Thrive45Method™ with Nutritionist Stacey Nicole Smith

Feeling stuck with fat loss during perimenopause or menopause? You might be doing all the “right” things—but if your sleep and nutrition aren’t aligned with your changing hormones, it can feel like you’re going in circles.

In this episode, we’re talking about the powerful (and often overlooked) connection between sleep, nutrition, and fat loss during perimenopause and menopause—and why it can feel like a chicken-and-the-egg situation.

Here’s the truth:
When you don’t have the right nutrition strategies for this stage of life, your blood sugar can become unstable, cravings...

Are you eating healthy but still struggling to lose weight—especially in perimenopause or menopause? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m breaking down the truth about “healthy foods” that may be secretly sabotaging your weight loss goals.

Many women in their 40s and 50s are doing all the “right things”—smoothies, salads, oatmeal, protein bars—yet the scale won’t budge. The problem isn’t willpower… it’s that your body and hormones have changed. What worked in your 20s and 30s doesn’t always work now.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why certain he...

In this episode, I’m walking through 3 signs your hormones are stopping you from losing weight, especially during perimenopause and menopause.

If you feel like you’re doing everything right—eating less, trying to be “good,” staying consistent—and the weight still isn’t moving… this might be why.

Because after 40, weight loss isn’t just about calories anymore. Your body becomes much more sensitive to things like blood sugar, stress, and hormonal shifts—and those signals can either support fat loss… or block it.

These are patterns I see all the time with the women I work...

Why low carb diets don’t work for weight loss in perimenopause and menopause is something I see all the time with women I work with.

If you're a woman over 40 having a tough time losing weight and you try reducing or cutting carbs in an effort to lose weight, but you're frustrated because it's not working - there's a reason.

Carbs are essential for fat loss especially as a woman in perimenopause and menopause.

Many women over 40 turn to low carb thinking it’s the answer—eat less, cut carbs, be “good”… and the weig...

Why do I feel hungrier during perimenopause? 

Many women notice that during perimenopause their appetite suddenly increases, cravings become stronger, and it feels harder to control hunger. 

If you’ve been wondering “why am I always hungry during perimenopause?” or “why do my cravings feel stronger after 40?”, you’re not alone.

In this episode, I explain why hunger increases during perimenopause and what hormonal and metabolic changes may be influencing your appetite. 

During this stage of life, fluctuations in estrogen, changes in blood sugar regulation, and increased stress hormones can all affect hunger s...

If you're struggling with weight loss after 40, the problem may not be calories. Hormonal and metabolic signals play a major role in fat loss for women over 40, and traditional dieting can actually make things worse.

Why you're not losing weight after 40 – and it's not about calories

If you're a woman over 40 and struggling to lose weight, even though you're eating less and exercising more, you're not alone. Many women in their 40s and beyond feel frustrated because the traditional advice of “calories in vs calories out” no longer seems to work. The truth is that weight...

If you're struggling with fat loss in perimenopause or menopause and wondering whether carbs are the problem, this episode is for you.

In “The Truth About Carbs and Fat Loss in Perimenopause and Menopause,” I break down what’s really happening in your body after 40 — and why cutting carbs may not be the solution you’ve been told it is.

Many women in perimenopause and menopause are advised to go low-carb to lose belly fat. But hormonal changes, shifts in estrogen, rising cortisol levels, muscle loss, and insulin sensitivity all affect how your body processes carbohydra...

Metabolism, Hormones and Stress Explained.

If you’re a woman over 40 and weight loss feels harder than ever, this episode explains why eating less can backfire for weight loss after 40 — even when you’re doing “everything right.”

As women move through perimenopause and menopause, hormonal fluctuations make the body far more sensitive to stress. When calories are too low, the body can respond with metabolic adaptation, slowing fat loss and increasing cravings. This is why many women experience stalled progress, fatigue, and stubborn belly fat despite eating less.

In this episode, we break down:
...

In today’s episode, we dive deep into the root causes of food cravings during perimenopause and menopause. 

Discover why hormonal fluctuations lead to cravings, how decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone contribute to food cravings, and the role of insulin resistance. 

Learn why traditional dieting methods (including counting calories and eliminating carbs) often fail during this stage of life and how correcting underlying signalling issues can lead to more energy and sustainable weight loss. 

Get actionable tips on balancing blood sugar, managing hormones through nutrition and lifestyle changes, and the right way to ap...

