Sustainable Weight Loss: A Metabolic Health Approach Part 1
Practical strategies to regulate your nervous system, improve sleep, and create sustainable change during the midlife transition.
Sustainable Weight Loss: A Metabolic Health Approach Part 1
Practical strategies to regulate your nervous system, improve sleep, and create sustainable change during the midlife transition.
In this episode of Menopause Rescue, Dr. Polly Watson and Nurse Practitioner Kate Willis break down the real drivers of weight gain in perimenopause and menopause, including insulin resistance, hormonal shifts, muscle loss, sleep disruption, and chronic stress. They explain why metabolic health matters more than the number on the scale and how changes in estrogen, cortisol, and thyroid function can all influence belly fat and blood sugar.
“Midlife weight gain can feel sudden and frustrating—but it’s rarely just about “calories in, calories out.” says Kate Willis, NP.
Learning how to recognize signs of insulin resistance, which lab markers to request (like fasting insulin, A1C, and CRP), and why strength training and prioritizing protein, fat, and fiber are foundational for sustainable weight loss. The episode also covers evidence-based supplements, when medications like metformin or GLP-1s may be appropriate, and how hormone therapy can support better metabolic outcomes.
Watch The Conversation!
In this episode of Menopause Rescue, Dr. Polly Watson and Nurse Practitioner Kate Willis break down the real drivers of weight gain in perimenopause and menopause, including insulin resistance, hormonal shifts, muscle loss, sleep disruption, and chronic stress. They explain why metabolic health matters more than the number on the scale and how changes in estrogen, cortisol, and thyroid function can all influence belly fat and blood sugar.
“Midlife weight gain can feel sudden and frustrating—but it’s rarely just about “calories in, calories out.” says Kate Willis, NP.
Learning how to recognize signs of insulin resistance, which lab markers to request (like fasting insulin, A1C, and CRP), and why strength training and prioritizing protein, fat, and fiber are foundational for sustainable weight loss. The episode also covers evidence-based supplements, when medications like metformin or GLP-1s may be appropriate, and how hormone therapy can support better metabolic outcomes.
If you’re navigating stubborn midlife weight gain and want a science-backed, compassionate approach to improving metabolic health, this conversation offers clarity—and a realistic path forward.
Quotes:
- “We don’t all have the same metabolic rate, and our metabolic rate changes through our lifetime.” – Kate Willis, NP
- “When you get less than six hours of sleep, you typically will have hundreds of extra calories the next day.” – Dr. Polly Watson
- “Shifting hormones in perimenopause and menopause can send our metabolic signaling off the rails.” – Kate Willis, NP
- “There are factors like thyroid function, cortisol, sleep quality and quantity, and the gut microbiome that also affect metabolic health and weight.” – Kate Willis, NP
Resources:
Resources: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast-resources
Disclaimer: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast#Disclaimer
Meet the host!
Meet the Guest Speaker!
Kate Willis, NP-C, IFMCP is a virtual nurse practitioner for Hormone Wellness MD. She’s been working in women’s health for 15 years in the field of gynecologic oncology and sexual wellness.
In 2021, Kate received her certification through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), and is thankful for such solid and evidence-based training. She uses it daily in her care for patients as she works to address the root cause of disease and dysfunction in the body. As of 2024, she is also a Menopause Society Certified nurse practitioner who is ready to help with your perimenopause and menopause questions. Click here to become a patient!
Meet the host!
Meet the Guest!
Kate Willis, NP-C, IFMCP is a virtual nurse practitioner for Hormone Wellness MD. She’s been working in women’s health for 15 years in the field of gynecologic oncology and sexual wellness.
In 2021, Kate received her certification through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), and is thankful for such solid and evidence-based training. She uses it daily in her care for patients as she works to address the root cause of disease and dysfunction in the body. As of 2024, she is also a Menopause Society Certified nurse practitioner who is ready to help with your perimenopause and menopause questions. Click here to become a patient!
