🚨 The Risks of Dieting During Perimenopause
Here’s what isn’t talked about enough: Dieting in midlife can increase the risk of disordered eating, anxiety, and body dissatisfaction.
Restrictive eating during perimenopause—when hormones are already wreaking havoc on appetite, sleep, and stress—can be dangerous. It can disrupt metabolism, harm bone health, and contribute to a toxic cycle of guilt around food.
What’s worse? Many “menopause wellness” programs are just thinly disguised diet plans, with language like:
- “Balance your hormones with clean eating”
- “Lose stubborn belly fat post-40”
- “Shrink your waistline with this anti-inflammatory cleanse”
Sound scientific? Often it’s not.
đź’Ş A Better Way Forward: Empowerment, Not Erasure
Instead of shrinking ourselves, what if we expanded our understanding of menopause health?
Here’s what real menopause support looks like:
- Strength training to maintain muscle and protect bones
- Adequate sleep (yes, including naps!)
- Mindful nutrition focused on nourishment, not restriction
- Community & mental health support
- Medical guidance, not influencers selling hormone gummies
“The goal isn’t to go back to your 25-year-old body,” says one therapist. “It’s to feel strong, supported, and at home in your evolving body.”
🌿 Final Thoughts
Midlife doesn’t need to be a crisis or a crash diet. It can be a powerful, transformative season—if we stop letting diet culture tell us otherwise.
Let’s rewrite the menopause story: one rooted in strength, science, and self-respect—not shame and scales.