There’s a moment I see again and again in my clinic.
A woman sits down, lets out a long breath, and says something like,
“I don’t understand… I’m eating better than ever, but my body just isn’t responding anymore. I am putting on weight no matter what I do”
And I get it…..
Because for so many women, midlife weight gain feels personal.
Like you’ve done something wrong.
Like your willpower has disappeared.
Like your body has suddenly turned against you.
But here’s what I want you to know — gently, kindly, and honestly:
Your body isn’t not broken or unresolvable….
It’s responding to a gut that’s been under quiet strain for a very long time.
And that gut… your microbiome… now has more to do with your weight than calories ever did.
Let me explain this in a way that actually makes sense…
Your microbiome is the beautiful, complex community of bacteria living inside your digestive system. And I don’t mean just “helping you poo” bacteria.
These little guys are in charge of:
• how well you digest and absorb food
• how inflamed or calm your body feels
• how your blood sugar behaves
• how much fat you store
• how hungry you feel
• how well you clear hormones like oestrogen
• and even how anxious or relaxed you feel
So when your gut is healthy, your body feels safe. It burns fuel more easily. Cravings quieten down. Energy comes back. Weight starts to shift.
When it’s inflamed, depleted or out of balance… your body moves into protection mode.
And protection mode means holding on.
This is why weight loss feels so different after 40
Midlife isn’t just about hormones changing — it’s about how those hormones now interact with your gut.
Estrogen, Insulin, Cortisol, even Thyroid hormones all pass through the digestive system. They’re activated there….. Deactivated there….. Cleared there…..
So when the gut is irritated or overloaded:
• estrogen gets recycled instead of released
• insulin becomes less responsive
• cortisol stays switched on
• inflammation rises
• fat storage increases
• and the belly becomes the body’s safe little warehouse
This is why so many women say to me,
“I’ve never had to work this hard just to stay the same.”
It’s not you. It’s your gut. I absolutely get it!!!!
And here’s the part no one tells you
When the gut is inflamed, your body literally cannot burn fat properly.
It creates what we call low-grade metabolic inflammation — not enough to make you sick, but enough to:
• block fat loss
• slow metabolism
• increase bloating
• disrupt hormones
• and make weight feel stuck
So dieting harder doesn’t fix it.
It often makes it worse.
Because a stressed gut reads restriction as danger. And danger tells the body to hold on even more tightly.
This is why I built Back 2 Balance Gut Repair Method
After more than 30 years in naturopathic and biochemical practice, I’ve seen it over and over again:
When we calm the gut, restore the microbiome and reduce inflammation, the body starts letting go.
Naturally…
Gently…..
Without forcing…..
Back 2 Balance is my 6-week gut repair method specifically designed to:
- soothe and heal the gut lining
- rebalance the microbiome
- support hormone clearance
- stabilise blood sugar
- and bring your metabolism back online
It’s not a diet!
It’s not another round of “be good or else!.
It’s a way of giving your body the safety and support it’s been craving so it can finally do what it knows how to do.
I’m offering a special early-commitment saving on the 6-Week Back 2 Balance Gut Repair Method for anyone who joins before the 21st.
You can join here and receive the discounted rate before it closes. Use the code BALANCE50 upon checkout.
Ready to kick start Gut Health? Book a Call!
This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.