If you’ve been hearing the term “Nature’s Ozempic” and wondering whether food can really do what weight-loss drugs claim to do—this episode is for you.

In this live training, I break down the real science behind GLP-1, the hormone that helps regulate appetite, blood sugar, cravings, and fat storage—especially for women in perimenopause and menopause.

You’ll learn:

What GLP-1 actually is (and where it’s made in the body)

Why appetite, cravings, and “food noise” increase after 40

Foods that naturally support GLP-1 production and signaling

L...

Food noise is the constant mental chatter around food — cravings, excess hunger, guilt, planning, and second-guessing — and for many women it gets louder after 40.

In this episode, I explain:

What food noise actually is (and what it’s not)

Why food noise often increases in perimenopause and menopause

The role of hormones, stress, and under-eating

Why willpower doesn’t quiet food noise

How food noise naturally decreases when appetite and stress hormones are regulated

If you’ve tried cutting calories or carbs and found that food noise...

The Carb Mistake Most Women Make After 40 (That Slows Fat Loss)

Are you cutting carbs to lose weight after 40 — but the scale won’t budge, your belly fat won’t move, and your energy is crashing? You’re not alone. In this episode, I break down the biggest carb mistake most women make after 40 and explain why it actually slows fat loss, especially during perimenopause and menopause.

If you’ve tried low-carb, keto, or extreme dieting and feel more tired, stressed, or stuck than ever, this episode will explain what’s really happening inside your body. You’ll...

If you’re eating a “healthy” breakfast but still struggling with weight loss after 40, this episode is for you.

In this episodeI break down the common breakfast mistake women in perimenopause and menopause make that silently keeps blood sugar unstable, hormones dysregulated, and fat loss stalled — even when calories are “on point.”

You’ll learn:

Why traditional healthy breakfasts stop working after 40

How breakfast impacts insulin, cortisol, and stubborn belly fat

What most women are missing first thing in the morning

How to build a hormone-supportive breakfast that actually...

If you’re a woman over 45 and feel like the harder you try to lose weight, the more stuck you become — this episode will explain why that’s happening from a physiological and hormonal perspective.

Many women in perimenopause and menopause respond to weight gain by eating less, exercising more, and pushing harder. But after 45, this approach often backfires. Instead of fat loss, you may experience stalled progress, increased belly fat, fatigue, disrupted sleep, and constant frustration.

In this episode, I break down the real biological reasons weight loss stalls after 45, including:

How chroni...

Struggling to lose weight as a woman over 40—even though you're eating less and exercising more? 
You're not alone, and it's not your fault.

In today’s episode, we break down why the old “eat less, move more” advice stops working as you experience the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause, and what you should do instead to finally see results.

You’ll learn:
How hormonal changes impact metabolism after 40
Why chronic dieting slows fat loss
The hidden role of stress + cortisol
Why long workouts may be making things WORSE
What ac...

Do you find yourself stuck in a cycle of losing and regaining the same weight over and over?
Or maybe you gain even more each time you come off of a new diet?
Do you find yourself starting over every Monday?
Or maybe you get close to your goal weight and then something happens, and you're not sure WHY but you start eating off track and can't seem to reel yourself back in?
There are reasons for it - especially as women over 40 experiencing the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause - these can be...

If you’ve been feeling frustrated with weight loss in your 40s, it’s not your fault. Your hormones shift dramatically during perimenopause and menopause. 

In this episode, I walk you through 3 signs your hormones are stopping you from losing weight, increasing cravings and making fat loss feel impossible — and what you can do to feel like yourself again.

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the 3 major signs your hormones are stopping you from losing weight and what you can do to finally start seeing progress again. These insights will help you understand what’s real...

In today's episode we talk about a hot topic - alcohol and weight loss in perimenopause and menopause.

If you're a woman over 40, you may have already noticed that your body isn't reacting to alcohol the way it used to - maybe you can't drink as much as you used to, it may be giving you headaches, hangovers are worse or maybe it's ruining your sleep.

In today's episode we talk specifically about how it affects weight loss - and if you are on a weight loss journey over 40 and do still want to have...

In today's episode we dive into a topic that's really confusing for a lot of women and that is - why you keep gaining belly fat - even when you're eating healthy.

And this is specifically for women who are experiencing the hormonal shifts of perimenopause or menopause.

