Energy balance

Natural menopause is associated with a significant decrease in resting metabolic rate and leisure-time physical activity, leading to accelerated loss of fat-free mass and increased central adiposity.

As you approach menopause, your body naturally burns fewer calories at rest and you may naturally move less during leisure time. This metabolic slowdown, combined with a loss of muscle mass, drives fat gain, particularly around the waist. To counter this, you must proactively manage your energy balance by maintaining or increasing physical activity and preserving muscle mass, rather than assuming weight gain is inevitable.