Why You're Gaining Weight During Menopause (It's Not Your Fault)

For years, I blamed myself for weight gain in my 40s. I thought I lacked willpower. Then I discovered the protein leverage effect, and everything made sense.
1-2 kg

Average weight gain PER YEAR during menopause
(That's 22 lbs over 10 years)

The Protein Leverage Effect: What's Happening

1 Your body's protein needs INCREASE during menopause (enhanced protein breakdown)
2 Your body triggers hunger to get more protein (this is the "leverage")
3 If you don't eat more protein, hunger doesn't stop
4 You overeat carbs and fats trying to satisfy the protein need
5 Result: Weight gain while STILL protein deficient

This isn't about willpower. It's biology. Your body is literally driving you to eat more because it needs protein.

The Research

University of Sydney identified this mechanism in a 2022 study published in BJOG. Key finding:

Increasing dietary protein by just 1-3% prevented weight gain during menopause completely

For most women, that's adding 10-20 grams of protein daily

Plus: Your Metabolism Drops

  • Metabolism decreases by 250-300 calories/day during menopause
  • Post-menopausal women have 42% higher blood sugar spikes after meals
  • Muscle mass decreases (which further lowers metabolism)

Lower metabolism + protein deficiency driving overconsumption = significant weight gain

What Changed for Me

Before

Eating ~50-60g protein daily
Constant hunger
Afternoon cravings
Evening overeating
Gaining 1-2 lbs/year

After (90g protein)

Hunger decreased in 1-2 weeks
Cravings disappeared
No more evening binges
Lost 14 lbs in 6 months
Easy to maintain

The Simple Solution

Add 10-20 Grams of Protein Daily

Easy ways to add 10-20g:

  • 2 scoops Genepro in morning coffee: 22g
  • 3 oz chicken breast: 26g
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt: 17-20g
  • 2 eggs: 12g

My Daily Distribution:

  • Breakfast: 30g (Genepro in warm coffee + eggs)
  • Lunch: 28g (chicken salad)
  • Dinner: 30g (fish with vegetables)
  • Total: 88g ✓

Within 2 weeks, I noticed decreased hunger. By 3 months, I'd lost 6 lbs without "dieting."

Why This Works

When you give your body the protein it needs:

  • The protein leverage effect stops
  • Hunger and cravings decrease naturally
  • You eat fewer total calories without trying
  • Your body stops driving you to overeat
  • Weight stabilizes or decreases

The Bottom Line

  • Menopausal weight gain is driven by increased protein needs
  • If you don't meet protein needs, your body makes you overeat everything
  • Adding just 10-20g protein daily can prevent weight gain entirely
  • This isn't about willpower—it's about giving your body what it needs

I spent years fighting my body when I should have been nourishing it properly. Now I understand: it wasn't weakness. It was biology.

Give your body the protein it's asking for, and watch everything else fall into place.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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