Does Your Metabolism Really Slow Down After 40? Let's Talk About Menopause.

By the time we reach our 40s, we've usually heard enough horror stories about our metabolism to last us a lifetime. It slows down, the weight starts creeping on, our hormones go completely bonkers and before long we're supposed to accept that this is just what happens when we get older.

What a delightful prospect!

It's something that comes up constantly in conversations I have with women about menopause. They're eating much the same as they always have, still getting to the gym or going for their regular walks, yet their bodies seem to be changing in ways they can't quite explain.

And naturally, metabolism gets the blame.

But I've been revisiting some fascinating research that challenges the idea that our metabolism suddenly falls off a cliff somewhere between our 40th birthday and menopause.

What the Research Says About Metabolism and Ageing

In 2021, researchers published a large study in Science examining how much energy people burn throughout their lives. They analysed data from more than 6,400 people, ranging in age from just eight days to 95 years.

And the findings were rather interesting.

Once differences in body size and composition were accounted for, average daily energy expenditure remained remarkably stable from around age 20 through to 60.

SIXTY!

So much for the idea that our metabolism packs its bags and heads off to the retirement village the moment perimenopause comes knocking.

Now, this doesn't mean our individual calorie needs stay exactly the same for four decades, or that every woman's metabolism behaves identically. But it does challenge something we've been led to believe for a while now.

Because while our metabolism might not be slowing down in quite the way we imagine, our bodies are still going through some pretty significant changes.

Menopause Changes Where We Store Body Fat

And one of the biggest is body composition.

As oestrogen levels decline through the menopause transition, we tend to store more fat around our abdomen (isn't that fabulous news!!). At the same time, we can gradually lose muscle tissue, particularly if we're not doing much to maintain it.

So you could weigh exactly the same as you did five years ago but have less muscle and more body fat. The number on the scales hasn't budged, yet your body composition has had a full makeover.

This is something I wish more women understood and appreciated, because we're so conditioned to judge our progress by what the bathroom scales tell us. And you KNOW just how much I LOVE those bathroom scales....

They have absolutely no idea how much muscle you've got, how strong you are or how well your body is functioning.

It's also one of the reasons I spend so much time encouraging women to strength train. And there's a hell of a lot more to muscle than looking 'toned'.

Are We Moving Less Than We Used To?

Another interesting piece of this puzzle is how much we move throughout the day.

You might still be doing your regular workouts, walking the dog or heading off to Pilates once a week, but what about everything that happens between those activities?

All the walking around the house, taking the stairs, not being overly concerned about nabbing the closest parking spot to the office, gardening, cleaning and general pottering about that we barely give a second thought.

There's a fancy name for this: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT.

And depending on how active you are, it can account for a considerable amount of the energy you burn each day.

The trouble is, our movement habits can change gradually without us really noticing. We might be spending more time sitting at a desk, driving instead of walking, or simply being less active during the day.

Even when our exercise routine hasn't changed, our overall daily movement might have.

Sleep, Fatigue and the Other Delights of Menopause

And before anyone starts feeling guilty about not doing enough, there's another rather important part of this conversation.

How we're feeling.

Because menopause isn't exactly renowned for delivering uninterrupted sleep, boundless energy and joints that don't argue when we are getting up off the couch.

When you've been awake half the night doing the 3am mind-salsa, your hip is complaining and you've got a to-do list longer than Mr Tickle's arm, it's hardly surprising that you might spend a little more time sitting down.

And if you're constantly exhausted, the prospect of squeezing in another workout at the end of the day isn't particularly appealing either.

Sleep disruption can also influence hunger, appetite and the foods we feel like eating. Add the physical and emotional demands of midlife, and well, you can start to see why managing weight and body composition can become more challenging.

So when a woman tells me she's doing everything she used to do but her body is changing, I take that very seriously.

There are real hormonal, physiological and lifestyle changes happening during these years. Some affect where we store fat, others influence our sleep, appetite, muscle mass and activity levels. And they don't all happen at once or in the same way for every woman.

But none of that means menopause has flicked some mysterious switch that sends our metabolism into permanent retirement.

What Can We Do to Support Our Metabolism in Midlife?

Which brings us to what we can do about it.

And this is where I'd love to see women put a little less energy into trying to eat as little as possible and a lot more into looking after their muscle.

Strength training is one of the most valuable things we can do as we get older. It helps us maintain and build muscle, supports bone health and makes everyday life considerably easier.

Combine that with adequate protein, regular movement throughout the day and some attention to sleep and recovery, and you've got a pretty solid foundation.

You don't need to live in the gym, count every calorie you burn or start pacing around the house every time Netflix asks whether you're still watching.

Although, after three back-to-back episodes, perhaps a little wander to put the kettle on wouldn't hurt!

And while that large study found average daily energy expenditure remained stable through much of adulthood, other research suggests resting energy expenditure can decline earlier for some people. Our bodies are complicated, and there's still plenty we're learning about how ageing and menopause affect them.

But the idea that every woman's metabolism suddenly slows down because she's hit menopause simply isn't supported by the evidence.

And I think that's worth knowing.

Because rather than accepting that midlife means an inevitable decline in our strength, fitness and body composition, we can focus on the things we have some influence over.

Personally, I'd much rather spend my time building muscle and staying strong than blaming my ovaries for everything.

Although, after some of the nonsense they've put us through over the years, I'm not suggesting they're completely innocent!

I'd Love to Hear Your Thoughts

Have you noticed changes in your body composition during midlife, even when your weight hasn't changed much? Or have you been told that your metabolism slows down once you hit 40?

I'd love to hear about your experience. You can always get in touch with me [email protected].

Jane xx

Your Midlife Wingwoman

Research References

• Daily energy expenditure through the human life course – Pontzer et al., 2021

• Changes in body composition and weight during the menopause transition – Greendale et al., 2019