The Refined Fit

Think your metabolism is broken after 50? Think again. Here's what really changes during menopause—and the practical ways to protect muscle, support metabolic health and manage weight without extreme dieting.

If you've been eating the same way you have for years, exercising regularly, and still watching the scale creep up — especially around your belly — this isn't a willpower problem. It's a hormonal one. The real culprit behind midlife weight gain in women is often insulin resistance, a condition that skyrockets during perimenopause and menopause.