What factors influence how much your body burns?

A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can help counter stress in the body during perimenopause and menopause.  This consists of a whole-food Mediterranean diet, which also happens to be an anti-inflammatory diet.   A variety of plants and vegetables, legumes, pulses and fresh fruit, focusing on protein and fibre, will keep you full between meals, stabilise your blood sugars and support your gut and digestive health.

However, there is also a hard truth about weight management: we must maintain an energy deficit to lose weight. This means consuming fewer calories than we expend, but more importantly, it is about consuming nutrient-dense food, not calorie counting. 

So, how does our body burn energy, and what factors influence this?   

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The number of calories your body needs to sustain essential life functions: breathing, circulation, and cell production, while at rest. 

BMR accounts for about 60-70% of your daily calorie burn, making it a key factor in weight management.  As we age, BMR naturally declines, which means we burn fewer calories at rest than in our 20s and 30s. This is one reason weight gain becomes easier in midlife.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): NEAT refers to the energy burned through daily movements that are not structured exercise, such as walking, fidgeting, gardening, and even standing. Increasing NEAT, by taking the stairs, pacing while on the phone, or adding short walks throughout the day, can significantly boost daily calorie expenditure.

Thermogenesis: This includes the calories burned from digesting and metabolising food (known as the thermic effect of food) and from structured exercise. Protein has the highest thermic effect, meaning your body burns more energy digesting it than fats and carbohydrates. Strength training also increases muscle mass, which slightly raises BMR, helping to counteract the natural metabolic slowdown of midlife.

Time-Restricted Eating and Why Fasting May Not Be Ideal

Time-restricted eating (TRE) involves consuming food within a set window of time, often 8-12 hours, and fasting for the remaining period. Some find this approach helpful for managing appetite and aligning eating patterns with the body's natural circadian rhythm. However, prolonged fasting, such as skipping meals or extreme calorie restriction, may not be ideal for midlife women.

During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can increase cortisol (the stress hormone), and excessive fasting can further elevate cortisol levels, leading to increased hunger, cravings, and even muscle loss. Prolonged fasting may also disrupt blood sugar regulation, crucial for maintaining energy levels and preventing mood swings.

Rather than extreme fasting, a balanced approach, such as stopping food intake a few hours before bedtime and focusing on nutrient-dense meals, is more supportive of metabolic health. Fasting for 12 hours overnight has many benefits for our health, including better blood sugar balance, improved immunity, and lowered inflammation.