In today's episode we discuss:

1. WHY we're gaining this weight, despite thinking we're doing everything right.

2. The difference between "healthy eating" vs eating for fat loss (what's the difference?)

3. What to do differently to work with...

In today's episode we discuss WHY you're having cravings for carbs as a woman over 40.
It's not just about willpower.
Find out the reasons behind carb cravings in perimenopause (and menopause) and what to do about it.
This makes weight loss in perimenopause and menopause a lot easier.
The good news is - weight loss as a woman over 40 is not about more restriction - in fact that can backfire.
It's about proper nourishment and working with our hormones, not against them.
By implementing a few simple strategies you can expect not only...

It can be tough trying to lose weight as a woman over 40 going through the hormonal changes of perimenopause - and getting frustrated when you feel that nothings working and weight gain is inevitable.

The things you used to do in your 20's and 30's are no longer working.

The most common ones of course being low calorie diets, eliminating carbs/keto, intermittent fasting and tons of cardio.

The good news is - weight loss for women over 40 is not about severe restriction - in fact that can backfire.  It's about proper nourishment a...

In today's episode we discuss: why counting calories isn't the best way to lose weight in perimenopause and menopause.
I help you uncover why counting calories is not only an out dated model for weight loss - but can actually work against you.
You can only drop your calories so low - not only that, a calorie deficit model does not take into account the effects certain foods are having on your body.
Weight loss over 40 comes down to nourishment, not restriction.
It's about giving your body what it needs to thrive - for not...

As a woman over 40 navigating the hormonal changes of perimenopause or menopause you may have noticed either your weight creeping up (even though you haven't done anything differently) OR the things you used to do to lose weight are no longer working.
It's simply because with the hormonal changes at this age a different approach is required.  
The good news? It doesn't involve over-restriction.
What you eat (or don't eat) for breakfast at this age can make a really big difference in your weight loss efforts and your energy levels.
Please enjoy this replay of a...

Are you finding that, as a woman over 40 the things you used to do to lose weight are no longer working?
Are you having food cravings, unnecessary hunger, low energy levels, bloating, poor sleep and difficulty losing weight?
Everything at this age comes down to proper nourishment and lifestyle choices to have our body working for us, not against us.
Sleep can absolutely impact your hunger, cravings, energy levels and your body's ability to burn fat.
Additionally - food can impact your body's ability to have good sleep.
In today's episode we touch on...

I know it can be confusing when you feel like you're doing everything right - you're eating healthy and trying to lose weight, but it's not working.
As a woman dealing with the hormonal fluctuations in perimenopause and menopause it comes down to strategy.
This is actually good news - it means - if you are currently eating a very restrictive diet and you're hungry, low energy and your weight won't shift - it could very well mean you can eat more than you currently are and lose the excess weight.
It all comes down to...

In today's episode we discuss a big topic for weight loss - carbs.

It's common for a lot of women when trying to lose weight to go on a low carb diet.  

And then get frustrated because it's hard to stick to and will inevitably end up gaining the weight back (and then some).

This can be even more frustrating as a woman experiencing the hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause.

It can be tough and then you feel like your body is broken and that you won't be able to l...

In today's episode of Thrive45Method of weight loss we discuss 3 signs that your hormones are blocking fat loss in perimenopause or menopause.

It can be frustrating and confusing when you feel like you're doing everything right to lose weight, yet nothings working.

I hope you find this episode helpful. If so be sure to like and follow the show to be notified when new episodes are released.

A new episode is released weekly on all things weight loss and wellness for the woman in perimenopause and menopause.

For other resources...

In today's episode we discuss the hidden reason you're tired, bloated and gaining weight in perimenopause and menopause.

It can be very frustrating at this age to feel like you're doing everything right, but your body feels like it's working against you.

The good news - all is not lost.  It is a simple understanding of what changes are happening and then working WITH those changes so you can experience lasting weight loss and greater energy levels.

We discuss what is happening, the foods to avoid that trigger it, and the foods you s...

Today's episode of Thrive45Method Podcast is a little bit different - it's a replay of a recent fb live which nails the point perfectly and answers the question: 

"How Do Some Women Keep The Weight Off, Seemingly Effortlessly While Others Struggle"

The answer may surprise you - it's part strategy and part mindset.

We discuss both in today's episode. 

For more ways I can help you with weight loss in perimenopause + menopause please visit here: Stacey Nicole Smith

Did you enjoy this episode? If so please be sure to...

On today's episode we talk about Nature's Ozempic.

