Brain Fog, Weight Gain, and Menopause Insomnia? There’s a Better Way Forward

Are you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or just plain confused by all the conflicting menopause advice out there?

One minute it’s “cut carbs,” the next it’s “eat more fat.” Some say walk, others say strength train, and don’t even get us started on the supplement overload.

In this episode of The Joyful Menopause podcast, we’re cutting through the noise. You’ll learn:

✔️ Why menopause feels so much harder than anyone talks about
✔️ The real reason weight loss is harder now (hint: it’s not your willpower)
✔️ How estrogen affects weight loss, brain fog, and sleep
✔️ The surprising connection between anxiety, night sweats, and your nervous system
✔️ And the 5 pillars of my Joyful Menopause Plan—a doable, science-backed roadmap for feeling like yourself again

You’ll also hear the story of Julie, a woman just like you, who got her energy, focus, and sleep back—not through drastic measures, but with small, powerful shifts.

👉🏻 Whether you’re in perimenopause, post-menopause, or just trying to make sense of the chaos, this episode is your permission slip to stop blaming yourself—and start working with your body.

⭐️ Ready to take the next step?
Learn more about the Joyful Menopause Plan: https://bit.ly/bewellwithlynda

👍🏻 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with a friend who needs this!

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you to feel your best during perimenopause and menopause:

1. Want more science-backed health tips? Click here to sign up for my free weekly newsletter for practical advice on navigating menopause with confidence:

2. Click here to get the free guide: 5 Natural Ways To Reduce Menopause Symptoms.

2. For more information about Lynda and how she supports women on their health journey, click here to learn more.

3. Interested in seeing if nutrition coaching with Lynda is right for you? Click here to book a free discovery call with Lynda.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Let me ask you something.
Have you ever felt like yourbody is changing and no one
handed you the rule book?
You're hot, you're tired, youcan't remember what you walked
into the room for, and yeteverybody get just keeps telling
you it's just menopause.
And to make it worse, the adviceout there is all over the place.
One expert says cut carbs, andanother says, eat more fat.

(00:21):
One says strength train daily.
Another says, walk and meditate.
And then there's the endlessscroll of a miracle supplement.
It's no wonder so many womenfeel stuck, overwhelmed, and
really totally confused aboutwhat actually helps during
perimenopause and menopause.
In today's episode, I'm going tohelp you sort through the noise.

(00:42):
You'll learn why menopause feelsharder than anyone talks about,
and how to finally create a pathforward that's grounded, clear,
and doable.
So let's get started.
Menopause doesn't have to feellike you are living in someone
else's body.
Your host, Lynda Enright, hasspent the last 25 years helping
women to thrive in midlife.
Here you'll find science-basedpractical advice that you can

(01:03):
start using today to get realresults for your health.
Welcome to Joyful Menopause.
Let's start with why this feelsso overwhelming to begin with.
You're trying your best, but itfeels like no matter what you
do, it is not enough.
You may be following every diettip you can find on how to lose
weight during menopause, yet thebelly bloat won't budge.

(01:26):
Or you're cutting sugar,tracking calories and doing all
the right things, but you'restill exhausted and waking up
with hot flashes at night.
The truth.
Much of the health advice we'vebeen given wasn't designed for
women in perimenopause or postmenopause.
It doesn't consider how estrogenaffects weight loss or how
shifting hormone levels impactmetabolism, mood and sleep.

(01:49):
That's why so many women saythings like, I used to be able
to drop five pounds easily.
Now nothing I do works, or Ican't even think straight
anymore.
What is wrong with me?
Here's the thing, there'snothing wrong with you.
You're simply navigating a lifestage with big, hormonal,
neurological, and metabolicchanges, but you've probably

(02:10):
been given strategies that don'tmatch what your body actually
needs right now.
And the worst part, theconfusion is totally exhausting,
especially when you're alreadyexhausted.
But what if the reason you'reoverwhelmed isn't because you're
doing something wrong, butbecause no one has taught you
what's actually happening inyour body?
We'll get into that next.
Okay.

