often visceral fat, stored around internal organs. This is a direct, hormonally driven change, linked not just to body shape but also to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

3. Symptom-Related Changes (The "Overeating" Factor)

The symptoms themselves can make it harder to eat well and stay active:

  • Poor Sleep: Hot flushes and night sweats wreck sleep quality. Lack of sleep increases ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (the satiety hormone), making you feel hungrier and less satisfied.
  • Reduced Activity: Joint pain, fatigue, and low mood can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle.
  • Stress: Hormonal mood swings combined with life stress raise cortisol (the stress hormone), which is known to promote fat storage, especially around the middle.

✨ My Personal Journey: Finding Relief Through Consistent, Targeted Nutrition

I am a great believer in taking the load off your body. For me, the symptoms were overwhelming, including severe digestive upset, whole-body joint aches, and a distressing number of hot flushes—up to 12 per day.

Here are the consistent changes I made and the dramatic results they produced:

  • Eliminating Refined Sugar: This was my game-changer. I cut out all refined sugar, and the results were incredible: my hot flushes plummeted from 11-12 per day to a manageable 1-2 without HRT. It also drastically reduced the whole-body joint aches, especially the 'humming' I felt in my knee joints.
  • Addressing Intolerances: Following a hysterectomy and oophorectomy, previous IBS-like symptoms, particularly with dairy and gluten, became a major intolerance. Eliminating these foods did help reduce some, though not all, of the chronic bloating and digestive upset.

A Word of Caution: I would not suggest eliminating beneficial food groups like gluten or dairy unless you absolutely need to, as they provide great nutrition, affordability, ease, and variety. I had a clear intolerance, which necessitated the removal.

The core principle I adopted was this: every small thing I can do to improve my symptoms myself, I will do, and I will do it consistently.

🥗 The JNC Approach: Simple, Sustainable, and Balanced

The world of nutrition can be confusing, with a new 'gold standard' diet seemingly popping up every week. For me, the most effective and sustainable approach is one that ensures complete nutritional coverage:

  • Follow The Eatwell Guide: Focus on fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources.
  • Minimally Processed: Focus on cooking from scratch wherever possible and eating minimally processed foods.
  • Satiety Over Restriction: Do not focus on weight loss; focus on the best nutrition. Prioritise foods that offer satiety (feeling full and satisfied). When you feel fully satiated, you naturally eat less overall, and your weight will find its natural, healthy balance.
  • Listen to Your Body: My strongest piece of advice is to try one thing you think may help, monitor the result, and then decide if it’s a keeper. This is how you build a number of beneficial changes that are right for your unique body.

💪 What the Experts Advise: Key Guidance from the British Menopause Society (BMS)

The British Menopause Society (BMS) strongly advises that good nutrition and an active lifestyle are the cornerstone of a healthy menopause, whether or not Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is used.

Here are the Top 5 Word-Perfect Recommendations from the core BMS guidance:

  • Prioritise Quality Nutrition: "Focus on balanced eating rather than restrictive weight-loss diets. 1/4 Protein, 1/4 Carbohydrate (low glycaemic, whole grains), and 1/2 Fruit/Vegetables/Salad plate structure to ensure you meet all key nutrient needs for heart and bone health."
  • Increase Protein Intake: "Protein increases satiety and provides essential nutrients like iron and omega-3 fatty acids."
  • Do Not Avoid Carbohydrates: "Carbohydrates are essential, especially when increasing physical activity."
  • Embrace Resistance Training: "Consistent weight resistance exercise is the most efficient method for increasing muscle mass and metabolic rate."
  • Move More Consistently: "Aim for 150 minutes/week of endurance exercise (e.g., brisk walking) or 10,000 steps per day."

💖 Ready to Take Control of Your Menopause Journey?

The most powerful takeaway from my own experience is this: Small, consistent changes based on what your unique body needs can deliver dramatic results.

However, navigating hormonal changes, distinguishing between genuine intolerances and fad diets, and creating a sustainable eating plan can feel overwhelming when you're already dealing with hot flushes and fatigue.

This is where personalised nutritional coaching makes all the difference. As your nutritional coach, I can offer you the dedicated support you need to:

  • 🔍 Identify Your Triggers: We will use detailed food and symptom diaries to clearly pinpoint which dietary elements (like refined sugar or potential intolerances) may be worsening your specific menopausal symptoms.
  • 🎯 Create a Focused Plan: We move beyond the general advice to design a personalised, balanced eating plan that aligns with the Eatwell Guide principles, supporting your metabolism, bone health, and heart health.
  • 📈 Implement and Monitor: I provide the consistent support and accountability needed to seamlessly integrate changes into your daily life, track your progress, and adjust the plan based on how you feel, helping you find your own 'keepers' like I did with sugar reduction.

If you are ready to stop feeling confused and start making effective, sustainable changes that reduce your symptoms, boost your energy, and support your long-term health...

➡️ Click here to book your bespoke Nutritional Coaching session and start your journey towards a better menopause.

📚 Further Reading and Resources

The information in this article is based on my personal experience and established guidelines for clinicians and patients. For those who wish to delve deeper into the professional and clinical guidance, please refer to the following resources: