💔 Breaking Up with Diet Culture During Menopause
Because shrinking yourself isn’t the goal—feeling like yourself is.
👋 But Wait... Why Is a 33-Year-Old Talking About Menopause?
Great question.
Hi, I’m Jess. I joined the ovarian failure club at 27.
My body? Chronologically 33.
But my hormones? Oh, they’re living their best 57-year-old life, thanks.
Hot flashes? Check.
Night sweats? Absolutely.
Mood swings that make me want to punch a throw pillow and cry over salad dressing commercials? You bet.
And I take hormones daily. Life-saving, stabilizing, non-negotiable hormones.
But my body still knows.
It’s not being fooled.
So when I say I understand the messiness of menopause, I mean it.
I’ve lived the emotional chaos, the hormonal freefall, and the identity crisis that comes with realizing that no amount of green juice or yoga is going to “fix” this.
🔥 The Problem Isn’t Menopause. It’s Diet Culture.
Menopause is already a biological shift of seismic proportions.
Your hormones are changing. Your sleep is haunted. Your metabolism feels like it’s stuck in molasses.
You wake up in a body that doesn’t feel like yours anymore—and then?
Then diet culture kicks the door in and says:
“Let’s fix this! Just cut carbs! Count macros! Intermittent fast until you feel nothing but discipline and black coffee!”
No.
No no no no.
🚨 Let’s Talk About What We’re Taught to Believe:
❌ "If you gain weight during menopause, you’re doing it wrong."
Weight gain during menopause is normal.
Estrogen drops, insulin sensitivity shifts, cortisol rises. Your body is trying to protect you.
But we’re conditioned to believe that if our jeans don’t fit the same, we’ve failed.
Cue the shame spiral.
❌ "You just need more willpower."
Menopause is not a self-control issue—it’s a physiological shift.
And let’s be honest, you’re probably already running on fumes: juggling work, caregiving, emotional labour, and a body that’s suddenly allergic to sleep.
You don’t need more pressure. You need more support.
❌ "You should start keto/intermittent fasting/carnivore/insert panic diet here."
This advice is loud right now. Especially in wellness spaces.
But extreme restriction in midlife often backfires—leading to muscle loss, higher cortisol, and a relationship with food that’s built on fear instead of trust.
🧘♀️ What Your Body Actually Needs During Menopause:
It’s not a secret. But it is radically simple:
✅ Nourishment. Not punishment.
Menopause is not the time to under-eat.
You need consistent fuel to stabilize blood sugar, support brain health, and prevent further hormonal chaos.
Build your meals around:
Protein: tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, seeds
Fibre: veggies, whole grains, fruit, legumes
Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado, tahini, nut butters
Colour + texture: food that’s fun to look at and satisfying to eat
You don’t need to “cleanse.” You need to feed the body you’re in now.
✅ Strength + nervous system support.
Strength training is incredible for protecting bone density and muscle mass.
But equally important?
Movement that calms your nervous system.
Walks. Stretching. Dancing. Lying on the floor and doing absolutely nothing counts too.
Move for strength. Move for softness. Not to burn calories—but to rebuild trust.
✅ Sleep (or the pursuit of it).
Menopausal sleep is a wild ride. Trust me, I get it.
But it’s also foundational to hunger regulation, blood sugar, mood, and energy.
If sleep is a struggle:
Try magnesium glycinate
Keep the room cold
Eat a bedtime snack with protein + carb
Cut back on doomscrolling (I’m talking to both of us)
Let it be imperfect, but don’t stop trying
✅ Body respect—not obsession.
This is where diet culture goes full villain mode:
Convincing us that our worth is directly tied to our waistline, even while our bodies are doing one of the most intense transitions of our lives.
Listen:
You are allowed to gain weight.
You are allowed to age.
You are allowed to eat food that satisfies you.
You are allowed to have softness in your body and still have power in your soul.
You don’t owe anyone a flat stomach. Least of all a system that was never designed for women in the first place.
❤️ What I Know For Sure:
You can’t diet your way through menopause.
You can’t shame your way into feeling better.
And you definitely can’t green-smoothie your way out of a hormonal landslide.
But you can:
Eat consistently.
Lift heavy things (when you feel like it).
Say no to restriction and yes to nourishment.
Sleep like it’s your new religion.
And break up with every rule that told you your body had to stay the same forever.
📝 Final Thought:
Menopause isn’t a personal failure.
It’s a biological transition.
And it’s hard enough without diet culture riding shotgun.
Let this be the chapter where you stop trying to shrink—and start expanding into the next version of yourself.
One that’s fully fed. Fully powerful. Fully done with the BS.
💚 Jess