Why Weight Gain in Midlife Isn’t Just About Willpower
By Dee Davidson, FDN-P | Functional Health Practitioner
If you’ve hit your 40s or 50s and suddenly feel like your body is working against you—especially when it comes to weight gain—you’re not alone. I see this all the time in my functional health practice. Despite eating clean, moving your body, and doing "everything right," the scale won’t budge.
Let me assure you: this isn’t about a lack of discipline—it’s about your hormones. And with the right holistic approach, you can uncover what’s really going on and start to feel like yourself again.
The Midlife Weight Gain Mystery (That Isn’t a Mystery At All)
Around perimenopause and menopause, your body goes through profound hormonal changes that impact nearly everything—especially your metabolism. Here’s what’s usually at play:
Estrogen Fluctuations: In early perimenopause, estrogen can surge and crash unpredictably, which can lead to insulin resistance, increased fat storage (especially around the midsection), and blood sugar instability.
Lower Progesterone: This calming, balancing hormone naturally drops with age, especially if stress is high. When progesterone drops faster than estrogen, it can lead to estrogen dominance, water retention, and weight gain.
Cortisol (Your Stress Hormone): Chronic stress—physical or emotional—can cause cortisol to rise, which keeps your body in fat-storing survival mode. It’s common to see stubborn belly fat and disrupted sleep patterns when cortisol is dysregulated.
Thyroid Slowdown: Your thyroid is your metabolic thermostat. In midlife, sluggish thyroid function is often missed by traditional bloodwork—but it’s something we dive into deeply in functional lab testing.
Why Diet & Exercise Alone Aren’t the Answer
This is the part that frustrates so many of my clients. They’re eating less, exercising more—and still gaining or plateauing. Why? Because when hormones are imbalanced, the body doesn’t want to let go of fat. It thinks it’s protecting you.
That’s why functional medicine is different. Instead of just treating symptoms or recommending more cardio and kale, we get curious about what your body is trying to tell us.
The DUTCH Hormone Test: A Game-Changer for Midlife Women
The DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is one of the most insightful tools I use to get to the root cause of hormonal weight gain. It reveals:
How your body is producing and detoxing estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
Your cortisol rhythm throughout the day (not just a snapshot)
Melatonin, DHEA, and markers that give us insight into stress, inflammation, and more
This isn’t just helpful—it’s empowering. When you can see your hormonal landscape, we can create a tailored plan that addresses exactly what your body needs to rebalance and restore.
Let’s Take a Functional, Holistic Path Forward
If you’re struggling with midlife weight gain and feel like nothing is working, know this: it’s not just about food and fitness. It’s about supporting your whole body, mind, and hormone system.
In my programs, I combine functional lab testing with realistic lifestyle shifts, mineral balancing, nervous system regulation, and hormone support. And we do it all together, step by step.
You deserve to feel good again.
Your body isn’t broken—it just needs the right support.
Ready to Get Answers?
Let’s figure out what’s really going on beneath the surface. You can schedule a 1:1 consult with me to talk about your health goals and see if the DUTCH test or other functional labs are right for you.
About Dee Davidson, FDN-P
Dee is a board certified Functional Health Practitioner who helps women uncover the root causes of hormone imbalance, gut issues, fatigue, and weight gain using functional medicine, holistic nutrition, and strategic lab testing. She’s also the host of the Confidently Balance Your Hormones podcast.