Perimenopause Diaries #2: When the Weight Stopped Responding

In Perimenopause Diaries #1, I shared the journey of connecting vertigo as an initial sign my body was in perimenopause. This new diary post focuses on another sign that frustrated me. What I’m about to share is not a polished version of this story. It was a time in my life where I was doing everything right and my body refused to cooperate.

The one where I stood in front of the mirror and asked myself, is something wrong with me?

This is Perimenopause Diaries #2. The one where my weight stopped responding to weight loss. If you have ever felt stuck in the mud while working twice as hard as everyone around you, this one is for you.

My Weight Journey

By 2023 I had earned my relationship with fitness and wellness. It wasn’t the easiest journey, but a worthy one. It took nine years of showing up, building community, and learning what discipline looks like. But I finally dropped to a weight I hadn’t seen since my twenties. I felt like I was finally inching my way to breakthrough to further weight loss success.

To achieve this, it required me to work out six days a week, one to one and a half hours each session. I drank a gallon of water every day. My nutrition was structured, not a lot of carbs, one celebration meal a week just to feel some balance. My job kept me on my feet constantly. I was not sedentary. I was working.

Sleep was my weak spot. The nature of my work meant early mornings, sometimes overnight shoots, an unpredictable schedule that made true rest hard to come by. But I did my best. I prioritized it when I could. No matter what, I showed up for myself.

I felt stronger than I had in years. I started running as an emotional outlet, joined a monthly run club, and signed up for a couple of 5K races. My body and I had an understanding.

And then, almost overnight, that understanding fell apart.

Sudden Midlife Weight Gain

By June 2023, I had gained ten pounds without changing a single thing I was doing.

At first, I told myself it was the vertigo medication I had been prescribed. I had recently received a proper diagnosis and was cleared to take it as needed. That had to be it. That was the only explanation that made sense.

But the scale kept moving in the wrong direction. And I kept doing all the same things.

So I started asking questions.

Hormonal History & Frustration

By August, I made an appointment with my OBGYN with the goal of discussing this sudden weight gain issue. I asked if the issue could be hormonal since I have PMOS. This stands for Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, which was officially renamed from PCOS. I was diagnosed in my 20s and it always made losing weight complicated. My OBGYN told me to focus on calories in and calories out. I sat with that for a moment. If she only knew I was already doing what she requested and it was not working.

As a last ditch effort I asked her specifically about perimenopause. She proceeded to ask me if I was still getting my period. I told her yes. Her response was not to worry about that until I had gone a full year without one.

I left her office feeling dismissed and discouraged. Why is this so hard for me? Is my body fighting against me?

I couldn’t turn off the negative thoughts. I became afraid of certain foods with fear the scale would continue to go up. A bite of something I had not planned would send my thoughts spiraling. I was frustrated, scared, and I felt completely stuck.

I had this feeling, deep and persistent, that the problem was hormonal. But I did not have proof yet. I just knew that something was not adding up.

Weight Gain and Perimenopause Connection

By November, I was done waiting. In hopes of finding a local endocrinologist, I reached out to a clinician I knew from a fitness accountability group. At the time, I knew she specialized in pediatric endocrinology. What I didn’t know was that she had expanded her services to help women with medically supervised weight loss.

I took the invitation to do a free consultation. During my consultation, I told the doctor everything. And then she gave me something I had not received in months. Understanding.

She confirmed what I had suspected. It was a hormonal issue. I was likely insulin resistant. The metabolic syndrome was real and it was significant. And at my age, with my hormonal picture, I would need to work approximately three times harder than the average person just to see the same results.

Three times harder. A truth I knew too well.

She also told me something else. I was likely approaching perimenopause. The weight changes, the resistance, the way my body was behaving. It all made sense now. I felt, for the first time in months, validated.

Weight Loss in Perimenopause

To see any real change with my weight, my endocrinologist educated me on weight loss medications and their role in PMOS and perimenopausal care. She prescribed me Tirzepatide and gave me a plan to be medically supervised with monthly check ins. I began my GLP journey in January 2024. Within six months, I lost twenty pounds.

But more significant than the number was what shifted in how I approached my body. Part of the treatment plan, my doctor encouraged me to work out less, thirty minutes, three to four times a week. I had been putting enormous stress on my system, layering hard workouts on top of chronic sleep deprivation and hormonal upheaval. My new routine prioritized strength training. I leaned out. My muscle composition increased. Fat started to decrease. I was working less and seeing more.

The medication did something I had not expected. It quieted the food noise. The constant mental negotiation with cravings, the fear of eating the wrong thing, the anxiety around food choices. It was gone. And for the first time in years, I felt free enough to bring carbs back into my life. Not as a license to eat whatever I wanted, but as a tool to stay fueled and focused on the nutrition that actually mattered.

Hormonal Health and Weight Loss

When you understand your hormonal health, you can be more gracious with yourself. That is the truest thing I took from this season. I had been chasing formulas in order to get specific results. What I needed instead was to understand my own body chemistry better.

I saw the wisdom in being medically supervised for my weight loss journey. That choice opened the door to perimenopause care several months later. My body was asking me to change my approach. To embrace what was happening. To love her anyway. Not punish her. To focus on strength and extend myself a little more grace.

One of the reasons I started this blog is because women in their late thirties and forties are rarely taught to factor in hormonal health beyond the reproductive years. Our biology is beautiful and specific. I am grateful to live in a generation where we come together to help each other navigate this season.

A Word for My PMOS sisters

Quick note for my sisters who, like me, were diagnosed under the old name. After more than a decade of research and global collaboration, the medical community officially renamed PCOS to PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome) in May 2026. The change finally reflects what so many of us already lived. This is a whole body hormonal condition, not just an ovary issue. Same diagnosis, more accurate name. And honestly, more validation than I expected to feel from a name change. You can read more about the official rename and the research behind it on the Endocrine Society’s announcement.

If you have been doing all the things and seeing nothing change, I want you to hear this: you are not the problem. Your body is changing. You are not broken. Find yourself a good endocrinologist who can educate you on this metabolic condition. Furthermore, take time to understand your bloodwork. Ask about insulin resistance. If you are in your late 30s and 40s, ask about how perimenopause may be affecting you even before your periods stop.

There is a fine line between PMOS and perimenopause. While we might be familiar with PMOS, perimenopause is a completely unique experience for each woman. It’s all hormonal. Trust me, it is frustrating dealing with both aspects and navigating this stage of life. Just approach it with self compassion. Your biology may be asking you to evolve and approach midlife weight gain differently. And that evolution deserves your patience, not your punishment.

A Supportive Hand

If you feel stuck in the mud, know that I was right there with you. This is me reaching back a hand. Tap into learning. Embrace the lessons of this season. You deserve care that listens to you.

---

This is the second entry in my Perimenopause Diaries series, where I share my personal journey through this season of life. I am not a medical professional. Everything I share is based on my own experience and research. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any health related decisions.

If you are in the Central Florida area and looking for a perimenopause/menopause specialist, I highly recommend my endocrinologist, Dr Penelope Pauley and her excellent team at The Endocrine Co. 

How have you approached weight loss in midlife? You can leave a comment below or reach out through my Contact page.