If you’re in midlife and wondering why the weight around your belly won’t budge, despite eating well and working out, you're not alone. As Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, a triple board-certified endocrinologist, explained on The Tamsen Show Podcast, the issue is often more than just lifestyle. It’s physiological, hormonal, and even cultural.
Perimenopause and menopause shift body composition in powerful ways. Estrogen decline leads to a loss of muscle mass and increased visceral fat, which is fat that wraps around internal organs and contributes to higher risks for conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Add in disrupted sleep, increased insulin resistance, and life stressors (aging parents, career shifts, and growing children), and you've got a perfect storm for weight gain.
“There’s a misconception that you’ll see this all in bloodwork,” Dr. Rocio shared. “But many symptoms are clinical. You can feel terrible and still be told your labs are ‘normal.’”
The solution? Strength training, adequate protein intake (90–100g/day for most women in midlife), improved sleep, and possibly hormone therapy if appropriate.
If you're struggling with unexplained weight changes in your 40s or 50s, the answer might not be your willpower, but your hormones.
Want to learn more? Listen to this episode of The Tamsen Show Podcast.
%252520Small.png){kind=spacer}
( $47 value )
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
