Emily de Luzy Weight Loss Mentor

Struggling with stubborn weight gain after 40? Especially around the tummy area? You are not alone.

In pre to post menopause, fat loss becomes less about simply “eating less” and far more about hormones, muscle mass, cortisol, insulin sensitivity and recovery.

This is why so many women feel like:
• nothing works anymore
• they gain weight more easily
• cravings are stronger
• energy crashes harder
• belly fat feels impossible to shift

3 things that genuinely help:

Prioritising protein → helps support muscle preservation, blood sugar regulation, satiety hormones and metabolism

Strength training → improves insulin sensitivity, supports lean muscle and helps your body burn energy more efficiently

Stress management → chronically elevated cortisol can increase fat storage, cravings, inflammation and emotional eating patterns

This stage of life needs a smarter approach, not a harsher one.

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If you are:

• waking up at 3:17AM wide awake
• feeling wired but exhausted
• gaining weight in your midsection out of nowhere
• snapping at your kids and crying in the pantry
• dealing with blood sugar crashes you never used to have

Two eggs for breakfast is not enough.
And this is not about calories.
It’s about hormones.

In perimenopause, menopause or postmenopause, progesterone is declining.
Oestrogen is roller-coastering.
Cortisol is more reactive.
Insulin sensitivity is changing.

Which means your blood sugar stability matters more than it did at 28.

When you eat 10–15g of protein in the morning, here’s what happens:

Blood sugar rises.
Crashes.
Cortisol spikes to rescue you.
You wake up at 3AM.
You crave sugar at 4PM.
You feel anxious for no reason.
And then someone tells you it’s “just aging.”

No.
It’s physiology.

Most pre to post menopausal women need 30–40g of protein at breakfast.
Not because protein is trendy.
Because it stabilizes blood sugar.
Supports muscle.
Blunts cortisol.
And gives your nervous system a fighting chance.

Try this instead for 35–40g protein 👇

🍳 2 eggs
🥣 200g Greek yoghurt
🍞 2 slices high-protein toast
🧀 Sprinkle of cottage cheese or turkey rashers

OR

🥚 2 eggs
🥯 Protein bagel
🥤 Protein yoghurt/drink on the side

Much better for:
✔ cravings
✔ muscle maintenance
✔ blood sugar
✔ energy
✔ staying fuller for longer

Especially in pre to post menopause when protein needs increase 💛

5 High-Protein Meals for Pre to Post Menopause 💛

All under 500 calories + around 45g protein to support hormones, energy, cravings & muscle maintenance.

1. Chicken & Baby Potato Bowl
• Grilled chicken breast
• Baby potatoes
• Roasted broccoli + peppers
• Garlic yoghurt dip

Approx: 490 cals / 45g protein

2. Protein Yoghurt Breakfast Bowl
• 0% Greek yoghurt
• Scoop of vanilla protein powder
• Berries
• Chia seeds

Approx: 410 cals / 46g protein

3. Turkey Mince Protein Pasta
• Lean turkey mince
• High-protein pasta
• Tomato sauce
• Spinach + parmesan

Approx: 500 cals / 47g protein

4. High-Protein Lunch Wrap
• Chicken breast slices
• Wholemeal wrap
• Light soft cheese
• Salad leaves + cucumber

Approx: 445 cals / 45g protein

5. Salmon & Greens Plate
• Salmon fillet
• Tenderstem broccoli
• Peas
• Small portion of rice

Approx: 495 cals / 45g protein

A lot of women in pre to post menopause are under-eating protein without realising it.

Then wondering why they feel:
• hungry all the time
• tired
• weak in the gym
• stuck with cravings
• struggling with belly fat

Protein matters for far more than just muscle 💛

Do you think there’s a better way to warm up? 😂

One of the biggest myths I see women in pre to post menopause believing is this:

“Just eat more protein and walk more.”

Now don’t get me wrong…
protein and walking ARE important.

But for a lot of women, that alone isn’t enough to get the body responding properly again.

Because by this stage, there’s usually more going on underneath the surface.

Poor sleep.
High stress.
Low muscle mass.
Blood sugar swings.
Hormonal changes.
Years of dieting.
Running on caffeine and skipping meals.
A nervous system that feels permanently overwhelmed.

