As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, metabolism changes, and for women, hormonal shifts can encourage more fat storage around the abdomen.
Image: Meta AI
IN MY twenties, I used to think weight loss was so simple. Eat less. Move more. After a few days, your jeans fit again. Then in 2022, two years after turning 40, the weight started creeping on, and unlike previous years, it didn’t quickly disappear when I “got back on track”.
I’ve tried the things most of us do: intermittent fasting, counting calories, eating cleaner. And most importantly, promising myself every Monday that this would be the week. And yet here I am asking the same question so many of us ask in midlife: why is this suddenly so hard?
The easy answer is to say we’re eating too much and moving too little. And yes, while calories do matter, research suggests that midlife weight gain is not simply about willpower. As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, metabolism changes, and for women, hormonal shifts can encourage more fat storage around the abdomen.
Then there’s stress, poor sleep, and hormones like insulin, cortisol, leptin and ghrelin, and the thyroid, all influencing hunger, cravings, energy, and how our bodies store fat.
And let’s not forget something we have all heard, yet didn’t know had a name: food noise. That never-ending internal brain commentary telling us things like: what can I eat? Should I eat? I’ve been good today... maybe just one biscuit; maybe three.
Poor sleep can increase hunger. Stress can increase cravings. Blood sugar spikes and crashes can leave you feeling ravenous.
So then, you may be asking: what should we do?
Here are a few rules I follow, and perhaps they can help you too:
- Stop using your 25-year-old rulebook: midlife bodies often need better fuel, not more punishment. So prioritise protein, fibre, proper meals, and food that keeps you full.
- Build muscle: this is one of the most important things we can do in midlife. Research consistently shows that maintaining muscle helps support metabolism and improves insulin sensitivity. While walking is wonderful for health, research suggests midlife bodies need resistance work. Weights, resistance bands, Pilates, bodyweight training. Pick something and start. You do not need an expensive gym membership. Choose your favourite YouTube fitness instructor and exercise from the comfort of your lounge.
- Sort out your sleep: I know you have heard this before. You know you need better sleep, but just can’t seem to get it right. You must prioritise this. Research suggests better sleep helps regulate the hormones responsible for helping us feel fuller. So yes, you read that correctly ... poor sleep directly affects appetite hormones and cravings. If you are exhausted, your body will look for quick energy, usually in high-sugar snack form, which does not help us achieve our goals.
- Pick an eating style you can live with: intermittent fasting works brilliantly for some people, yet for others, it turns them into someone who thinks about food all day. Choose fasting for a duration that you find manageable. Some studies suggest a combination of fasting and calorie counting. Calorie counting can be helpful to some, and too much work for others. Look for an app that helps you keep track.
The best plan is the one you can sustain.
You've been waiting for this. Let’s talk about the injectables. We can’t talk about weight loss in 2026 and pretend this conversation isn’t happening.
Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro. These medications are everywhere right now, and yes, many people are seeing significant weight loss. They regulate appetite, slow digestion, improve blood sugar control, and for many people, dramatically reduce food noise. For someone constantly battling hunger, that can feel life changing.
But these are not casual injections. they are prescription, so consulting your doctor is a must. They are expensive, costing several thousand rand a month, depending on the dosage.
Your doctor will decide if you are a candidate based on whether:
They are not a substitute for healthy eating, an excuse to avoid movement, or a magic fix for long-term habits. This is a doctor conversation, not a social media one.
Most importantly – medical assessments
If weight gain feels sudden, aggressive, or completely resistant to change, don’t just blame yourself. Ask your doctor to check:
Sometimes the issue is not discipline, it’s simply biology.
I’m still figuring this out myself. But maybe the goal isn’t getting our 25-year-old body back. Maybe the goal is understanding the one we live in now, and learning to love ourselves no matter our body shape or size.