In my work as a Nutritional Therapist, I’ve seen many women struggle with belly fat, especially after menopause. When I work at retreats, many women I see are concerned about increased weight around the middle. 

This is often tied to hormonal issues and can also signal the early stages of insulin resistance and therefore Type 2 Diabetes. While sugar plays a role, the solution is more complex than simply cutting out sweet treats. It’s about taking care of your hormones, supporting the cell wall to be more sensitive to insulin and understanding the deeper mechanisms at work in your body.

In this blog, I want to talk more about insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes, explain why they happen, and offer practical tips for keeping these issues at bay.

Even if you don’t have Diabetes, balancing your hormones and managing insulin sensitivity is crucial to maintaining a healthy weight and feeling energised as you age.

What Is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas when we have something sweet. When you eat carbohydrates, cakes, chocolate or anything else like that, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar), which enters your bloodstream. Insulin acts like a key, unlocking the doors in the cell wall so glucose can get into the cell and then be used for energy.

However, over time, if your body is exposed to too much sugar and starch, or your cell walls get too rigid, your cells don’t respond so well to insulin. This is what’s called insulin resistance. The “doors” in your cell walls get a bit stuck, so glucose is left in your blood, prompting your body to produce more insulin to try to move it into the blood. Eventually, this constant demand gets too much and blood sugar levels rise, leading to Type 2 Diabetes.

The Role of Stress and Hormones in Insulin Resistance

Many people assume insulin resistance is just a result of poor diet and weight gain. However, stress and hormonal changes, particularly around menopause, also play a big role.

When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, the “stress hormone,” which signals your liver to release stored sugar into your bloodstream for a quick energy boost. This made sense when we needed to run away from predators, but in modern life, that sugar release often isn’t used up and requires insulin to clear it. If stress becomes chronic, you’re constantly pumping out cortisol, which drives higher insulin levels and promotes fat storage around the belly.

Hormonal changes in midlife, such as declining estrogen and progesterone levels during perimenopause and menopause, can also exacerbate this process. Estrogen helps to keep fat distribution in check, but as levels drop, women often notice an increase in belly fat, even if their diet hasn’t changed. Meanwhile, testosterone, which influences muscle mass and fat distribution, also declines, making it harder to maintain a healthy metabolism.

Recognising the Signs of Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance doesn’t happen overnight. Before blood sugar levels get high enough for a Diabetes diagnosis, your body will give you signs. If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s probably time to start paying attention:

• Constant hunger: You might feel hungry even after eating a meal, particularly if it is heavy in carbs but low in protein or fat.
• Weight gain around the middle: Belly fat is a hallmark of insulin resistance.
• Low energy and fatigue: Do you often experience a slump in energy after meals or feel tired even after a full night’s sleep?
• Sugar cravings: If you find yourself reaching for sugary snacks or craving carbs in the afternoon, it could be a warning.
• Mood swings or irritability: Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can impact your mood, leading to irritability, anxiety, or depression.

Your body is trying to tell you something, if you listen now it will be easier to do something about it.

What To Do About It

If you catch things at this early stage you can quite easily improve your insulin sensitivity whatever your age by using simple sustainable habits that support your health as you age.

Take Ann, an 83-year-old lady who came to me having been told she had pre-diabetes, so her blood sugar (HbA1c) was in the mid-40s.  After the death of her husband, she got into the habit of having tea with sugar and a piece of cake in the afternoon but not eating proper meals.  I simply suggested she have one cooked meal every day and include a portion of protein in her lunch and evening meal. 

We also added in a couple of supplements to put right some nutrient deficiencies and help the cell wall.  By making these simple changes she soon stopped feeling the need to have so much sugar in the afternoon and rectified her blood sugars in the space of 3 months.  Amazing.

So here are a few ideas to make a start on: 

Take it steady, one thing at a time.  You’ll be surprised how fast things change.

1. Eat Balanced Meals with Protein, Fibre, and Healthy Fats

To keep your blood sugar stable, focus on building balanced meals. Divide your plate into 3, and include a good portion of protein, fibre-rich vegetables, and healthy fats in every meal. Protein and vegetables slow down the release of sugar into the blood. Healthy fats support cell membrane flexibility, making it easier for insulin to work.

2. Avoid Quick Sugars and Processed Carbs

Sugary foods and processed carbs cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, which leads to high insulin production. Focus on whole, unprocessed carbohydrates that release sugar more slowly, helping your body regulate insulin more effectively.

However, don’t cut out all carbs, new potatoes are better than white ones, and vegetables like sweet potato, squash beetroot and celeriac are great alternatives to bread, pasta and rice.  When it comes to fruit berries are your friends and apples and pears are next best.  It’s a great idea to have some protein with your fruit, a handful of nuts will do just fine.  And remember, if you have something sweet have it with a meal containing protein or eat some protein with it.

3. Look out for Stress

We all have stress in our lives, it’s a question of how we handle it.  If we can tell our body “it’s OK” when stress is high then we will be producing less cortisol and therefore bringing less sugar from storage.  So a little self-care here is really important, cuddle the dog, put your hands on your heart, sit and have a cup of tea and reduce the impact of stress.

Then there are the other activities like breath work, relaxation, meditation and yoga that also teach our body that “it’s OK”.

Getting enough sleep is also important when it comes to stress. Lack of sleep gets the cortisol running and disrupts insulin as well. Create a bedtime routine that supports good sleep to get more hours in.

4. Get Moving

Movement is a great way to help with blood sugar.

You honestly don’t need to go to the gym. Walking, gardening, or a few squats or lunges while waiting for the kettle to boil can be a great way to get moving. Aim for consistency rather than intensity, every little bit helps.  When you get moving your muscles use glucose for energy which means you need less insulin and your blood sugar levels come down.

5. Water, Water, Water

Think about the blood with sugar in it, it makes it thicker, now add water and it becomes more liquid again.  That means it gets around the body more easily.  It’s that simple.  Start your day with a glass of water, have a glass each time you go to make a cup of tea or coffee and another before every meal.  Start today.  It’s almost certainly the best thing to do to support your health.

6. Choose Healthy Fats

Fats are often misunderstood, those who went through the 70s will remember everything having to be low fat.  Well, we’ve moved on a bit since then, healthy fats can be your friend, especially when it comes to insulin sensitivity. Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, help reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity. Include sources like oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts in your diet.

Avoid processed fats like margarine or any spreads as well as transfats found in many processed foods, as they definitely contribute to inflammation and worsen insulin resistance.

Go for real butter that comes from grass-fed cows.

YOU CAN DO THIS

If you introduce some simple habits you can improve your insulin sensitivity quite easily. Whether you’re already dealing with Type 2 Diabetes or trying to prevent it, drinking plenty of water, looking at what’s on your plate, being aware of stress and how you respond to it and moving a bit more every day can have a profound impact on your health.

It’s really not about giving things up. Instead, it’s about nourishing your body, supporting your hormones, and creating sustainable habits that will leave you feeling so much better that you’ll want to keep it up.

If you’re ready to take the next step, consider joining a supportive community like the Healthy Habits Club, where you can connect with others, share your journey, and learn more about how to manage insulin sensitivity and hormone health.

Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey or working towards specific health goals, there’s a path forward that will work for you, just like it did for Ann and many others.

Get started now and shift that belly fat for good.