Why Your Body Feels Different Lately (And What You Can Actually Do About It)

Have you ever felt like your body has quietly changed the rules without telling you?

Maybe you've noticed it's become a little easier for weight to settle around your middle, even though you don't feel like you're eating any more than you used to. It can be incredibly frustrating, and it's something I hear all the time.

The good news is that it's not simply about eating too much or exercising too little. As we get older, several changes happen inside the body that can make maintaining a healthy weight a little more challenging.

Why This Happens

One of the biggest changes is that we naturally begin to lose muscle from around our 40s onwards. Because muscle is so metabolically active, having less of it means we burn slightly fewer calories throughout the day. It's one of the reasons strength training becomes more important as we get older, not less.

Our bodies can also become a little less sensitive to insulin with age, meaning blood sugar isn't regulated quite as efficiently. This can lead to more cravings for sugary foods and make it easier to store excess energy as body fat.

Then there's stress. Modern life doesn't exactly help, does it? Busy jobs, family commitments, caring responsibilities, poor sleep... it all adds up. When stress levels stay high for long periods, cortisol (our main stress hormone) can remain elevated, which is associated with increased fat storage around the abdomen, particularly the deeper visceral fat.

Speaking of sleep, this is another big one. Poor sleep doesn't just leave us feeling tired. It can increase hunger, reduce feelings of fullness, make us crave high-calorie foods and leave us with far less enthusiasm for exercise the next day. I think we've all been there!

And then there's something many of us don't even notice. We may still be doing our workouts, but we're often moving less during the rest of the day. Those little bits of movement really do add up over weeks, months and years.

For women, the hormonal changes that occur during the menopause transition can make these changes even more noticeable, often encouraging more fat to be stored around the abdomen. Men experience age-related hormonal changes too, which can have similar effects on muscle mass and body composition, although the process is usually more gradual.

Not All Tummy Fat Is the Same

One thing that's worth knowing is that not all tummy fat is the same. The softer fat just under the skin is called subcutaneous fat, but the deeper visceral fat that surrounds our organs is the one we really want to keep an eye on, as carrying too much of it is linked with a higher risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and fatty liver disease.

So What Can We Actually Do?

Thankfully, quite a lot!

✔ Strength train two or three times each week to help preserve and build muscle.

✔ Aim for plenty of protein to support muscle health.

✔ Keep walking and stay as active as you can throughout the day.

✔ Prioritise good quality sleep whenever possible.

✔ Find ways to manage stress, whether that's Pilates, yoga, getting outside, gardening or simply taking a few minutes to slow down.

✔ Fill your plate with colourful vegetables, fruit, fibre and minimally processed foods.

Most importantly, don't fall into the trap of chasing restrictive diets. They often lead to muscle loss, and that's exactly what we want to avoid as we get older.

The goal isn't simply to weigh less. It's to build (or maintain) muscle, reduce excess body fat and keep ourselves strong, mobile and independent for many years to come.

This is exactly why I love combining strength training, walking and Pilates. Together they help build muscle, improve posture and balance, keep joints happy, reduce stress and support the kind of healthy ageing that allows us to keep doing the things we love.

As always, be kind to yourself. Your body is changing, but that doesn't mean it's working against you. It simply needs a slightly different approach than it did 20 years ago.

And remember... consistency will always beat intensity.

Keep moving, keep smiling and (while this lovely weather lasts!) keep drinking plenty of water too.

Alison x