You’ve been trying to lose the extra weight for over a year. You aren’t doing anything extreme—just cutting back, being mindful, eating the way you have always eaten when your weight crept up in the past. A little more salad, a little less bread, smaller portions, more walking, and maybe even less wine.

But this time, it isn’t working.

You feel exhausted, frustrated, and, more than anything, confused. Your body no longer responds the way it used to. You don’t feel like you are overeating; in fact, you stop eating while still feeling a touch of hunger. You aren’t sedentary, instead incorporating some movement daily, but your energy still lags by mid-afternoon. And despite everything you are doing to stay disciplined, your pants just kept feeling tighter.

I hear some version of this almost daily—from women in their 40s and 50s who are experiencing a body they no longer recognize, and a relationship with food that feels harder than it ever has before.

Something shifts in midlife and it’s not just discipline. As estrogen levels decline, the body's ability to manage blood sugar and regulate fat storage changes. You might find that you're more insulin resistant than you used to be, even if your habits........

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