Living Energy Nutrition

Have you noticed that your body is storing more fat around your middle during perimenopause, even though the way you eat has not changed significantly?

Oestrogen helps influence where fat is stored. As levels fluctuate and gradually decline, fat distribution can shift away from the hips and thighs and towards the abdominal area.

Changes in insulin sensitivity, muscle mass, sleep and stress can also influence how readily the body stores energy around the middle.

Some abdominal fat sits beneath the skin, while visceral fat is stored more deeply around the internal organs. Higher levels of visceral fat are associated with poorer blood sugar regulation and wider metabolic health risks.

Recent research has also found an association between lower long-term exposure to visceral fat, better cognitive performance and greater preservation of brain volume.

This does not prove that reducing visceral fat will prevent cognitive decline, and it certainly does not mean that the answer is simply to eat less.

The more useful message is that metabolic health matters beyond your weight.

Balanced meals can support steadier blood glucose, protect muscle and provide the nutrients your brain and body need. Protein provides the amino acids used to build, repair and maintain cells and tissues throughout the body, while colourful fibre, carefully chosen carbohydrates and nourishing fats each provide their own valuable support.

I will show you how to turn this framework into practical, satisfying meals in my free 40-minute webinar:

Build Your Perimenopause Energy Plate

Tuesday 20 October
12 noon to 12.40 pm

Reserve your spot here 👉crystal-mendes-0ipu9x.subscribepage.io

Have years of low-fat messaging left you unsure about adding fat to your meals?

Nourishing fats are an important part of a balanced plate. They provide essential fatty acids, support the brain and nervous system, help maintain healthy cell membranes, skin and tissues, and allow your body to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K.

Omega-3 fats, found in oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, can also support brain health and joint comfort.

This does not mean adding large quantities of fat to everything you eat. It means choosing a suitable source and allowing it to complement the protein, colourful vegetables and carefully chosen carbohydrates on your plate.

You might try:

• Avocado with eggs and vegetables
• Tahini with chickpeas and roasted vegetables
• Walnuts or pumpkin seeds with Greek yoghurt and berries
• Salmon with greens and roasted vegetables
• Extra virgin olive oil added to a salad or vegetables after cooking

I will be bringing all four parts of the plate together in my free 40-minute Build Your Perimenopause Energy Plate webinar.

Join me on Tuesday 20 October, from 12 noon to 12.40 pm, for a practical session exploring how to build balanced meals that support steadier energy through perimenopause.

The booking link is currently being prepared. Comment or message me with the word PLATE if you would like to receive it when registration opens.

Carbohydrates are one of the most confusing areas of nutrition.

Some women have been told to base every meal around them. Others have removed them almost completely because they are concerned about blood sugar, unexplained weight gain or energy crashes.

But carbohydrates are not one uniform food group.

Broccoli, lentils, berries, brown rice, pastries and sweets all contain carbohydrates, yet they do not provide the same nutrition or affect the body in the same way.

During perimenopause, changes in insulin sensitivity can make the form and quantity of carbohydrates more important. Sleep, stress, activity and muscle mass also influence how effectively your body manages glucose.

For most meals, I recommend beginning with:

• A meaningful serving of protein
• At least two generous handfuls of fibrous vegetables
• A nourishing source of fat

Then consider whether you need an additional whole food carbohydrate, such as lentils, beans, quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, oats or sweet potato.

The amount required will vary according to your activity, metabolic health and the rest of the meal.

A carbohydrate eaten alone will also affect you differently from one eaten as part of a balanced meal. Protein, fibre and fat slow digestion, improve satisfaction and support a steadier release of energy.

Look at your next meal and ask:

“What type of carbohydrate am I eating, how much am I having and what else is on my plate?”

I also have an update about my upcoming workshop.

The wider wellbeing event is no longer going ahead, but I have decided to bring my workshop 'Build Your Perimenopause Energy Plate' online. It will be free to attend, more details coming soon.

It will remain practical and interactive. We will look at familiar meals together, explore what may be missing and help you identify one realistic change you can make to a meal you regularly eat.

Registration will open soon.

Message me with the word PLATE if you would like me to send you the details when they are ready.

A little update about my upcoming workshop.

The wider wellbeing event where I was due to deliver Build Your Perimenopause Energy Plate is no longer going ahead.

However, I know that some of you were interested in joining the workshop, and I still want to share the practical guidance I had planned.

I have therefore decided to bring the workshop online as a free webinar, date TBC

During this practical and interactive session, I will help you understand how to combine protein, colourful fibre rich vegetables, nourishing fats and whole food carbohydrates to create meals that support steadier energy, clearer thinking and fewer cravings.

There will be no calorie counting or restrictive food rules. You will be able to apply the framework to one of your own regular meals and leave with one realistic change you can begin using straight away.

Registration will open soon.

If you would like me to send you the details when the registration link is ready, message me with the word PLATE.

A meal can contain healthy foods and still not provide enough balance to sustain your energy.

Last week, I talked about protein as the anchor of the meal. This week, we are adding the next part to your plate: colourful fibre.

Fibre supports digestion, feeds beneficial gut bacteria, contributes to regular bowel movements and can help slow the absorption of glucose from a meal. It also adds volume and variety, helping meals feel more satisfying.

At lunch and dinner, aim for at least two generous handfuls of vegetables, with a variety of colours and types across the week.

You can also increase fibre through lentils, beans, chickpeas, berries, nuts, seeds, quinoa, buckwheat and oats.

If your usual meal is chicken with a small salad, you do not need to replace it. Build on it by adding roasted vegetables, leafy greens, lentils, fresh herbs or seeds.

If your current fibre intake is low, increase it gradually and make sure you are drinking enough water. More is not always better if your digestive system is struggling to tolerate it.

Take a look at your next meal and ask:

“Does this contain at least two generous handfuls of colourful vegetables?”

Protein is the anchor, but colourful fibre helps complete the plate.

On 17 October, I will be running a workshop, teaching you how to bring protein, fibre, whole food carbohydrates and nourishing fats together. The Build Your Perimenopause Energy Plate workshop is practical and hands-on and will form part of a Women's Wellbeing event. DM me for more details

For many women, around 25 to 30 grams of protein at each of three balanced meals is a useful target.

This might look like:

A three-egg omelette with cottage cheese, or eggs with smoked salmon
120 to 150 grams of cooked fish, chicken, turkey or meat
Greek yoghurt with nuts and seeds
Around 200 grams of high-protein, firm organic tofu
Around 150 grams of organic tempeh
Lentils with quinoa and pumpkin or h**p seeds
Chickpeas with buckwheat and tahini

The exact protein content varies, so check food labels where appropriate.

Breakfast is often the meal where protein is most easily missed. Toast, cereal or fruit may provide quick energy, but without enough protein, you may find yourself hungry, craving something sweet or reaching for another coffee before lunch.

You do not need to change everything at once. Start by looking at each meal and asking:

“Where is my protein, and is there enough to sustain me?”

Think of protein as the anchor of your meal, alongside plenty of fibrous vegetables, nourishing fats and an appropriate portion of complex carbohydrates.

Save this post and use it to review your meals this week.

Which meal do you find the most difficult to include enough protein in, breakfast, lunch or dinner?