MENOPAUSE METABOLISM - HOW TO TURN IT BACK ON

Your metabolism feels stuck, like it’s switched to airplane mode. You’re eating well, moving your body, and doing all the things you’re "supposed" to do—so why does it feel like your body is fighting you every step of the way?

If you’re in menopause or even peri-menopause you’ve likely noticed that what used to work, doesn’t anymore. The belly fat won’t budge, your energy crashes by midday, cravings seem relentless, and despite a full night's sleep, you wake up exhausted. Sound familiar? If so, it’s not your fault—your body isn’t getting the memo, and there’s a real reason why.

Although it can happen at any age, this abrupt halt in metabolism is most noticeable for women over the age of around 40, aka menopause. Hormonal changes, chronic stress, and years of dieting can send your metabolism into survival mode. Your workouts that used to help don't seem to be working anymore no matter how many cardio days you put in. And the “healthy eating” you swear by had actually added extra fluff around the middle. It can feel like your metabolism has completely cut off communication with the rest of your body leaving you frustrated and stuck.

But here’s the thing—this isn’t about “eating less and moving more.” That old-school advice doesn’t account for what’s actually happening inside your body. It all starts with dysregulated blood sugar. When blood sugar isn't balanced, insulin resistance and inflammation take over and your mitochondria—the energy powerhouses of your cells—become overwhelmed with too much glucose in the system. And although glucose is fuel, when there’s too much fuel in the system, your body can’t process it efficiently, leading to weight gain, low energy, and stalled progress.

The combination of insulin resistance and inflammation is the perfect storm for weight gain, especially for women in meopause. Here’s how it plays out:

1. Insulin Resistance:
   When your body becomes less responsive to insulin, glucose stays in your bloodstream instead of being used for energy. This excess glucose gets stored as fat, particularly around the belly.

2. Chronic Inflammation:
   Inflammation makes it even harder for your body to regulate blood sugar and burn fat efficiently. Things like poor gut health, stress, processed foods, and environmental toxins all contribute to inflammation.

3. Mitochondrial Dysfunction:
   Your mitochondria are responsible for converting food into energy, but when they’re overwhelmed, they can’t keep up. Instead of burning fat and providing steady energy, your body stores excess glucose and leaves you feeling drained.

Hopefully you're not resonating with any of these, but if you are having a lightbulb moment and you feel like your metabolism has shut down, there are ways to turn it back on. But it starts with working with your body instead of against it.

As noted earlier, it all begins with blood sugar. Stabilizing blood sugar is key to reversing insulin resistance and reducing inflammation and you can do a lot with what and how you're eating. Instead of eating sporadically or skipping meals, focus on protein, fiber, healthy fats and clean carbs (yep carbs!) at every meal to keep glucose levels steady. Before you reach for that piece of toast or bowl of cereal however, the clean carbs your body needs are nutrient-dense carbs, like fruits and veggies.

Prioritize protein, especially first thing in the morning, to prevent blood sugar crashes and fat storage. Avoid processed carbs and sugary snacks that spike blood sugar and have no nutritional value. Eat consistently throughout the day to keep your metabolism fired up and running.

Your mitochondria need the right nutrients to function properly. Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, berries, nuts, and seeds, prioritizing magnesium, B vitamins, and omega-3s, and moving your body in a way that reduces stress - walking, strength training, and yoga all support mitochondrial health without overwhelming your system. If you're going hard on the cardio, it's time to rein it in and focus more on strength training together with movement that is not stressing your system.

Chronic inflammation is one of the biggest culprits behind a sluggish metabolism. Remove processed foods, seed oils, and excess sugar from your diet. Eat anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, wild-caught fish, and dark leafy greens.

And work on improving gut health by consuming probiotic-rich foods and reducing stress. Oh and please don't just go a throw high doses of generic probiotics at the problem. If you've got any leaky gut – and most women do to some degree – too much and/or the wrong type can cause more problems.

Hormonal changes can make your body more sensitive to stress, which in turn spikes cortisol and worsens insulin resistance. Cortisol is also knows as the fat-storing hormone, so if weight has been one of your issues, you definitely want to get that under control. Prioritize sleep—aim for 7-9 hours per night of good quality, uninterrupted sleep. Practice breathwork, meditation, or gentle movement to calm the nervous system. Avoid excessive high-intensity workouts, which can stress your body further and perpetuate that cycle. .

Bottom line, if your metabolism doesn't feel like it used to, the answer isn’t to restrict more, work out harder or go back and do that diet that “worked” for you a few years back, it’s to work smarter by addressing the root cause. When you focus on balancing blood sugar, supporting your mitochondria, reducing inflammation, managing stress, and healing your gut, you’ll create an environment where your body wants to burn fat and gives you back your energy.

For more information on blood sugar stabilization and watch Tania's free video.