Perimenopause and Weight Loss Myths

Have you heard that carbs are bad, that if you want to lose weight, you can’t have your favourite foods anymore, or that you have to skip meals. If you're a woman in your 40s or 50s trying to lose weight, you've likely encountered at least a few of these perimenopause and weight loss myths, and they may be exactly what's getting in your way.

Many common beliefs about perimenopause and weight loss (for example, that menopause inevitably causes weight gain, that vegans can't get enough protein, that skipping meals speeds up results) are not just unhelpful, they're actively getting in the way. As a vegan nutritionist who lost 20 pounds in perimenopause, I've seen these myths keep women stuck for years.

In this post, I’ll discuss these common myths, so you can stop them from sabotaging your weight loss. 

Myth 1: Menopause Causes Weight Gain (And There's Nothing You Can Do)

Yes, many women find that they gain weight during menopause but it’s not something that happens overnight.  The weight may have been slowly increasing over the years.  We tend to slow down and move less as we get older, but still tend to eat the same amount of food.  With menopausal hormone fluctuations and mood changes, we may also feel more cravings and turn to comfort food more often.  During menopause we also tend to experience a change in body composition to having less muscle and more body fat, as well as a change in our fat distribution, or where we store the bodyfat (to around the midsection).  I’ve personally experienced this – I always tended to carry my extra weight around my thighs but at some point in my forties, I started noticing that I have a tendency now for any extra weight to go straight to my belly.  But menopause does not necessarily cause that weight gain – it’s more to do with that decrease in movement, muscle loss, and a change in fat distribution – and actually women and men gain approximately the same rate of fat in their forties and fifties.

Myth 2: It's Impossible to Lose Weight in Perimenopause

Weight loss may not happen as easily as it did during your younger years.  When you were younger, you probably had a higher metabolism, higher energy, and were likely a lot more active.  But it’s certainly still possible to lose weight in your 40s and beyond.  And actually, the menopause transition could be an excellent time to start taking steps towards weight loss and making changes that will support your health in post menopause.  

Myth 3: A Vegan Diet Is Automatically a Weight Loss Diet

There are lots of foods that are technically vegan, that are highly processed and calorically dense.  Soft drinks, fries, cookies, and chips come to mind.  It’s even possible to be vegan and never eat a vegetable!  (A whole-foods based vegan diet is very different, of course.)  There are plenty of overweight vegans.  I became overweight myself, as I was eating a lot of comfort food to get myself though having a stress job that I hated.  I felt that as long as something was vegan, I would eat it.  I actually surprised myself when my waistline became greater than 35 inches, after I had been vegan for over a decade.  Why was this surprising?  This is one of the first signs of metabolic syndrome which can put you on the path to type 2 diabetes.  A vegan diet can reverse type 2 diabetes – but that doesn’t mean that you can’t still develop insulin sensitivity as a vegan if you aren’t eating in a way that supports your health.

Myth 4: Plant-Based Women Can't Get Enough Protein for Weight Loss

As vegans, we probably need to pay more attention to protein but it’s not difficult to get enough protein.  Because many of our protein sources don’t have all of the amino acids, we need to make sure we get our protein from a variety of sources.  Soy products like tofu and tempeh, quinoa, and hemp have all of the amino acids, while legumes should be combined with whole grains for a complete protein profile.

For a deeper look at what a whole-food plant-based approach actually looks like for weight loss in menopause, check out this guide.

Myth 5: Carbs Are the Enemy of Perimenopause Weight Loss

The type of carbohydrate is what matters here.  Highly processed products containing sugar, fat, salt, and additives are difficult to eat in moderation, and can often leave you craving more.  Have you ever eaten something salty and then craved a sugary snack shortly after?  But slow digesting carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, beans, and whole grains can actually help with weight loss.  They are high in fiber and they digest slowly, so they can help you feel full longer, and are great for your digestion, as long as you aren’t eating something you have a sensitivity to.  They also help you maintain a consistent energy level and avoid crashes.  Carbohydrates can also help with your mood and cognition, which I think is pretty important when you are trying to lose weight -- especially during perimenopause.

Myth 6: Skipping Meals Helps You Lose Weight Faster in Menopause

Skipping meals, especially if you are also exercising, can put your body into survival mode and deplete your muscle mass because your body has to break down your muscle tissue to fuel itself. Your body then wants to store bodyfat when you do eat again, to help with survival, and after having already lost some muscle mass, this can lead to disappointing results.  

During and post menopause, we need to ensure we are getting adequate nutrition to support thyroid function.  If you have a dip in thyroid function due to undereating, it can be difficult to get it back. 

Undereating also deprives your brain of glucose, leading to brain fog.  

There has been research done with intermittent fasting with positive results, but it is mostly done on male university students, and women respond differently than men, with increased stress levels.  Providing your body with adequate nutrition from whole food sources gives it the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients it needs, which is important for your bone health, thyroid, as well as helping to keep your blood sugar steady and supporting your hormones.

Myth 7: You Can Out-Train a Bad Diet During Menopause

Some people think that what you eat is not important, as long as you work it off.

