Perimenopause Belly Fat: Why Eating More Worked for Her

Michelle: I've never had a weight problem. I've never been obese or anything like that. I've always been lean because I've been so active, and I guess my metabolism was high. When perimenopause started setting in, I was like, I don't like what I see and something's got to change. I looked in the mirror and I was seeing this, and I was like, oh my gosh, I have a little bit more around my midsection. And I was just like, this is not okay for me, for being so active. This is just not okay.

Nikkiey: What's going on, everybody? Hey, you guys. Welcome back to another WarriorBabe success story. I'm really excited about this one. We have Michelle here with us. Michelle's been active her entire life, from dance and aerobics to running and Pilates. But as perimenopause set in, everything started to change. She was working out five days a week, eating, quote unquote, healthy, and we'll unpack that. And she was still watching her body change in ways that she didn't recognize. And I know we've all been there, ladies listening to this. She felt frustrated. She was unsure what to do next. And then she stumbled upon WarriorBabe, and everything just started to kind of click. And we will unpack that as well. So now she's getting stronger. She's leaner. And she's finally seeing the results by doing less and eating more. And she's here to tell her story. So, Michelle, welcome.

Michelle: Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you for having me.

Nikkiey: Yeah, of course. I'm excited to dive in. So let's talk about where you were before you started WarriorBabe. What were you struggling with, either physically or emotionally? And just the concept of what you knew you wanted, but the information that you hadn't yet obtained.

Michelle: Yeah. So I think where I was at before was I was working harder, not smarter, basically. I was working out and doing cardio and not seeing a bit of change. And I was getting frustrated with that because I've never had a weight problem. I've never been obese or anything like that. I've always been lean because I've been so active, and I guess my metabolism was high. So when perimenopause started setting in, I was like, I don't like what I see and something's got to change. And I thought doing more cardio and wearing myself out was the right thing to do.

Nikkiey: And when you say that you were quote unquote eating healthy, what did that look like? What did that mean to you, in a snapshot of a day?

Michelle: I always grew up where whatever my mom made for dinner, that's what we ate. I wasn't picky or anything like that. I've never had a problem with whatever she had for dinner. I'm a seventies baby, so it is what it is. My parents didn't have a whole lot of money, and what my mom says is for dinner is what's for dinner. But going into adulthood, it was hard for me to eat when I wasn't hungry. So I wouldn't eat. I'd eat one time a day, figuring that's enough. I felt like I was eating healthy because I was looking at the labels and everything. But I think I just wasn't paying attention to the serving sizes, thinking, oh, trail mix, that's healthy. But I've never really eaten any type of fried foods or anything. It would be like grilled chicken. Back in 2016, I started doing vegetarian, so I was vegetarian for a while, because I just wanted to try it and see. And I thought it was all about just eating salads. And I'm like, okay, what else can I eat in here? So that's my eating healthy story.

Nikkiey: Yeah. Hey, you're not alone. I know a lot of women just focus on eating one meal a day, and that being dinnertime. Everyone's busy and they're running around. Or, like your situation, just not knowing what was the right thing to eat. What was your protein? Were you aware of protein and how much to eat?

Michelle: I was aware of protein. I tried to get the chicken in or some sort of protein. Then I turned to protein drinks, which is all liquid. So yes, you're getting the protein, but it's not going to carry you over to the next meal. I don't want to say empty, but it was kind of empty. It was almost like a liquid diet.

Nikkiey: Yeah. Which is not good, being as active as you were, right? How did it feel to understand why your workouts and your nutrition weren't working anymore? When perimenopause starts to hit, it's literally, I'm starting now, in my mid thirties, to experience some of the things going on. I'm like, my body ain't the same as it was a year ago. And this is crazy, because it just happens so fast.

Michelle: It does. Yeah.

Nikkiey: How'd that feel, to go from this is how you were, and all of a sudden it's not?

Michelle: Yeah. I literally saw myself in the mirror, like a change overnight. I was getting the hot flashes and not really realizing that it was hot flashes. And I was like, oh my gosh, everything I do, I'm so hot. Why am I so hot? And then I looked in the mirror and I was seeing this, and I was like, oh my gosh. I have a little bit more around my midsection. And I was just like, this is not okay for me, for being so active. This is just not okay.

