Perimenopause - Struggling with Energy, Appetite, Weight AND Hormonal Symptoms?

Many women notice a shift in their late 30s or 40s.

Energy feels less stable, cravings become stronger, and weight can feel harder to manage.

Alongside this, symptoms such as hot flushes, brain fog, anxiety and mood changes start to occur. And I totally get how frustrating this is, especially when the same strategies that used to work no longer seem as effective. I have worked with many clients who have felt this way, and I have been there myself very recently. 🌻

However, it is rarely about willpower. It’s usually how the body is regulating energy, and I am here to tell you, there are clear physiological reasons behind it!

What’s changing?

During perimenopause, oestrogen levels begin to fluctuate. As oestrogen plays a key role in how the body responds to insulin and maintains blood sugar balance, these changes can make energy regulation less stable, meaning the body has to work harder to maintain balance.

🍃 This can lead to more noticeable highs and lows in blood sugar, which often show up as changes in energy, appetite and cravings. It can also contribute to, or worsen, other symptoms associated with perimenopause such as hot flushes, brain fog, mood swings and anxiety.

This is often the point where many women feel like their body has suddenly changed, when in reality, it’s how the body is regulating energy that has shifted.

Along with sleep disruption often experienced and increased sensitivity to stress, it is no wonder this can be a challenging time for so many.

However, the good news?! Blood sugar regulation sits at the centre of how your energy, appetite and symptoms show up during perimenopause, meaning there is so much we can do to alleviate suffering through nutrition and lifestyle! 💫

Perimenopause is not just a hormonal shift in isolation. It’s a change in how sex hormones, insulin and the nervous system interact. Blood sugar regulation sits right at the centre of that and is often an underlying driver causing or exacerbating many symptoms experienced during perimenopause.

Some examples

Symptoms - Hot flushes

What's happening - A drop in blood sugar → triggers adrenaline → activates the nervous system → causes vasodilation and that “flush” sensation.

Symptoms - You notice more weight around the middle or scales that just won't budge!

What’s happening → Reduced insulin sensitivity → Higher insulin → higher cortisol → promotes fat storage.

Symptoms - You feel more reactive, more anxious, and less able to cope with stress.

What’s happening → Increased stress sensitivity raises cortisol → cortisol disrupts blood sugar regulation → blood sugar drops → triggers adrenaline → activating the nervous system and amplifying feelings of anxiety.

Lower progesterone → less calming effect on the brain (GABA)

🧡 All compounded by the way we eat and our habits.

Supporting energy regulation is, therefore, one of the first things we can improve, and it often has a noticeable effect on many of the symptoms experienced during perimenopause!

What helps

Hopefully, it is clear why the most effective place to start is supporting blood sugar balance, and this is exactly what I help clients work through.

Insulin is often referred to as the master hormone. When it’s out of balance, it impacts other hormones too, which is why it’s such an important place to start.

Simple foundations can make a huge difference in symptoms and how you transition through the menopause -

❇️ Balanced meals with adequate protein, fibre and healthy fats

❇️ Eating regularly to avoid large highs and lows in blood sugar

❇️ Gentle movement, particularly after meals

❇️ Supporting sleep and managing stress

And other areas that can also support health during perimenopause -

❇️ Nutrient-dense foods to support hormone balance

❇️ Address insulin resistance as required

❇️ Gut health and oestrogen metabolism

❇️ Appropriate exercise to support strength and bone health

❇️ Reducing stress and supporting the nervous system

❇️ Liver health

If you’d like to read more about further areas, you can also take a look at this blog - Menopause, Nutrition & Lifestyle: How you can help yourself naturally! https://www.julie-hodgson.com/post/menopause-nutrition-lifestyle-how-you-can-help-yourself-naturally

Some encouragement!

The encouraging part is that insulin sensitivity responds very well to nutrition and lifestyle, and the body is very responsive when supported in the right way. 🌷

If you’re noticing your energy is more unpredictable, cravings are stronger, and what used to work no longer works… this is often where these changes are happening. And if things feel different, it’s not just you.

I’ve certainly noticed this myself. My usual “on the go - juggling everything life has to offer” attitude isn’t always conducive to stable energy or a well-regulated nervous system.

When the focus shifts away from just hormones and towards supporting the systems of the body including blood sugar, energy, the nervous system and overall metabolic health, things often begin to feel much more manageable again.

If you’re feeling stuck with this, it’s exactly what I help clients work through. You can book a free Health Chat, and we can explore your symptoms, your goals, and what may be driving them.

Warmest regards,

Julie x

Helping you live a healthier, happier life

mBANT, CNHC Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching

Specialising in Metabolic Health, Energy Regulation and Chronic Health Conditions.

https://www.julie-hodgson.com/contact

Book a FREE HEALTH CHAT