By the year 2025, over 1 billion women in the world will have experienced perimenopause—the period during which the body transitions out of its fertile years and into menopause.
Some women refer to it as “second puberty” because of the way the body can change unexpectedly and often uncomfortably. In addition to symptoms like brain fog, hot flashes, mood swings, and trouble sleeping, perimenopause can also bring an unwanted side effect—weight gain.
What’s Behind Perimenopausal Weight Gain
Perimenopause tends to start between 40 and 50 years of age (but can start earlier or later depending on genetics and lifestyle) and lasts, on average, about eight years. The major body shift that happens during perimenopause is the unpredictable fluctuation of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This can lead to those “classic symptoms” of perimenopause, such as hot flashes.
But estrogen is also connected to other bodily functions, including digestion and metabolism. Decreasing estrogen levels can slow metabolism. Erratic estrogen levels can impact your hunger hormones, leading to cravings and overeating.
Perimenopausal hormone changes also change the places your body decides to store fat, redistributing from the hips and thighs to the stomach. Increased abdominal fat can make weight gain more obvious to you or others, but also puts you at increased risk of the specific health dangers of abdominal fat. (Good news—this can often be reduced faster than fat beneath the skin during weight loss.)
It’s important to note that not all women will gain weight during perimenopause. And there are other reasons that you may be gaining weight as you enter your 40s and 50s. Aging brings a natural slowdown in your baseline metabolism (called a basal metabolic rate, or BMR) that can lead to weight gain if you don’t otherwise adapt your exercise and diet plans. Talk to your healthcare provider about any age-related changes you may need to make for either.
What You Can Do About Weight Gain During Perimenopause
As we age, committing to our healthy habits is more important than ever. Aging is inevitable, but there are universal steps we can all take to promote our health:
Sometimes, diet changes and increased exercise aren’t enough to help you lose weight. Perimenopause can be one of the many possible reasons why it can be hard to manage your weight. If you’re a woman struggling with your weight in mid-age, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help determine if you are in perimenopause and advise you on strategies to help lose weight.
You can also connect with the perimenopausal community, whether that's on social media or by talking with female friends and family members. Share your experience and ask about theirs. Knowing you aren't alone on your journey—whether that's a weight loss journey or a menopausal one—can change everything.
CON-1974-001 2/24