Nikkiey: I felt that when you said it literally happens overnight.

Michelle: It does. Yes, it does. It literally does.

Nikkiey: When did this start? Seriously. So was there a moment where you realized, okay, something needs to change? Like, enough is enough, I need a real change?

Michelle: It was a couple of years ago. Let me back up for a second. I went through a divorce, and in order to find an outlet, I started running. Oh my God, I felt amazing, looked amazing. But I was still eating one time a day. So I was not fueling my body right. Yes, I was seeing results, but I wasn't fueling my body right. Up until just a couple of years ago, when I was doing all this cardio and all these different workouts, Pilates and strength Pilates, and I was still not seeing results, and eating healthy. But working my body harder was not the answer. I wasn't seeing results. I was just getting really, really frustrated.

Nikkiey: Yeah. When you came across WarriorBabe, how did you discover us?

Michelle: It was actually on social media. I think it was on Facebook. I got done with my workout, I was just scrolling through Facebook, and all of a sudden a video, a commercial, pops up with you. And I was just like, huh. And the light bulb went off. I'm like, I'm going to send my stuff in, and I want to know a little bit more about what WarriorBabe is. Working out before, yes, I would work out with weights, but I wasn't progressing. And I think that's what I didn't understand. But yeah, I came across your Facebook commercial and I signed up.

Nikkiey: What was that light bulb? Do you remember what I was talking about and what made the light bulb go off?

Michelle: I think it was more geared towards women in their forties and fifties. And I was just like, okay, I'm there. Perimenopause, menopause, I'm like, yeah, I'm there. And I feel like I've tried almost every other workout there is. And I'm like, you know what? I'm going to inquire about this. I'm going to do this.

Nikkiey: Yeah. On these stories of WarriorBabes, I have been very inquisitive and curious, with me being in my mid thirties. You're seeing an ad and I'm talking about perimenopause and menopause. Why take advice from someone who's younger, who hasn't been through it?

Michelle: Yeah. I think just seeing your physique. I felt like you knew what we're feeling. And I'm like, okay, well, she must know what she's talking about, because look at her physique. That's what I want to look like. She's got the facts. She's going to figure it out.

Nikkiey: Oh, I love that. I'm always curious. I always like to ask you guys, because you took the leap of trust, which I appreciate, trusting in us before you got into it. So with joining WarriorBabe, let's talk about the first couple of weeks when you ultimately said yes to joining the program. Because you didn't really fully even know how it all works, right?

Michelle: Yeah. I was clueless. I took a leap of faith.

Nikkiey: Were you skeptical at first?

Michelle: Yes, a little bit, but not really. I figured y'all know what you're doing. So I'm just going to trust that you're going to guide me to where I need to go and where I want to be.

Nikkiey: I love that. Very open-minded. Quick break. If you're finding this episode helpful so far, it would mean a lot if you could hit pause for just a second, leave a quick rating or review, or share it with someone who could benefit from it. Your support helps more women discover these tools to build muscle, lose fat and feel confident. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey with me.

Okay. So when you first started, you were working with Stevie, right?

Michelle: Right. Love her. She is amazing.

Nikkiey: She is amazing. She's an incredible coach. Okay, were you skeptical about eating more and working out less?

Michelle: Oh, absolutely. I was like, how is this going to work? I went from working out five days a week to three, and I'm eating a lot more. And I was just like, this ain't going to work. I don't understand it. It defies everything. How am I eating more, working out less, and I'm supposed to see results? So I was like, okay, I don't know how it all works. Stevie, I'm going to trust you.

Nikkiey: So in the first couple of weeks, what did that look like for you? Did you guys start the retraining process?

Michelle: Yeah. So she's like, okay, I'm going to have you work out Monday, Wednesday, Friday. And I'm like, okay, what do I do the other days? And she's like, walk. And I'm like, okay, how much, how long? I felt completely clueless at this point, even though I've been working out since I was 11. I was just following. I don't know how this works, but I'm going to trust it. I'm going to trust the process. And it's amazing. It's really amazing.

