If you’ve hit your 40s or 50s and feel like your body and mind are changing in ways no one warned you about… you’re not alone.
Maybe the weight won’t budge like it used to.
Or your moods swing from calm to overwhelmed in a heartbeat.
Maybe you’re waking up drenched in sweat—or just waking up exhausted.
The truth is, the hormone shifts of midlife touch everything: your energy, your sleep, your weight, your brain, and your emotions. And yet, so many women are left feeling dismissed or confused, wondering, “Is this just part of getting older?”
I want you to know: these changes are real, and they’re not just “in your head.” More importantly, you don’t have to suffer through them. When we understand what’s happening with our hormones, we can take steps to support balance, resilience, and vitality—so you can feel like you again. In my functional medicine and health coaching practice I help women gain clarity and stop the hormone guessing game!
1. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptoms
If you’re in your 40s or 50s, you might feel like your body is changing in ways you never expected. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re dripping in sweat in the middle of the night or snapping at your partner for no reason.
These shifting hormones can bring weight gain, fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, anxiety, and irregular periods.
And it’s not just physical—this roller coaster can take an emotional toll too. I always remind women: you’re not crazy, and you’re not alone. These are real, biological changes, and there are ways to support your body naturally through this transition.
Things that can help:
- Balance blood sugar: Start your day with protein and healthy fats to steady energy and reduce hot flashes.
- Cool down naturally: Keep a fan or cooling pillow by your bed; magnesium and evening primrose oil may help with night sweats. Rub some Peppermint essential oil on the back of your neck when you heat up. (Reach out to me, I can hook you up with high quality oils).
- Support estrogen metabolism: Add cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, kale) to help your body process estrogen.
- Prioritize sleep hygiene: Dim lights at night, avoid screens before bed, and try magnesium glycinate to promote deeper rest.
2. Weight Gain, Especially Around the Belly
Let’s talk about the belly weight no one warned you about. Many women tell me, “I haven’t changed anything, but I’m gaining weight—especially around my middle.” Sound familiar? That stubborn belly fat isn’t just about calories in, calories out; it’s connected to shifting estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and insulin.
This stage of life can trigger more insulin resistance and inflammation, making it harder to lose weight with the strategies that worked in your 30s.
The good news? It’s not your fault, and small, strategic shifts can make a big difference.
Here are some tips:
- Lift (heavy) things: Strength training 2-3x/week can boost metabolism and protect muscle as estrogen declines.
- Cut sneaky sugars: Watch for hidden sugars in sauces, yogurts, and bars that spike insulin. Lean to read labels and know what you are eating!
- Eat more protein: Aim for 20-30 grams of protein per meal to help with satiety and metabolism.
- Mind cortisol: Chronic stress = higher cortisol = more belly fat. Build in daily stress-relievers (walking, deep breathing, journaling).
👉 This stage is less about “eating less, exercising more” and more about working with your changing metabolism.
3. Energy and Fatigue
Do you wake up already tired? Or feel like you’re dragging yourself through the day—even though you used to have boundless energy? Many women in midlife feel an exhaustion that coffee and willpower just won’t fix.
This isn’t laziness; it’s your body’s way of telling you something’s off!
Stress, low thyroid, imbalanced cortisol, and blood sugar swings all play a role. I help women get to the root cause of that fatigue, so they can feel like themselves again—without relying on quick fixes that leave them more depleted.
Ideas for you:
- Stop skipping meals: Stable blood sugar = more stable energy; try not to go more than 4-5 hours without eating.
- Test, don’t guess: Consider checking thyroid, cortisol, insulin, iron, and B12 if fatigue persists. These are just a few tests that can clarify, but the testing should be individual to YOU.
- Protect mornings: Avoid back-to-back early commitments; ease into your day to protect cortisol rhythm.
- Rest smart: It’s OK to slow down—you’re not lazy, you’re conserving resources. Honor what your body’s asking for.
👉 Fatigue in midlife isn’t a moral failing—it’s feedback from your body that needs attention, not pushing through.
Need Support?
Tired of guessing? Let’s take the weight off—starting with the pressure. If your hormones are out of balance, it’s not your fault.
Whether you’re ready for testing—or already have results and just need help figuring out what to do next—I’ve got you. Together, we’ll create a clear, personalized plan that shows you what to eat, what supplements to take, and how to support your hormones naturally.
And we’ll keep it simple. Small habit shifts, done consistently, can lead to huge wins. You don’t have to overhaul your whole life—you just need the right next steps, and someone to guide you.
Let’s chat! I offer a FREE Healthy Hormone Session where we can look at what’s going on and what you really need to move forward.
No pressure. Just clarity.
Here’s what a happy Client says about the impact of small habit changes:
Before working with Dr. Erin, I thought I’d have to make radical changes to my diet and to my exercise routine. Not so! I just needed a few, easy to make tweaks! Before I was tired all of the time – took naps almost daily and I could not focus. After working with Dr. Erin, I have a lot more energy, am very focused and as a result I feel so much better – mentally, physically and emotionally. I feel so much better and as a bonus, I’ve lost over 9 lbs. – easily! Wendy 49
Start where you are. Be kind to you.
You’ve got this—and I’ve got you 💛
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