Why do I get weight gain during stress during perimenopause?

Experiencing weight gain during stress during perimenopause is common, and the timing is not random. Your body's hormonal fluctuations interact with your environment, activity level, and stress response to trigger symptoms at specific moments.

During stress, your body may be more susceptible to weight gain because of factors like temperature changes, physical exertion, stress hormones, or blood sugar fluctuations. Estrogen helps regulate many of these systems, and when levels are unpredictable, your body's response becomes less predictable too.

Practical strategies: Pay attention to what happens in the 30 minutes before weight gain starts during stress. Common triggers include caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, warm environments, sudden stress, and blood sugar drops. Once you identify your personal triggers, you can plan around them.

Logging when weight gain occurs during stress helps you build a clear picture of your patterns and share useful data with your healthcare provider.