My Body Wasn’t Responding—And I Knew Something Was Off
It happened slowly at first. The foods I’d always eaten started leaving me feeling bloated and tired. My workouts weren’t making the same impact. I wasn’t gaining a ton of weight, but I was definitely gaining some, and what frustrated me most was that I was doing the same things I always had—and they just weren’t working anymore.
As a nurse, I knew metabolism changed with age. But living through it? Totally different story. I remember thinking, Did my metabolism just crash overnight? Because that’s how it felt. My old routines weren’t cutting it anymore, and I knew it wasn’t about willpower—it was something deeper.
So I dug in. I needed to understand what was really going on. And what I learned gave me both clarity and relief: my metabolism hadn’t failed me—it had just changed.
What Metabolism Actually Means (And Why It’s Not Just “Slowing Down”)
Most people think metabolism is just about how fast you burn calories. But it’s actually more complex—it includes all the energy your body needs to do everything: breathe, digest food, repair cells, and more.
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Doesn’t Drop as Fast as You Think
We’ve been told for years that metabolism plummets in midlife—but that’s not entirely true. A 2021 study in Science found that our metabolism stays remarkably stable from our 20s through our 50s. It doesn’t start to decline significantly until our 60s.
So what’s really going on when your clothes feel tighter and the scale creeps up?
The Real Issue? Loss of Muscle and Less Daily Movement
As we age, we naturally start to lose muscle—a process called sarcopenia. Less muscle = lower calorie burn at rest. Add to that the fact that many women in perimenopause are exhausted, sleeping poorly, and more sedentary due to stress or fatigue, and suddenly your total daily energy burn (even outside of exercise) goes down.
This drop in everyday movement is called NEAT—non-exercise activity thermogenesis—and it’s a huge factor most of us don’t even realize is changing. It’s walking less, standing less, fidgeting less. And it adds up fast.
I saw this in myself. My workouts were still there, but my steps, chores, and general movement had slowed way down. Once I started gently increasing my movement and building strength again, I saw a shift—not just on the scale, but in how I felt.
Hormones That Impact Metabolism During Menopause
The hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause don’t just affect your mood or cycle—they impact how your body uses energy, stores fat, and responds to food.
Estrogen
Estrogen plays a role in how your body regulates fat and glucose. When estrogen levels drop, fat tends to shift toward the belly, and your body may become more insulin resistant—making it easier to store fat and harder to burn it off.
Cortisol
Cortisol, your main stress hormone, is linked to increased abdominal fat when chronically elevated. Poor sleep, high stress, and constant overdrive can all drive cortisol up, contributing to that “tired but wired” feeling—and stubborn weight gain.
Thyroid Hormones
Some women experience changes in thyroid function during perimenopause that go undetected. Even slight shifts in thyroid hormones can slow down your metabolism and cause fatigue, cold sensitivity, and unexpected weight gain.
5 Reasons Your Midlife Metabolism Feels “Broken” (But Isn’t)
- Loss of muscle → Fewer calories burned at rest.
- Less daily movement (NEAT) → Big drop in total energy expenditure.
- Unbalanced blood sugar → Leads to more cravings and fat storage.
- Poor sleep → Disrupts hunger hormones and increases cortisol.
- Low protein intake → Makes it harder to maintain or build lean mass.
The good news? These are all modifiable. It doesn’t require a complete lifestyle overhaul—just some strategic shifts.
How I Started Rebuilding My Metabolism (And How You Can Too)
Here’s what made a real difference for me—personally and professionally:
- I added strength training twice a week. Even 30-minute sessions helped rebuild muscle and improved how I felt overall.
- I bumped up my protein. I aim for 30g at breakfast and try to include a protein source at every meal.
- I moved more during the day. Things like walking during phone calls or stretching while watching TV added up.
- I took sleep seriously. No more scrolling at midnight. I set a bedtime, used magnesium, and gave myself permission to wind down.
- I cut the intensity when I needed to. Instead of pushing harder, I started asking: What does my body need today?
Final Thoughts: It’s Not Just Aging—It’s Adaptation
If you’re feeling like your body is working against you in midlife, know this: your metabolism hasn’t quit—it’s just asking for a different kind of care.
Menopause doesn’t mean giving up. It means adapting. And with a few simple changes, you can feel more energized, strong, and like yourself again.