I speak to so many women who are:
→ walking every day
→ trying to eat well
→ adding protein where they can

…and still feeling exhausted, inflamed and stuck.

Weight loss in pre to post menopause is rarely just about calories anymore.

Your body needs support.

That means:
• building muscle properly
• regulating blood sugar
• eating enough consistently
• managing stress levels
• recovering well
• supporting hormones instead of constantly fighting your body

The women who finally start seeing progress usually aren’t the ones doing more and more.

They’re the ones who stop relying on quick fixes and start supporting their body properly 🤍

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A lot of women think these changes are “just stress”, “just ageing” or something they need to put up with.

But many of these can actually be signs your hormones are shifting through pre to post menopause 👇

= waking up at 3am for no reason
= feeling tired but wired at night
= irritability over tiny things
= feeling overwhelmed by things you used to handle easily
= snapping at people then feeling guilty after
= anxiety that feels completely out of character
= weird ringing or whooshing sounds in your ears
= hair thinning or noticing more hair falling out
= stubborn weight gain around your middle
= brain fog and forgetting simple things
= sugar cravings that feel impossible to ignore
= feeling flat, emotional or not like yourself
= sore joints and stiffness, especially in the morning
= low energy even when you’ve “done nothing”
= blaming yourself because your body suddenly feels different

And one of the hardest parts?

A lot of women don’t connect these symptoms to hormones at first.

They just think:
“I need more willpower.”
“I’m probably just stressed.”
“Maybe I’m not looking after myself properly.”
“Maybe this is normal now.”

You don’t need to ignore what your body is trying to tell you.

The sooner you understand what’s happening, the easier it becomes to support your body properly instead of constantly fighting it 🤍

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A client recently asked me:
"Do I need to take breaks from my diet so I can have a glass of wine?"
And my response was simple:
"Wine is part of your plan."
This is exactly why so many weight loss journeys fail – because they feel restrictive, complicated, and unsustainable.

Well, in reality, you don’t need a “break” from something that actually fits into your life.
Here’s how we design weight loss plans that are easy to follow and built to last:
1. No More "On or Off" Thinking
→ Most diets make you feel like you’re either on track or off track.
→ This mindset needs to die right now. It keeps you stuck in a cycle of restriction, frustration, and constant restarts.
→ Instead, we create a plan that adapts to your life, so you never feel the need to “pause” or “restart”.

2. A Plan That Fits Your Lifestyle
→ Love wine? We include it.
→ Enjoy dining out? We plan for it.
→ Busy schedule? We make it work.

3. Managing Hormonal Changes? Checked!
→ If you're pre/post-menopause, you're going through more hormonal changes than ever.
→ If you love wine, it's ESSENTIAL that we teach you how to still enjoy it while navigating these fluctuations.

4. Your weight loss journey should not hijack your life.
Effortless > Exhausting. ALWAYS!

5. Guesswork? No thank you!
→ We are busy! We don’t have time for a 39-step dish with 6,579 ingredients. Got it!
→ We also don’t want you scratching your head over what to cook or how long it will take. Our plans are designed to be simple, practical, and easy to implement, so healthy eating feels effortless, not overwhelming.

6. Enough of figuring this out alone
→ We are here for you ALWAYS.
→ Our approach includes daily support so, whenever challenges arise, you have guidance, adjustments, and motivation to keep going.

7. Our end goal is food freedom & lasting results
→ The proper win? Maintaining your weight without the diet drama, for good.
→ When your plan includes the things you love and feels effortless to follow, you stay consistent.
→ And when you stay consistent, you get real, lasting results.

Weight loss should lift you up, not wear you down. 💛

Because I see this all the time with women I work with…

You’re juggling a job, a home, kids, responsibilities, constant decisions all day…
you’re the one everyone relies on.

And yet somehow… you’re the one questioning yourself.

You second guess your choices.
You feel like you’re not doing enough.
You think you should be further ahead.

Even when, realistically, you’re carrying more than most.

Add in pre to post menopause, hormonal changes, low energy, poor sleep, and it’s no surprise things feel harder.

But instead of recognising that…
you make it mean something about you.

That you’re not disciplined enough.
Not consistent enough.
Not doing it right.

