09/24/2026
DAY 24 â¤ď¸
Okay ladiesâŚtoday I want to talk specifically to YOU.
Because I hear women say all the time:
âI used to be able to eat this way and lose weight.â
âI don't understand why my body is responding differently now.â
âI feel like I'm doing everything right.â
And sometimes the answer isn't that you need to eat LESS.
Sometimes your body needs a different strategy.
As women move through perimenopause and menopause, the goal isn't simply to âfixâ a slower metabolism. It's to understand the changes happening beneath the surface and adjust your habits accordingly.
Estrogen fluctuations and decline can affect muscle retention, insulin sensitivity, appetite, sleep and where your body tends to store fat. At the same time, many women experience changes in training, stress, recovery and daily movement. Those factors can influence your results just as much as the food on your plate.
That doesn't mean your metabolism is âbroken.â
It means the old strategy may no longer match your current physiology.
This is one reason I'm such a big believer in adequate protein throughout the day.
Protein does more than help you feel full. It provides the amino acids your body needs to repair and maintain muscle. That matters because muscle supports strength, glucose disposal, mobility and metabolic resilience. When muscle mass gradually declines, your body may burn fewer calories at rest and have a harder time handling carbohydrates efficiently.
Dr. Stacy Sims talks a lot about this for women, including getting quality protein at regular intervalsâroughly every 3â4 hoursâto support muscle and recovery.
The goal isn't to obsess over a perfect number. It's to give your body repeated opportunities to access the building blocks it needs, especially as we get older and become less efficient at stimulating muscle protein synthesis.
A practical way to think about it is to build each meal around a meaningful protein source rather than treating protein as an afterthought.
That might look like:
Greek yogurt, eggs or cottage cheese at breakfast.
Chicken, fish, lean meat, tofu, tempeh or beans at lunch.
Fish, poultry, lean meat, lentils or another protein source at dinner.
And if your meals are spaced far apart, a simple option such as yogurt, cottage cheese, a protein smoothie or edamame may help bridge the gap.
You don't need to eat constantly, and you don't need to force-feed yourself. You do need to be intentional enough that breakfast isn't just coffee, lunch isn't only a salad and dinner isn't the first substantial meal of your day.
And remember our conversation yesterday?
I'm not encouraging you to spend half the day avoiding food just to make your fasting window longer.
I want you to nourish your body during the day.
Protein.
Vegetables and fiber.
Whole-food carbohydrates.
Healthy fats.
Real food.
Enough nourishment to support what you're asking your body to do.
Then, when the day is over, let your body have that natural overnight break while you're sleeping.
That's a very different approach from constantly restricting, skipping meals and trying to see how little you can eat.
It's also important to remember that protein works best as part of a bigger picture. Resistance training tells your body to use those amino acids to maintain and build muscle. Sleep supports recovery. Walking and regular movement help with blood sugar regulation. Adequate calories and carbohydrates can support training performance. If you're under-eating, sleeping poorly and trying to exercise harder, adding more protein alone may not solve the problem.
And this isn't just about the scale.
We're talking about maintaining muscle.
Supporting strength.
Supporting energy.
Supporting blood sugar regulation.
Supporting your bones.
Supporting your ability to keep doing the things you love as you get older.
That's metabolic health.
So today's action is simple:
Look at your day and ask yourselfâŚ
â
Where is my protein, and is there enough of it to support my current needs?â
Breakfast?
Lunch?
Dinner?
And if there's a long stretch between meals, do you have a quality protein option available?
Also notice what happens after those meals. Are you satisfied for a few hours, or are you constantly searching for snacks? Are you recovering well from workouts? Are you feeling stronger, or are you losing strength? These clues can tell you more than the scale alone.
Don't overthink it. Just start noticing.
Check-in: What is one protein-rich food you already enjoy, and how could you include it more consistently in your day?
And ladiesâŚif your body feels different than it did 10 or 15 years ago, that doesn't mean you've failed.
Maybe it's time to stop fighting your body and start learning how to support it. â¤ď¸
Health & Wellness Disclaimer: This post is for general education and wellness purposes and is not medical advice. Protein and nutrition needs vary based on age, activity level, health status, medications and individual circumstances. If you have kidney disease or another condition requiring dietary restrictions, talk with your healthcare provider about your individual protein needs.
Fit Busy Mom Coach Julie Williams, BS,CHC,IWHI-certified perimenopause and menopause specialist and Exercise Professional, Metabolic &Lifestyle Coach
