Should I eat fewer carbs during menopause?

On Ep. 75, Nikkiey explains the reasoning. Hormone fluctuations in this phase can bring insulin resistance, which affects how your body processes and stores carbohydrates. That makes fat loss harder and can impair nutrient delivery to muscle tissue. So WarriorBabe coaches shift the balance between carbs and fats compared with what you ate at 25 or 35. On Ep. 67 and Ep. 9 she shares the split they have refined over the years: 35% protein, 27% carbs and 38% fat, with the slightly higher fat there to support your hormones.

She is emphatic that this is not keto. Keto carbs sit around 5 to 10%, which she says would also make it harder to build muscle. WarriorBabe never eliminates carbs because that is not sustainable or realistic long term. And after menopause, things change again: carbs can come back up with more moderate fats.

Guest Louise Digby, a registered nutritional therapist, adds an important counterweight on Ep. 138 and Ep. 200. Some people do fine on very low carb, but she finds women roughly 35 to 55 need some carbs to fuel the thyroid and hypothalamus. Go too low and metabolism can slow, stress on the body rises, and weight loss can actually stall. She won't give a set daily number because the right amount depends on your cycle and on how much and what type of exercise you do. Her goal is enough carbs without sending blood sugar racing high and low.

Nikkiey agrees carbs matter, especially if you strength train. She hears from women who are afraid carbs will make them fat, but you need them for energy to power through workouts and for glycogen to repair and recover. The takeaway: lower carbs a little, don't cut them out, and tailor the numbers to you. If you have a diagnosed condition like insulin resistance, work with your doctor too.