Perimenopause and belly fat

To understand what is happening inside us, it is helpful to know one golden rule: the body's hormonal whole is always 100%. Imagine a pie where every slice is a hormone—estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, and others. They must all fit into this circle together.

When estrogen and progesterone from the ovaries decrease during perimenopause, that space does not remain empty. The body is dynamic and tries to fill the gap—often, the stress hormone cortisol or the blood sugar hormone insulin starts taking a larger bite out of that pie. If one hormone is out of place, it will sooner or later disrupt the balance of the entire system. Our task is to help the body find a new and harmonious equilibrium.

Why Does Fat Accumulate Specifically Around the Midsection?

It all starts with the decline in estrogen production from the ovaries. Our body is clever—when estrogen levels in the blood drop, the organism looks for alternative ways to produce it. One place capable of producing estrogen is fat tissue. Thus, the body begins to store it, but the location changes. While fat used to be deposited mainly on the hips and thighs (the "hourglass" shape), it is now directed between the internal organs, becoming visceral fat.

This is not just "padding"; it is hormonally active tissue that produces inflammatory substances and directly affects our metabolism. It produces cytokines that maintain a low level of inflammation in the body and make us more sensitive to stress. This is a biological change, not a sign of a lack of willpower.

In this great transformation, our body's largest laboratory—the liver—plays a leading role. The liver is the filter that must neutralize and expel "old" hormones that have finished their work. If the liver is overburdened (by excess refined sugar, a daily glass of wine, or chronic inflammation), it cannot break down "old" estrogen fast enough. This creates a situation where there is too much estrogen relative to progesterone.

This condition is known as estrogen dominance. Even if the overall level of estrogen is falling, there is still too much of it compared to progesterone. The results are water retention, breast tenderness, and that stubborn layer of fat around the midsection that just won't seem to go away.

Progesterone is our natural calmer, sleep-aider, and fluid expeller. On the threshold of perimenopause, progesterone levels often drop significantly faster than estrogen. When we lack sufficient progesterone, we become anxious, our sleep becomes fragile, and our metabolism slows down. Migraine attacks and bone thinning are also often associated.

We must also not forget testosterone. Although we often think of it as a male hormone, in a woman's body, it is our "engine of vitality." It is responsible for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and our self-confidence. When testosterone levels drop, holding onto muscle becomes harder and the metabolism slows even further, making room for fat tissue to grow. The relationship between these three—estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—is what determines how we feel in our bodies.

How can we support this balance naturally? We cannot get hormones directly from food, but we can provide the body with the environment it needs to produce them:

• The Power of Minerals
  Magnesium and zinc are critical for the ovaries and the pituitary gland to even "talk" to each other. They act like spark plugs that help communication between the brain and the ovaries (or the tissues that have taken over the work). Magnesium calms the nervous system—a prerequisite for the body to even "dare" to produce progesterone. Magnesium is also the first thing the body uses up during stress.

• Liver Support and Vitamin B6
  B6 helps the liver break down estrogen, maintaining or improving the ratio with progesterone.

• Plant Empowerers
  Chasteberry (Vitex) and Wild Yam are ancient women's herbs that do not replace hormones but teach the body how to find better balance itself and support the delicate hormonal harmony during this transition period.

Cortisol and the "Pregnenolone Steal"

There is a crucial connection here that is rarely talked about. Our body manufactures the stress hormone cortisol and the sex hormone progesterone from the same raw material called pregnenolone.

When we live in constant stress—worrying about family, rushing at work, or punishing ourselves with excessively heavy workouts—the body chooses survival. It directs all raw materials toward the production of cortisol. This is known as the "pregnenolone steal" (or cortisol steal). The result is that there simply isn't enough material left for progesterone. And we already know: low progesterone = growing belly fat.

For decades, we have been taught the formula: eat less and run more. However, a woman's body in perimenopause cannot tolerate starvation—for her, it is a recipe for disaster. An excessive calorie deficit and grueling aerobic exercise act as additional stress signals to the body. The body thinks a famine or a dangerous time has arrived, causing it to slow down the metabolism even further and hold onto fat stores with tooth and nail.

What does the body actually need?

• Protein is the King of Metabolism - it is the foundation of metabolism that maintains our muscles. In perimenopause, protein is not just for "muscular men"; it is the foundation for preserving bones and muscles. Every meal should include high-quality protein. Muscle is our largest metabolic organ—the more muscle we have, the better our body tolerates carbohydrates.

• Hormonal Support from Fats - pure butter, animal fat, and high-quality fish oil are not enemies; they are nourishers of the nervous system and hormones. Butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and fatty fish are essential. Our brain is 60% fat, and our hormones are made from cholesterol. If we don't eat fat, the body lacks the material to build hormones.
  

• Strength Training is the Fountain of Youth - it is no longer about "getting in shape" but about hormonal support. Muscle improves insulin sensitivity, meaning carbohydrates are turned into energy rather than fat. I am not talking about heavy barbells, but resistance training. This ensures that the apple or potato eaten after a workout goes into the muscle for energy, not into storage on the belly.

• Smart Timing of Carbohydrates - we don't have to abandon carbohydrates completely, but we should handle them wisely. Prefer vegetables, berries, and quinoa-type grains, and leave them for the more active part of the day.

Peace of mind as a weight loss tool - your body is your ally

Perhaps the most surprising fact is that during menopause, 15 minutes of deep breathing or meditation can contribute more to weight management than an hour of running. Why? Because it lowers cortisol levels. When the nervous system calms down, the body receives a signal that it is safe to let go of fat stores.

Traditional wisdom says that this stage of life is a woman's "Second Spring." It is a time when we no longer have to serve others at the expense of our health. It is a time to turn our attention to ourselves.

Perimenopause does not mean your body is broken or that you have failed. It is a journey back to yourself and toward understanding your new biology. Your body has simply changed, and it is asking you to treat it in a new way.

If you:

• support your liver (clean food, less alcohol),

• maintain your muscles (protein and strength training),

• and calm your nervous system (sleep and stress management),

...then the body will find its new point of equilibrium. You don’t have to be perfect; you have to be kind to yourself. 

Health starts on the plate, but it ends in our peace of mind, and true radiance comes when we stop warring with ourselves.