The Hidden Hormone Sabotaging Your Midlife Energy (and Waistline)..

What on earth IS going on?
Feeling foggy, fatigued, and suddenly gaining weight around the middle, even though nothing’s changed? Insulin resistance might be the missing link between your shifting hormones and your vanishing midlife mojo

So IS Insulin Quietly Sabotaging Your Midlife Mojo? Let’s Take a Closer Look.

You’re in your 40s or 50s. Your lifestyle hasn’t drastically changed; if anything, you’re eating better, moving more, maybe even sleeping a bit more, yet the belly fat seems to be creeping in on its own agenda. If that sounds familiar, there’s a physiological explanation worth exploring -insulin resistance.

I see it often in clinic. Brilliant, proactive women who feel like their bodies are rewriting the rulebook. And in many cases, that shift is being driven by hormonal changes, especially the complex interplay between insulin, oestrogen, and progesterone.

What exactly is insulin resistance?

Think of insulin as your body’s blood sugar manager. When you eat, glucose (sugar) enters your bloodstream, and insulin acts like a key to help that glucose move into your cells where it can be used for energy.

But when cells start to ignore insulin’s signals, which often happens gradually, the body compensates by producing even more insulin. Over time, this “insulin flood” promotes fat storage (especially around the abdomen), leads to energy dips, sugar cravings, and, if left unaddressed, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

 Why it matters more in perimenopause and menopause

Here’s where midlife physiology gets particularly interesting. Oestrogen and progesterone play important protective roles in insulin sensitivity. As their levels begin to fluctuate and decline in perimenopause, that protection weakens — increasing the likelihood of insulin resistance developing or worsening.

The result? A cascade of symptoms that are often misattributed to “just getting older”:

• Belly fat or “bra-strap weight”

• Brain fog and sluggish thinking

• Sugar cravings (often mid-morning or mid-afternoon)

• Heavier or more irregular periods

• Mood swings, hot flushes, and low energy

Insulin doesn’t just regulate blood sugar, it influences reproductive hormones, brain chemistry, and inflammation levels too.

 Could you be insulin resistant?

Here are some signs and symptoms to watch for:

• Weight gain around the middle, despite no major lifestyle changes

• Skin tags (especially around the neck or underarms)

• Fatigue after meals

• Persistent sugar or carb cravings

• High triglycerides on blood tests

• Feeling lightheaded or irritable between meals

If these sound familiar, it's worth exploring insulin resistance — even if your blood glucose looks “normal.”

What tests to ask for

Don’t settle for a standard glucose test. For a clearer picture, ask your GP about:

• Fasting insulin – The most sensitive early marker and one that is not regularly tested.

• HbA1c – Shows how sugar has been affecting your red blood cells over the past 2–3 months

• Fasting glucose – Still useful, but can remain “normal” even in early insulin resistance

• Triglycerides – Often elevated when insulin is dysregulated

Hormonal knock-on effects

Insulin rarely acts alone. It interacts with:

• Cortisol – Stress can make insulin resistance worse

• Thyroid hormones – Metabolism slows if the thyroid is underactive

• Oestrogen and progesterone – Which fluctuate wildly during perimenopause

• Testosterone – Can rise with insulin resistance, sometimes leading to acne, facial hair, or irritability

When one hormone system is out of balance, others tend to follow suit, creating a domino effect that can affect mood, metabolism, and menstrual cycles.

 How to reverse insulin resistance

So there is good news as insulin resistance is highly responsive to lifestyle shifts and you don’t need to crash diet or over-exercise. Infact these are not sensible strategies. Instead:

1. Rethink your carbs
Refined carbs (white bread, biscuits, pastries, fruit juices) cause rapid blood sugar spikes, followed by insulin surges and crashes. Prioritise slow-release options like lentils, oats, berries, sweet potato, and vegetables to stabilise energy.

2. Prioritise protein
Protein doesn’t spike insulin the way refined carbs do. It supports lean muscle mass, keeps you full for longer, and feeds the brain. Aim for a source of protein with every meal, eggs, beans, poultry, fish, tofu, or Greek yoghurt.

3. Build and maintain muscle
Muscle tissue is one of the most insulin-sensitive tissues in the body. Resistance training (think weights, Pilates, yoga, or bodyweight exercises) helps improve how your body uses glucose and supports long-term metabolic health.

4. Support your mitochondria
These are your cellular “engines,” and they need nurturing, especially in perimenopause. Sleep, consistent movement, blood sugar stability, and stress management all play a role in mitochondrial function and energy production.

 Watch for these subtle energy clues:

• Hungry again within 1–2 hours of eating

• Feeling shaky or lightheaded if a meal is late

• Needing sugar or caffeine to get through the afternoon

• Irritability or fatigue that lifts immediately after eating

These are all signs your blood sugar — and by extension your insulin — may not be well regulated.

So to recap..

Insulin resistance is more common in midlife women than most realise, and it can amplify almost every symptom of perimenopause. But the solution isn’t to restrict harder or push yourself more. It’s to work with your physiology. That means eating in a way that supports metabolic flexibility, building and preserving muscle, and addressing hormonal changes with intention.

You're not broken. You’re just recalibrating. And when you support insulin properly, your energy, mood, metabolism, and hormone balance can shift dramatically, in the right direction