18/10/2026
It's World Menopause Day, and we need to talk about more than the number on the scales. Swipe for what matters more.
For too long, women's health, and menopause in particular, has been largely ignored. So for this week's Sunday read, we asked Registered Nutritional Therapist Sarah Brown of to tackle one of the most common midlife frustrations: weight gain.
As oestrogen falls, more fat tends to settle around the middle. But Sarah's point is that weight is only part of the story. Around menopause we also tend to lose muscle and bone, and that part is often overlooked.
Muscle and bone work as a team, so losing one puts the other at risk. And when the scales do go down, not all of that loss is fat. Studies suggest 25 to 39% of weight lost on GLP-1 medications can be lean mass. Adding resistance training to lifestyle changes cut that share to around 17.5%.
Sarah's practical advice: build in resistance and weight-bearing exercise, make every meal count with protein, and follow the NHS guidance on vitamin D through autumn and winter.
Read Sarah's full article on the Metabolics Journal. Tap the link in our bio.
If you're considering HRT or taking a GLP-1 medication, talk it through with your GP.
Sources: Davis et al., Climacteric, 2012; Eisa and Barood, Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026; NHS
