Why Your Body Feels Different in Your 40s and 50s — and What to Do About It

Why Your Body Feels Different in Your 40s and 50s — and What to Do About It

One of the most common frustrations I hear from women in their 40s and 50s is:

“I’m not doing anything differently, but I’ve gained weight and lost strength — what’s going on?”

It’s not in your head. Your body really is changing, and there’s a very real reason behind it.

🔻 Ageing and Muscle Loss

From around age 30, we start to lose muscle mass naturally — a process called sarcopenia. This accelerates as we age, especially if we aren’t actively strength training.

Muscle is metabolically active, which means it burns energy even at rest. Losing muscle slows your metabolism, making it easier to gain fat unless you adjust your nutrition and training.

💡 The Menopause Factor

During perimenopause and menopause, oestrogen and progesterone levels drop, which impacts nearly every system in your body:

🔥 Ability to build and maintain muscle
Lower oestrogen makes it harder for your body to repair and build muscle tissue. This means you may find it more difficult to gain strength, and muscle loss can happen faster. Even if you train, progress may feel slower unless your approach is tailored to your changing hormones.

🍽️ Metabolism and fat storage
Hormonal changes affect insulin sensitivity, making your body more likely to store glucose as fat — particularly around the belly. Combined with natural age-related metabolic slowing, this makes fat gain easier and weight loss more challenging.

💪 Recovery from exercise
Recovery can take longer because lower hormone levels affect muscle repair, inflammation, and energy metabolism. Soreness may linger, and workouts can feel harder than before. Adequate rest and smart programming are essential.

🧠 Sleep, mood, and motivation
Oestrogen and progesterone influence neurotransmitters that regulate mood and sleep. Drops in these hormones can lead to insomnia, low motivation, irritability, anxiety, and even brain fog.

❤️ Cardiovascular health
Oestrogen protects your heart and blood vessels. As levels decline:

  • Blood vessels become less flexible, raising blood pressure
  • “Bad” LDL cholesterol may rise, while “good” HDL drops
  • Insulin resistance increases, raising the risk of type 2 diabetes and weight gain

Combined, these changes increase the risk of heart disease — one of the biggest health concerns for women after menopause.

🔄 How to Take Back Control

The good news? This isn’t a life sentence. Your body is changing — but you can change your strategy. Combining the right diet, movement, and mental health habits can help you maintain strength, metabolism, and energy as you age.

Here’s what works:

✅ 1. Strength Training

  • Stimulates muscles to maintain and even build strength
  • Supports bone health
  • Boosts metabolism
    Aim for 2–3 sessions per week using compound movements like squats, lunges, presses, and rows. Include at least one rest or active recovery day between sessions to allow muscles to repair.

✅ 2. Eat More Protein and Fibre

  • Adequate protein supports muscle repair, metabolism, and satiety. Aim for roughly 2g per kg of bodyweight per day, prioritising protein around workouts.
  • Fibre stabilises blood sugar, improves gut health, and helps control appetite.
    Together, protein and fibre help reduce fat gain, particularly around the abdomen, while keeping energy levels steady.

✅ 3. Move Daily

  • Walking, mobility exercises, and light cardio are great for overall health.
  • Don’t rely solely on cardio — combine it with strength training and incidental movement to preserve muscle and burn extra energy.

✅ 4. Avoid Added Sugar

  • Excess sugar is rapidly stored as fat if it isn’t used for energy.
  • Reduced insulin sensitivity during menopause increases the likelihood of sugar being stored rather than burned.
    Aim for 25–50g of added sugar per day (including natural sugars in fruit and honey) to support metabolic health and maintain energy.

✅ 5. Manage Stress and Sleep

  • High stress increases cortisol, which can worsen fat storage and impair muscle maintenance.
  • Prioritise rest and recovery with mindfulness, journaling, meditation, or gentle outdoor movement.
  • Establish consistent sleep routines to support hormone balance, mood, and recovery from workouts.

❤️ Putting It All Together

By combining:

  • Strength training
  • A high-protein, high-fibre diet
  • Balanced daily movement
  • Sugar control
  • Stress management and good sleep

…you can protect your muscles, metabolism, cardiovascular system, and mental wellbeing.

Menopause doesn’t have to mean feeling stuck in your body. With the right approach, you can maintain strength, stabilise your metabolism, support your heart, and improve energy and mood — creating a foundation for long-term wellness and vitality.