If you feel exhausted, low, unmotivated or simply ‘off’ and far from your best, your hormonal systems may have something to do with this. When you hear the word hormones you might think of the female hormones, the ones that are involved in your menstrual cycle but our hormones go way beyond this so let me paint a little picture.
You wake up feeling like you haven’t slept, rely on caffeine to push through the morning, and hit a wall of exhaustion in the afternoon. By evening, you’re wired but tired, staring at the ceiling at 2 AM, wondering why your body refuses to cooperate.
You might wonder:
Why do I feel so crap?
How does everyone else seem to manage?
How or where do I begin to sort this out?
Maybe you’ve told yourself you just need to “try harder”—to be more disciplined, eat cleaner, exercise more. Yet despite your best efforts, the exhaustion, cravings, and stubborn weight gain persist. You wonder if you're doing something wrong, or worse—if this is just part of getting older.
Why Your Hormones Matter More Than You Think
Women’s bodies aren’t machines designed to function the same way every single day, year after year. Our female hormones shift and change throughout our life and they ebb and flow each month as part of our cycle. This is normal. However, if this is coupled with imbalances in ALL of our hormonal systems this can have a dramatic affect on our energy, mood, motivation and focus.
The good news? Understanding your hormones can transform how you manage energy, productivity, and overall well-being. Let’s break it down.
Understanding the Key Hormones Affecting You Every Day
Cortisol: The Stress & Energy Regulator
Cortisol regulates your daily energy patterns. It's supposed to be highest in the morning (to get you going) and lower at night (to help you sleep). But constant stress, busy lifestyles, and poor sleep habits can flip this rhythm upside down.
Signs your cortisol is off-balance:
Waking up exhausted, even after 8 hours of sleep.
Crashing at 3 PM and craving sugar or caffeine.
Feeling restless or anxious in the evening, wired & tired!
Ways to begin to balance cortisol:
Start your day with protein-rich foods (eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts).
Get morning sunlight exposure.
Limit caffeine after noon—it can disrupt your natural cortisol rhythm.
Wind down properly—blue light from screens tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime.
Insulin: The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
Insulin plays a key role in regulating blood sugar, energy, and metabolism, but when it's thrown off balance by a diet high in sugar, refined carbs, and processed foods, it leads to spikes and crashes. These fluctuations trigger energy dips, intense cravings, brain fog, and increased fat storage—especially around the midsection. Erratic eating habits and chronic stress only make matters worse, leaving you stuck in a cycle of highs and lows that feel impossible to control
Signs of blood glucose imbalance:
Feeling jittery or lightheaded if meals are delayed.
Needing sugar, caffeine, or carbs to “wake up” in the afternoon.
Feeling sluggish after big meals.
Ways to begin to support balanced glucose levels:
Eat balanced meals—include protein, fibre, and healthy fats to keep blood sugar steady.
Don’t skip meals! Long gaps between eating = energy crashes.
Reduce ultra-processed foods—they spike insulin and leave you exhausted.
Oestrogen & Progesterone: Mood, Sleep & Weight Management
Oestrogen and progesterone work together to regulate mood, energy, and overall well-being—oestrogen supports brain function, motivation, and stress resilience, while progesterone promotes calmness, sleep, and emotional stability. When these hormones become imbalanced, they can lead to mood swings, fatigue, brain fog, and restless nights. During perimenopause and menopause, their natural fluctuations intensify, often resulting in disrupted sleep, increased irritability, and stubborn weight gain around the midsection.
Signs of oestrogen & progesterone imbalance:
Feeling energised one week and drained the next (especially before your period).
Struggling with brain fog, forgetfulness, and low motivation.
Increased anxiety, irritability, or feeling overwhelmed.
Managing these hormonal shifts:
Support oestrogen balance with fibre (flaxseeds, vegetables, chia seeds, fruits) and omega-3s (salmon, trout, sardines, walnuts, chia seeds).
Boost progesterone naturally with magnesium-rich foods (dark chocolate, almonds, leafy greens, beans).
Consider gentle exercise such as walking or yoga, and reduce high-intensity workouts if you feel drained.
Track your cycle—understanding your hormone fluctuations helps you plan energy-demanding tasks during high-energy phases. This can be a game changer!