When the reality is…

You’re doing a lot.
You’ve just never been shown how to support your body and mind at this stage properly.

You don’t need more pressure.
You don’t need to be harder on yourself.

You need a way of doing things that actually works with your life.

If this feels like you… just know you’re not the only one 🤍

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Day 1 — Digital fasting
24 hours without your phone, laptop or TV.
Not “cutting down”… zero.

For women in pre to post menopause, constant notifications, emails and scrolling keep cortisol elevated all day.

You don’t notice it… but your body does.

The first few hours feel uncomfortable.
Then your nervous system starts to settle.

(I know it's very hard when you are constantly working, but sometimes you need to prioritise yourself

Day 2 — Physical release
Not a light walk. Not ticking steps.

Real output. Strength training, intervals, something that actually challenges you.

Your body needs a way to release built-up stress, not just carry it.

When your body is physically tired, your mind finally quiets down.

Day 3 — Sensory silence
No podcasts. No music. No distractions.

Just you, in quiet.

Even 60–90 minutes is enough to start noticing the shift.

This is where your brain actually processes what it’s been holding onto.

Most women never give themselves this space.

Day 4 — Cold exposure
Cold water at the end of your shower.

Not extreme. Just enough to feel it.

This helps regulate your nervous system, improve resilience, and bring cortisol down.

It’s simple, but it works.

Day 5 — Radical honesty
Say the things you’ve been holding in.

Out loud. Or write them down.

A lot of stress in women 40+ isn’t just physical… it’s emotional load that’s never expressed.

Keeping it in = holding stress in the body.

Day 6 — Solitude
Time without input.

No conversations, no constant responding, no being “on”.

Even a few hours makes a difference.

You’re not just tired physically… you’re overstimulated.

Day 7 — Slow the pace
Do everything slightly slower.

Eat slower. Move slower. Speak slower.

Your body reads speed as stress.

Slowing down signals safety… and that’s when your system starts to regulate.

What actually shifts when you reduce cortisol?

Sleep improves
Cravings reduce
Energy stabilises
Belly fat becomes easier to shift
Your body stops feeling constantly “on edge”

For women in pre to post menopause, this matters more than ever.

Because your body is already more sensitive to stress.

It’s ab

If this is happening… your hormones might be struggling 👀

Constant sugar cravings
Belly fat that won’t shift
Feeling hungry even after eating
Brain fog
Waking up tired
Needing coffee just to function
3am wake-ups
Low motivation
Weight gain around the middle

These things don’t just happen “for no reason”, especially in perimenopause and menopause.

A lot of women blame themselves and think they just need more discipline… when actually their body is under stress hormonally and metabolically.

High cortisol, insulin resistance, blood sugar issues and hormonal changes can completely change:
→ hunger
→ cravings
→ sleep
→ energy
→ fat storage
→ mood

And no, eating less and doing more cardio usually doesn’t fix it.

Your body needs support, not more punishment.

Once women start working with their hormones instead of against them, everything starts feeling less hard.

Save this if your body has felt “off” lately 🤍

[perimenopause hormones hormonehealth cortisol insulinresistance bellyfat menopauseweightloss womenshealth fatloss metabolism midlifewomen wellness fitnessforwomen healthylifestyle cravings bloodsugar stress sleep pcos womenover50 menopausecoach]

Here are real, no-rubbish things that actually make it easier (not perfect, just honest):

1. Eating meals that actually filled me up, not just low-cal “light” food
2. Adding more protein so I wasn’t starving an hour later
3. Including fats properly instead of avoiding them
4. Eating enough during the day so evenings didn’t spiral
5. Not saving calories for later and then losing control
6. Having a proper breakfast instead of just coffee
7. Building meals that kept me full, not just “healthy looking”
8. Not relying on willpower when I was already tired
9. Keeping meals repetitive so I didn’t have to think all the time
10. Making sure I wasn’t constantly slightly hungry
11. Eating slower without being obsessive about it
12. Stopping when I felt satisfied, not completely stuffed
13. Not trying to “undo” a heavier meal the next day
14. Accepting some days I’d eat more and just moving on
15. Drinking more water because half the time I was just dehydrated

Nothing extreme.

Just things that actually stopped me feeling constantly hungry.