There are a lot of women talking GLP-1's for weight loss, and a lot also having negative side effects.

I have always, and will always promote food and lifestyle before resorting to taking medications.

In today's episode we discuss how certain foods can naturally promote GLP-1 release.  This naturally helps to balance blood sugar and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

We talk about 2 foods in particular to help to promote natural GLP-1 release and how much to aim for each day.

In today's episode we talk about the 3 hormones secretly blocking your weight loss in perimenopause and menopause (and how to reset them naturally).

This is such a great episode because it helps you to recognize that no, you're not broken and yes, you absolutely can lose weight at this age - with the right strategy. 

And the great news - that strategy does not require severe restriction - it requires proper nourishment.

For more great resources on how I can help you please visit:

Thrive45Method Resources

Did you l...

In today's episode we talk about Why You Shouldn't Eat A Low Carb Diet for Weight Loss In Perimenopause and Menopause.

This is a topic we LOVE talking about because it makes women's lives easier, and much more pleasant :)

We discuss WHY carbs are essential for weight loss at this age - to work efficiently with our changing hormones.

We also discuss which types of carbs are best and why - as well as a measure you can take today to see if you're eating the right amount of carbs for weight loss...

In today's episode we talk about a hot topic - alcohol and weight loss in perimenopause and menopause.

If you're a woman over 40, you may have already noticed that your body isn't reacting to alcohol the way it used to - maybe you can't drink as much as you used to, it may be giving you headaches, hangovers are worse or maybe it's ruining your sleep.

In today's episode we talk specifically about how it affects weight loss - and if you are on a weight loss journey over 40 and do still want to have...

If you're struggling to lose weight in perimenopause and menopause, or maybe you are gaining despite doing "all the right things" this episode is for you.

Our 25 year old body and our 45, 55 year old body are two very different things.

On today's episode we discuss why gut health is essential for weight loss over 40, including several questions to ask yourself to see if this is affecting your weight loss resistance.

I hope that today's episode helps you end the frustration that you may be feeling as to why nothing seems to be working.  

Why Your Food Cravings Feel Out of Control in Perimenopause and Menopause and How to Take Your Power Back.

Weight loss at this age can feel like fighting an uphill battle, and that weight gain is inevitable - but that's simply not true.  

Our hormones are in fact changing, and it just takes a simple understanding of what's happening and how to work with them - not against them.

Many of the things we did in our 20's and 30's to lose weight are no longer working - things like intermittent fasting, eliminating c...

On today's episode we discuss something that I commonly hear from women - why do we gain menopause belly fat when we're doing all the right things?

First, we discuss the hormone changes that lead to this.

I share with you a brief part of my story of what happened when I turned 50, despite doing "all the right things".

And lastly we discuss what to do instead.

I've also put together a free carb guide to help cut through the confusion for you on how to eat carbs for fat loss...

Effective and lasting weight loss doesn't come down to the latest hack.

As someone who lost and gained the same 50 lbs over and over for years I can attest to this.

And as a Nutritionist who has helped countless other women over the past 20 years, I can share with you that this is consistent amongst other women.

It can seem especially tricky and frustrating as we enter into perimenopause and then menopause trying to lose the weight - because the things we used to do in our 20's and 30's to lose weight...

This episode was inspired by all of the recipes I see online for making meals with cottage cheese and greek yogurt.  They claim that because they're high protein and relatively low in calories that they're the perfect food.

If you are having challenges losing weight over 40 and feel like you're doing everything right - this one's for you.

I share with you how dairy may be impacting your weight loss goals, what you can immediately do to see if you feel better and can get your weight to shift. 

I then share with yo...

If you're a woman over 40 and struggling to lose weight, and you may even be gaining weight even though you haven't changed anything in your diet and lifestyle, this is for you.

Most women will turn to either calorie counting, eliminating carbs or intermittent fasting to lose weight - but those types of diets not only don't effectively work at this age - they can backfire.

Food is more than simply a calorie count - food acts as a messenger in our body.
Especially with our changing hormones going into perimenopause, to effectively...

Food is not just calories.  It's a messenger.

Especially as we enter into perimenopause this is more important than ever.

You may have found that the things you did in your 20's and 30's to lose weight are no longer working.

Or maybe you haven't changed anything and you can't understand why you're gaining weight.

Maybe you feel like you're doing everything right - and you're frustrated because you just can't get your weight to budge.

This is an essential first step for weight loss in perimenopause and menopause.