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“I’m eating pretty much the same way I always have… so why am I suddenly hungry all the time?”
If that thought sounds familiar, you’re certainly not the only woman asking the question.
Midlife can bring changes we were expecting — and quite a few we weren’t.
We hear plenty about hot flushes, disrupted sleep and mood changes. But what often gets talked about far less is how different our relationship with food can begin to feel.
Perhaps you’re reaching for snacks more often.
Maybe the meals that used to keep you satisfied don’t seem to anymore.
Or perhaps you simply find yourself thinking about food far more than you used to.
And when you’re still eating relatively well and trying to look after yourself, it can be incredibly frustrating.
So, what’s going on?
Your Body Is Changing — Even If Your Lifestyle Hasn’t
Perimenopause and menopause involve significant hormonal changes, particularly changes in oestrogen.
At the same time, we’re getting older — and that brings its own changes to things such as muscle mass, body composition and how much energy our bodies use.
That combination can mean that the things which worked perfectly well for us in our 20s, 30s and even early 40s may not necessarily feel quite the same in midlife.
It doesn’t mean we suddenly need to start fearing food or following an extreme diet.
But it can mean that it’s worth looking at what our bodies need now, rather than simply continuing with what worked twenty years ago.
Menopause Can Change More Than Your Periods
When we talk about menopause, we often focus on the obvious symptoms.
But menopause is a whole-body transition.
Changes in body composition and weight are common during perimenopause and menopause, and many women notice that weight begins to settle differently — particularly around the middle.
Sleep can also become more difficult, while tiredness, stress and changes in mood can make our everyday eating habits feel different too.
So rather than assuming that one single hormone is responsible for everything, it can be more helpful to look at the bigger picture.
Sleep Matters More Than We Sometimes Realise
A bad night's sleep doesn't just leave you feeling tired.
Think about what tends to happen the following day.
You're exhausted.
You need something to get you through the afternoon.
Preparing a balanced meal suddenly feels like much more effort.
And that biscuit, chocolate bar or quick snack becomes considerably more tempting.
Midlife can be particularly challenging because night sweats and other menopause symptoms can disrupt sleep.
So if your eating habits have changed, it may be worth asking another question too:
How well am I actually sleeping?
Sometimes food is only one part of the story.
Muscle Matters Too
One of the most useful things we can do in midlife is stop thinking about exercise purely in terms of burning calories.
Muscle is incredibly important as we get older.
That's one reason strength and weight-bearing exercise become increasingly valuable during this stage of life.
Walking, Pilates, yoga and cardiovascular exercise can all have a place, but incorporating resistance or strength training is worth considering too.
The aim doesn't need to be becoming smaller.
It can simply be becoming stronger.
What You Eat Can Make a Difference
Rather than immediately thinking about eating less, it may be more useful to look at what is actually on your plate.
A balanced midlife diet might include plenty of:
- vegetables and fruit
- wholegrains
- beans and pulses
- good sources of protein
- fibre-rich foods
- healthy fats
- calcium-rich foods
Protein and fibre are particularly useful components of a balanced diet, and fibre-rich foods include vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.
This isn't about creating another set of food rules.
It's about making what you eat work harder nutritionally.
And What About Those 3pm Cravings?
Ah, the afternoon cupboard visit.
For many of us, this is where good intentions seem to disappear.
But rather than immediately blaming yourself for a lack of willpower, look at the day as a whole.
Did you eat breakfast?
Was there enough substance in your lunch?
Have you drunk enough water?
Did you sleep properly?
Are you stressed?
Have you been running around all day without stopping?
Sometimes the answer isn't “I need more willpower.”
Sometimes it's simply:
“I need to look after myself differently.”
Midlife Doesn't Need Another Extreme Diet
This is perhaps the most important part.
When our bodies begin to change, the temptation can be to respond by becoming increasingly restrictive.
Eat less.
Cut this out.
Don't eat that.
Exercise harder.
Start again on Monday.
But midlife shouldn't become a permanent battle between you and food.
A healthy, balanced diet, regular movement, strength exercise, good sleep and looking after your mental wellbeing all matter during perimenopause and menopause.
There isn't one magic food, ingredient or supplement that replaces those foundations.
And at NÄRA, we don't believe there should be.
This Is Exactly Why NÄRA Began
Our founder, Soulla, had always eaten well, exercised and maintained her weight without giving it too much thought.
Even after having three boys, returning to the weight where she felt comfortable was relatively straightforward.
Then midlife arrived.
Suddenly, the things she'd done for decades didn't seem to feel the same.
She found herself thinking about food more often and questioning what she should be eating, how she should be exercising and why maintaining her weight suddenly felt so much more complicated.
And everywhere she looked, the advice seemed to contradict itself.
Eat more.
Eat less.
Do cardio.
Don't do cardio.
Avoid carbohydrates.
Eat carbohydrates.
It became exhausting.
So rather than creating another diet or another set of impossible rules, Soulla and her husband Keith began looking more closely at nutrition and the changes women experience during midlife.
That journey eventually became NÄRA.
Not because we believe there's a magic answer.
But because we believe women deserve straightforward information, thoughtful nutrition and a much more positive conversation about this stage of life.
Maybe We Need to Stop Asking, “What's Wrong With Me?”
And start asking:
“What does my body need from me now?”
Because midlife isn't about giving up on the body you've known for decades.
Perhaps it's about getting to know it again.
And that's exactly what The Mid-Life Edit is here to explore.
Welcome to NÄRA. We're very glad you're here.