Nikkiey: Yeah. Where did you start out with your macros, calorie-wise? And then where did you grow to, if you remember?

Michelle: I think I was at between 1,900 and 2,000. And I kept telling my husband, okay, I'm supposed to eat more. I have all these macros to eat and all this food to eat. I don't know what to eat. Do you have some recipes, things like that? Going from eating maybe one time a day, where I didn't even count my calories or my macros, to between 1,900 and 2,000 calories, I felt like I was eating all the time.

Nikkiey: How'd that feel at first?

Michelle: Honestly, it felt amazing, because I'm feeding my body what it needs.

Nikkiey: Yes.

Michelle: And I'm like, okay.

Nikkiey: Yeah. Feeding it what it needs. And it needs the protein, it needs the fat, it needs the carbs in order to fuel your workouts.

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All right, let's get back to the show. You just mentioned that you had never done macros or calories before. So was that a little intimidating, coming in and being given macro numbers to focus on, however Stevie initiated you into the program?

Michelle: Yeah. She's like, here's your calories, it's broken down into macros, download MyFitnessPal. So I did that. I still didn't know what I was doing. I was just following along. I don't know how this all works, but I'm going to trust her and break it down. And going from eating one time a day to eating all that food, I didn't know what the serving size was of certain things. So I was still under. As I had my monthly meetings with Stevie, she'd say, what's the serving size of that? Eat a half a cup of that. Eat what the serving size is, and plug it all into MyFitnessPal. And I said, okay. It took a little time to understand it all and figure out what foods have the protein, the fats and the carbs in them.

Nikkiey: Yeah. So you mentioned earlier eating 1,900 to 2,000 calories a day, and earlier you recognized that you weren't really ever hungry. Do you have hunger cues now? Do you know what it feels like to have a hunger cue?

Michelle: Yes, I do. And I have fallen in love with food again, where I know that I'm picking whole foods to fuel my body with. I did eat a whole lot of processed foods, but starting this program, I've really gone into eating whole foods and knowing what falls in the protein, what falls in the fat, what falls in the carbs.

Nikkiey: Yeah. Incredible. I can't believe you went from eating one meal a day to now eating 1,900, 2,000 calories and only working out three days a week. So let's talk about where that's taking you. Where are you now with the results from your journey?

Michelle: Oh my gosh. The results are amazing, because you take your pictures and submit them every week, and you can do side by side on the WarriorBabe app. I started in April, and going from then to even a month after, I could see results. It's insane. It's incredible. And I'm so glad that I'm actually seeing the results. I feel a ton better. Everybody's asking, oh my gosh, what have you done? What program are you on? So I'm telling them it's all about macros and about working out, but working smarter, not harder.

Nikkiey: That's really cool. It's got to feel like the biggest compliment when people say that they're seeing the changes.

Michelle: Absolutely. People are like, oh my gosh, your arms. I'm like, I know.

Nikkiey: That's incredible.

Michelle: But I want more.

Nikkiey: Yeah. What would you say is your favorite part of being a WarriorBabe?

Michelle: Oh gosh. The support of your coach, and the support of the WarriorBabe community. You guys back us up so much and give us so much information. I can reach out to Stevie and just ask her a question, even if I think it's a dumb question. She doesn't, and she explains it. And the community all over the United States is incredible. It's incredible.

Nikkiey: That's awesome. You love the small huddles that you get on?

Michelle: I love it. Just to see the other babes and where they're at and things like that. I even told Stevie, we should do a meetup in someone's city, just have a weekend girl trip.

Nikkiey: I know. Oh, that'd be so cool. Even getting a big WarriorBabe meetup would be awesome.

Michelle: Absolutely. That would be fantastic.

Nikkiey: How do you feel now compared to when you started with WarriorBabe?

Michelle: Oh gosh. I feel stronger. I feel healthier. I am so glad I joined, and that commercial on Facebook was at the right time for me. I went in with both feet. I was like, let's go.

Nikkiey: I'm so happy to hear that. Again, I appreciate that you trusted us.