I experienced this one a few times in my 20s.  After eating some overindulgence, just work out extra hard later.  Sometimes my nervous system would feel fried after a long, intense workout and I would feel shaky and like my brain was buzzing.  It was very uncomfortable, put my body in a state of stress, and I’m certain my cortisol was off the charts.  And actually – these intense workouts made me feel constantly hungry and craving more of these foods.  And it makes sense - your body will look for calorically dense or sugar-laden foods as a source of instant energy. 

During the menopause transition, less can definitely be more.  Especially if you are dealing with fatigue.  An overly intense workout can actually set you back if you don’t listen to your body.  It’s better to exercise based on your energy level each day.

Myth 8: You Have to Count Calories to Lose Weight in Menopause

It’s not necessary to count calories.  You can learn, or relearn, to recognize your body’s physiological cues and stop eating when you feel satisfied.  Even just avoiding overeating can lead to significant weight loss over time.  Personally, I have done both approaches in my life, and found that counting calories made me feel deprived, but eating according to physiological cues and slowing down to enjoy my food made me feel more satisfied.  In my opinion, calorie counting works but it can be difficult to maintain (I mean when I counted calories it was sort of a crash diet and I was at my goal weight for a couple of days!), but mindful eating and portion size helps with a more sustainable weight loss that will actually last because you don’t feel deprived and instead, feel more satisfied.

Myth 9: You Have to Cut Out Your Favourite Foods Entirely

Although you may need to eat less of certain foods, like calorically dense foods, you can still have the foods you enjoy.  If you feel like you can never have your favorite food again, this is putting unnecessary stress on yourself, and can make your approach to weight loss feel unrealistic.  This can set you up for failure.  You can definitely find ways to still enjoy your treats – maybe you can still have it every week or eat a smaller amount.   

Myth 10: You Have to Be Perfect to See Results in Perimenopause

It’s more important to be consistently taking steps that move you towards your goals, than to attempt to be perfect in a way that’s unsustainable.  Stress can work against you during menopause (and exacerbate other menopause symptoms), so I highly recommend finding a way to approach weight loss that is more forgiving.  

Frequently Asked Questions: Perimenopause and Weight Loss Myths

Q: Does menopause cause weight gain?

A: Menopause does not directly cause weight gain, but the hormonal changes of perimenopause contribute to shifts in body composition (less muscle, more body fat) and a change in where fat is stored, typically toward the midsection. Decreased activity levels and increased cravings from hormone fluctuations are more significant contributors to weight gain than menopause itself.

Q: Is it possible to lose weight during perimenopause?

A: Yes, weight loss during perimenopause is possible, though it often requires a different approach than what worked in your 30s. Metabolism slows, hormones change, and generic diet advice built for younger bodies often fails. An approach that accounts for hormonal changes, emotional eating, sleep, and stress, rather than just reducing calories, is more effective for women in midlife.

Q: Can you lose weight in menopause on a vegan diet?

A: Yes. A whole-food plant-based diet can support weight loss during perimenopause and menopause when it is built around adequate protein, slow-digesting carbohydrates, and healthy fats. The key distinction is between a whole-food vegan diet and a processed-food vegan diet. The former supports weight loss and hormone health; the latter does not.

Q: Do carbs cause weight gain in perimenopause?

A: Refined and highly processed carbohydrates can contribute to weight gain and blood sugar instability. However, whole-food carbohydrates, such as legumes, sweet potatoes, and whole grains, support sustained energy, satiety, and hormonal balance, and can aid weight loss in perimenopausal women when eaten as part of a balanced diet.

Q: Should you skip meals to lose weight during menopause?

A: Skipping meals is not recommended for perimenopausal or menopausal women. Undereating can deplete muscle mass, impair thyroid function, cause blood sugar crashes and brain fog, and trigger the body's stress response, all of which make weight loss more difficult. Providing the body with consistent, adequate nutrition from whole food sources is a more effective and sustainable strategy.

Q: Do you have to count calories to lose weight in menopause?

A: Calorie counting is not necessary for weight loss in menopause. Learning to recognize physiological hunger and fullness cues, and eating mindfully rather than restrictively, can produce more sustainable results. Restriction-based approaches often lead to deprivation, rebound eating, and a cycle that is difficult to maintain.

Perimenopause weight loss myths are unfortunately making women feel like they've failed when the plan was just never built for their body in the first place. The rules change in perimenopause, and the approach has to change with them. A vegan diet isn't the problem. Calorie counting and skipping meals aren't the answer. What works is understanding what your body needs right now, and building an approach around that. If you're not sure where to start, take my free quiz to find out what's really getting in the way of your weight loss — and what to focus on first.

Like this post and want to read more? Check out Peri-Menopause Weight Gain and Loss and Ten Ways to Control Menopause Cravings.

About the Author

Anna Pelzer is a Registered Health and Nutrition Practitioner and emotional eating coach specializing in perimenopause and menopause weight loss for vegan and plant-based women. She lost 25 pounds in perimenopause as a vegan and hosts The Vegan Menopause Podcast. She works with clients 1:1 through her program, Menopause Weight Loss Breakthrough.

DISCLAIMER: This website's information is general in nature and for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.