(02:31):
First, let's talk about thesymptoms that silently sabotage
everything.
Brain fog in perimenopause andmenopause, it's real.
You're not imagining it.
The drop in estrogen impactsyour brain's neurotransmitters,
especially those tied to memoryand focus.
That means you might read thesame paragraph three times, or

(02:51):
forget the name of someone thatyou've known for years.
Pair that with perimenopause,sleep problems or insomnia
during menopause, and suddenlyeverything is harder.
Decision fatigue kicks in.
You second guess yourself, yourmotivation dips and your body
starts running on stresshormones instead of energy.
Then there's the mood side ofthings.

(03:12):
Anxiety and menopause, theyoften go hand in hand.
And when anxiety hits, manywomen tighten their routines
even more.
More rules, more diets, morerestriction.
But the truth is that can oftenbackfire.
And let's not forget aboutphysical symptoms, hot flashes
at night, night sweats inperimenopause, unexplained
weight gain, and even changes inthyroid function.

(03:35):
Yes, your thyroid and menopauseare closely connected to, and
imbalances here can make fatigueand weight challenges even
worse.
All of this creates a viciouscycle.
So if you're thinking, why can'tI just get it together, please
stop.
You do not need to get ittogether.
You need support, clarity and anew framework that works with
your changing body, not againstit.

(03:57):
And that's exactly what I wantto show you next.
I created the Joyful MenopausePlan to help women get out of
this spiral of overwhelm andinto a place of clarity,
confidence, and ease.
It's built around five pillarsand it's not just like this
rigid set of rules, it's aroadmap that adapts to your
life.
That's what I do, is help myclients figure out how to make

(04:18):
it work in their life.
So I'm going to walk you througheach one of the pillars.
I don't do restrictive diets.
Instead, we focus on buildingmeals that stabilize blood
sugar, reduce inflammation andsupport hormone production.
That means protein, healthyfats, fiber rich carbohydrates,
and enough food to keep yourmetabolism functioning well.

(04:38):
This is how you actually loseweight during menopause by
working with your hormones, notby starving yourself.
But food is just one piece ofthe puzzle.
Sleep and menopause are deeplyintertwined.
When your sleep suffers,everything else does too.
Your cravings, your mood, yourenergy, motivation.
In this pillar, we focus onnervous system regulation,
simple nighttime rituals andstrategies that actually reduce

(05:01):
night sweats and support deepersleep.
The next pillar might surpriseyou, move with purpose.
Exercise isn't just aboutburning calories anymore.
It's about building resilience.
We focus on movement that willsupport your nervous system,
build muscle, and help regulateyour hormones.
Think less hustle, but moreintention around exercise and to

(05:23):
support all this.
Your body needs helpdetoxifying.
Menopause is a time when yourbody becomes more sensitive to
environmental toxins, and yourliver and gut are working hard
to keep up.
We don't detox with powders andjuice cleanses.
We focus on the basics,hydration, fiber, gentle
movement, and reducing toxinexposures in everyday life.

(05:45):
This is especially important formanaging how estrogen affects
weight loss and mood swings.
And finally, the most underratedpillar of all.
Mindset and self-compassion.
If you've spent decades in thetry harder mindset, this will
feel radical to you.
But the truth is healing doesn'thappen in shame.

(06:05):
We work on releasing guilt,reframing setbacks, and creating
joy, not because it's fluffy,but because it's powerful.
Menopause is not the end.
It's the beginning of a wiser,freer version of you.
So what does this look like inreal life?
Let me share a quick story.
When my client, Julie came tome, she felt like she was
unraveling.
She was waking up every night,drenched in sweat, struggling

(06:27):
with brain fog symptoms thatmade her question her ability to
do her job, and she was tryingevery diet she could find for
menopause weight loss.
We didn't overhaul everything.
We focused on one small shift ata time, starting with blood
sugar, balance and sleep, andwithin a few weeks, she wasn't
just sleeping better, she wasthinking clearly.
Again, her energy came back, theweight stopped creeping up.

(06:49):
She started to feel like herselfagain.
That's the power of working withyour body, not against it.
Now you might be wondering howto begin.
So here's what I want you toknow.
If you're feeling overwhelmed,confused, and like nothing is
working, there's a reason.
It's not because you're lazy orbroken.
It's because your body is askingfor a new kind of support, and

(07:12):
now you know what that supportlooks like.
If you are ready to stopspinning your wheels and finally
create your own joyfulmenopause, come find me.
Check the link below for mywebsite and more information.
Let's do this together.