From 6 videos

How do I lose weight during perimenopause?

Answered by Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaches · Updated Nov 9, 2026

The short answer

Lose weight during perimenopause by fueling your body and building muscle, not by eating less and adding cardio. WarriorBabe coaches recommend short full-body strength sessions three to four times a week, about 30 grams of protein per meal, balanced meals that keep carbs, and lifting heavier over time so your body keeps adapting.

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Why eating too little makes your body cling to belly fat after 40
Plays from 6:30 · Video: Menopause Belly Workout and Diet Plan for Busy Women
Nikkiey on why fighting menopause with 1,200 calories makes it harder
Plays from 12:04 · Video: Losing 26 Pounds in Menopause at 49: Valerie's Story
A simple three-day strength routine and why muscle matters for belly fat
Plays from 8:52 · Video: 7 Small Daily Habits to Lose Menopause Belly Fat
How much protein to eat per meal to protect muscle and metabolism
Plays from 1:38 · Video: Menopause Metabolism Boosters: What Works and What's Hype
Marcie on eating about 1,900 calories through menopause and still losing
Plays from 15:47 · Video: Menopause Belly Fat at 48? How Marcie Finally Got Toned

The full answer

These episodes speak mostly about menopause and women over 40 rather than perimenopause specifically, but the message carries over: the old playbook backfires. One WarriorBabe coach explains that when you constantly eat too little, your body slows your metabolism, clings to fat around your belly, drains your energy and increases cravings. On Valerie's story, Nikkiey says women who fight menopause end up on 1,200 calories and pushing harder, which only makes the whole thing harder. Valerie, 49, shares that she had to train differently, listen to her body's signals and focus on rest and recovery, and her results picked back up.

On training, the coaches agree on strength over cardio, though the exact schedule varies by episode:

Full-body compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, rows, presses and push-ups, done three days a week for 20 to 30 minutes, three to four times a week, or four full-body sessions a week.
Progressive overload: if you can do 12 reps easily, go heavier.
Endless cardio leads to burnout. One coach explains that muscle handles about 80% of the sugar your body clears after a meal and burns calories around the clock, while cardio's burn stops when you stop.

On food, aim for 30 grams of protein at every meal, or one gram per pound of your goal body weight. Keep balanced meals with protein, carbs and fats, and don't skip meals. A sample day from the plan includes oatmeal, bananas, Greek yogurt, white rice and rice cakes. Marcie shares that at 5'2", going through menopause, she ate a little over 1,900 calories in her retrain and maintenance phases and lost 10 pounds before her first cut.

If you're struggling with symptoms, work with your doctor alongside your plan. If what you've tried hasn't worked, it's the plan, not you.

From WarriorBabe's coaches (how we write our answers). For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.

Women also ask

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Menopause & Perimenopause Weight Loss
Can you still lose weight during perimenopause?
Yes. The show's view is that perimenopause makes fat loss harder, not impossible. Shifting hormones can push your body toward insulin resistance and belly fat, so the old approach of eating less and doing more cardio tends to backfire. What works for the women on the show is eating enough, prioritizing protein and lifting heavier.
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Menopause & Perimenopause Weight Loss
Does menopause weight gain go away on its own?
Not according to The WarriorBabe Show. Nikkiey Stott explains that the natural decline in estrogen during menopause shifts fat storage to the belly, and waiting doesn't change that. What does is strength training and proper nutrition, eating enough rather than less, and adapting your training as your body changes. Women in and after menopause still get results.
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Menopause & Perimenopause Weight Loss
What should a menopause weight loss plan include?
A menopause weight loss plan should be built on strength training three to four times a week, enough food with protein throughout the day, balanced carbs and fats, and real recovery. The show is clear on what to leave out: crash dieting, endless cardio and six-day training weeks that keep your body in survival mode.
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Menopause & Perimenopause Weight Loss
How can I lower cortisol during menopause?
On The WarriorBabe Show, Nikkiey Stott's answer is to remove the stress signals keeping cortisol high: prioritize deep sleep, build in real recovery days, eat enough consistently, skip fasted lifting, and favor steady-state cardio over HIIT when you're stressed or under-fueled. Talk with your doctor about hormone questions.
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Menopause & Perimenopause Weight Loss
What are the first signs of perimenopause?
According to guests on The WarriorBabe Show, the first signs usually aren't hot flashes or missed periods. Dr. Jolene Brighten says falling progesterone shows up first as worsening PMS, irritability, breast tenderness and waking at night before your period, sometimes from 35. Hatty McCafferty adds sleep disruption, skin changes, digestive shifts and fatigue.
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Menopause & Perimenopause Weight Loss
How do I lose weight after menopause?
Stop eating less and doing more cardio, and start building muscle while eating enough. Nikkiey Stott explains that after menopause you lose roughly 1% of your muscle a year, so strength training, fueled by enough protein, carbs and fats, is what changes your body. Kelly stalled on 1,200 calories, while Annette and Maggie lost weight eating more.
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