Why Perimenopause Causes Weight Gain—And How to Manage It
Weight gain in perimenopause and menopause isn’t just about eating habits—it’s about biology. As oestrogen levels decline, the body becomes less sensitive to insulin, making blood sugar spikes and crashes more likely. Lower progesterone levels increase cortisol’s impact, meaning stress now directly encourages fat storage around your waist. Add to this a natural metabolic slowdown, and it’s clear why what worked in your 20’s and 30’s to manage your weight no longer cuts the mustard. Instead of blaming yourself for weight gain, the key is to work with your body’s changing needs—supporting blood sugar balance, managing stress, and choosing movement that complements your shifting metabolism. Once you understand how your hormones influence your weight, you can make targeted lifestyle choices that help you feel in control of your health again.
The Internal Struggle: Stop Blaming Yourself
When you’re exhausted, struggling to focus, or feeling emotionally drained, it’s easy to assume that you are doing something wrong. You might feel guilty, frustrated, or confused. You might wonder why others seem to handle it effortlessly while you're struggling.
But it’s not because you’re failing—it’s because most mainstream health advice doesn’t take hormonal shifts into account. The current food landscape, miracle supplement cures and Tik Tok advice certainly doesn’t help nor does the push for super high-intensity workouts, and restrictive dieting plans which can often backfire when hormones are out of balance. This isn’t about discipline—it’s about understanding what your body actually needs at your stage of life.
It’s about listening to your body and working with it, not constantly jumping from one trend to the next or telling yourself:
Maybe I just need to just push through.
Maybe I should be more disciplined with my routine.
Maybe I just need to get up earlier to get everything done.
If you are saying these things to yourself, I want you to STOP.
Women’s hormones fluctuate—daily, weekly, and across life stages. Expecting yourself to operate at full capacity all the time is unrealistic and sets you up for burnout. Society has conditioned women to believe that exhaustion, sleep difficulties, addressing stress with wine o’clock and food cravings, are just part of life—something to be pushed through or dismissed as “normal.” But accepting constant fatigue and mood swings isn’t normal—it’s a sign your body needs support. Women deserve access to real education and solutions, not quick fixes or dismissive advice.
Instead of fighting your body, start supporting it.
How to Work With Your Hormones, Not Against Them
Simple steps to start with.
Eat for stable energy – protein + fibre at every meal prevents blood sugar crashes.
Start mornings right – sunlight, movement, and protein help regulate cortisol.
Prioritise sleep – consistent bedtime and a calming wind-down routine restore hormonal balance.
Honour your cycle – some days you’ll feel unstoppable, others you’ll need rest. That’s normal.
Manage stress – chronic stress wrecks hormone balance. Find small ways to decompress daily.
Balance your hormones with protein + fibre at every meal
If you’ve been struggling with low energy, brain fog, and emotional ups and downs, your body is asking for support, not discipline. Your hormones are powerful—but when you understand them, you can harness that power to feel better, think clearer, and reclaim your energy. Your body isn’t a machine. It’s an intelligent, dynamic system that needs listening to and care, not criticism.
Sandra’s Story: From Burnout to Balance
When Sandra first came to us, she felt burnt out, exhausted, and stuck in a body that no longer felt like her own. After a couple of years of intense life stress, she was determined to get back on track—eating better, moving more, feeling like herself again. But no matter what she tried, she just couldn’t find the energy or motivation to follow through.
Everyone she knew seemed to have an opinion on what she should be doing—cut carbs, do more cardio, try fasting—but none of it seemed to work for her. The conflicting advice left her feeling overwhelmed, confused, and like she was failing.
What Sandra really needed wasn’t another one-size-fits-all plan—she needed a clear, tailored approach that worked with her hormones, not against them. Through our sessions, she began to understand how stress, cortisol, and blood sugar fluctuations were driving her fatigue, cravings, and stubborn weight gain.
With the right support, Sandra finally had clarity on what her body needed at that stage in life. She left each session with real, doable action steps, and after five months of making small, sustainable changes, she had turned her health around completely. She felt energised, balanced, and back in control. More importantly, she had developed a deeper understanding of how her hormones, nutrition, and lifestyle choices all worked together—so she could recognise when something wasn’t serving her and take corrective action to continue feeling her best every single day.
Ready to Feel Like Yourself Again? We’re Here to Help
If you’re tired of feeling stuck, you don’t have to figure this out alone. In our clinic, we take a realistic, supportive approach—no overwhelming plans, no pressure to change faster than you’re ready for.
This is about YOU. Your energy, your well-being, your confidence. We meet you where you are and support you in becoming the best version of yourself—at your pace.
You deserve to put your health first.
You deserve to feel strong, focused, and full of energy.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
Reach out today and take the first step toward balanced hormones and a healthier, more vibrant you.
Comments