Why 80% of Women Gain Weight in Menopause

Jan 21, 2026

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Almost 80% of women will experience weight gain as they enter perimenopause and menopause, and what makes it even worse is that the strategies that worked in your 20s and 30s stop working entirely.

I'm Dr. Betty Murray, and in this solo episode, I'm breaking down the exact science behind why menopause destroys your metabolism, why eating more protein first could actually be making things worse, and the precise order of operations you need to follow to reverse metabolic dysfunction and lose visceral fat - the dangerous fat underneath your abdominal muscle that increases your risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

This isn't about eating less and moving more. This is about understanding the deep mechanistic disruptions happening in your mitochondria, insulin signaling, liver function, and fat cell biology during menopause, and using science-backed strategies in the right sequence to fix them. I'm also sharing my own story of gaining 35 pounds in early perimenopause and another 10 pounds from testosterone therapy because my androgens were too high relative to my estrogen.

You'll Discover:

● Why 80% of women gain weight in perimenopause and menopause

● Why eating more protein before fixing insulin resistance and glucose utilization can trigger gluconeogenesis

● The mitochondrial shutdown

● How fiber intake reduced visceral fat by 24.6% over 16 weeks in postmenopausal women

● Why yo-yo dieting and extreme caloric restriction can slow metabolic rate by 20-30%

● Why excess androgens relative to estrogen drive insulin resistance and pre-diabetes in menopause, and why testosterone therapy without proper estrogen management can worsen metabolic dysfunction despite improving libido and mental sharpness

● How hormone replacement therapy improves insulin sensitivity through estradiol activity at cell and mitochondria

PLUS, the complete exercise protocol and its benefits.

This episode is for women frustrated by unexplained weight gain in perimenopause or menopause, those who've been told to just eat more protein and lift weights without results, or anyone struggling with elevated fasting glucose despite cutting carbs. Download the free protocol in the show notes and start fixing your metabolism the right way, in the right order.

Connect with Dr. Betty Murray:

Betty Murray Website: https://www.bettymurray.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbettymurray/

Links:

The Fierce Female Method for Longevity (Dr. Betty's book): https://fierce.hormoneshelp.com/

Menrva Telemedicine: https://gethormonesnow.com/

FREE Hormone Quiz: https://bit.ly/3wNJOec

Living Well Dallas: https://www.livingwelldallas.com/

Hormone Reset: https://hormonereset.net/