Michelle: Absolutely.

Nikkiey: And went in full steam ahead. So another question I have, outside of just your fitness routine: have you seen any ripple effects into work or relationships or friendships, changes happening in those buckets of your life too, not just in fitness?

Michelle: Yeah, I'm seeing a lot, and it keeps me going. When I first met my husband, he never ate fruit at all. It was vegetables, it was fried food, it was steak. I was like, you need some fruit in your life. So he has really changed his eating because I've changed the way that I eat. He used to put salt on everything, and I was like, you need to cut this. Yes, we do need some salt, but you can't eat that much salt. So I feel like he's kind of fallen in behind me as far as eating better and healthier. My kids too. My youngest is 20. He's a gym buff. He loves going to the gym. He loves eating whole foods. He's trying to bulk up. I think it's just being around me all the time. So he eats healthy.

Nikkiey: That's awesome. It's really cool to see the ripple effect.

Michelle: Yeah. It's great.

Nikkiey: Very cool. Is there anything that I haven't asked you about your journey that you would want the listeners to know?

Michelle: Oh gosh. If you're on the fence about joining WarriorBabe, I would just say just do it, because you are going to feel better. You're going to look better. They put everything together for you, and you just have to do the work. You have to show up. If you don't show up, then you're not going to see the results. So absolutely.

Nikkiey: Amen. Amen. We could end the interview there. No, but seriously, thank you. It's pretty cool to hear where you were at the beginning of your journey, because that's where a lot of women are stuck. They're unsure. They don't know what to eat, or they're eating one meal a day. They're doing tons of workouts. They're doing cardio. They're running. They're thinking that's the ultimate answer to get the body that they want, to lose the weight. And it's a story and a narrative that you were willing to shift by putting your trust into WarriorBabe. The skepticism around eating more and working out less is truly felt by everybody. But once you apply it and you're open-minded and you trust us, we love to say trust us now, believe us later. You fully went into it trusting us, and now you're reaping the rewards of the results and feeling so much better, which is really cool.

For anyone that's listening, I want Michelle's story to be the perfect reminder that it's not about doing more. It's about doing what actually works. Once Michelle stopped chasing cardio and not eating enough, and started fueling her body, you progressed in your workouts, and then your body responded. Now you're stronger, you're more confident, and I would say you're educated now. You understand that eating more is really important for you to obtain the results that you want. You feel like you learned a lot?

Michelle: Absolutely. Food is fuel, and you need that food in the right proportions in order to fuel your body. Because if you don't have that fuel, a car doesn't run on empty, and neither does a body.

Nikkiey: Exactly. Facts. And if anybody's in that season right now, if you feel like you're stuck or you haven't been consistent, let this story be living proof that it's not too late to change your strategy and finally get the results that you deserve. Michelle, thank you for being here and sharing your story. I appreciate you.

Michelle: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate you. And thank goodness that you created WarriorBabe.

Nikkiey: Oh, thank you. That literally means the world to me. I appreciate that.

Michelle: Yeah, absolutely. When I first signed up for the first year, within two months I signed up for a second year. I was just like, I am going to stick to this.

Nikkiey: Yes. I love that. I love hearing about the babes that renew. And it's coming up soon, if you want to buy a third year, low key. Now I've got to worry about when this is posting as a podcast, but there's always a third year coming up too. That's awesome. And you know, you'll achieve some type of result in the first year, but the second year is just another opportunity to go out and get more of the results that you want.

Michelle: Absolutely. Once you get your nutrition dialed in and you're progressing in your weights, everything's going to fall in line.

Nikkiey: Awesome. Well, hey, Michelle, thanks for being a WarriorBabe. Appreciate you.

Michelle: I appreciate you. Thank you so much.

Nikkiey: Hey, really quick before you go, I have one small favor to ask. If this episode brought you value or sparked something in you, take just a moment to hit that review button. Your rating and review make all the difference in helping more women discover the tools they need to transform their fitness and their confidence. It takes less than a minute, but it can change the path of someone else's journey. Thank you so much for leaving that review. I appreciate you so much.