You’ve always been the kind of woman who gets things done.

You’ve held it all together; work, family, friends, the house, the life admin. You've read the books, followed the advice, tried to eat healthily. You’ve done your research. You’re not lazy, and you’re not naive.

But lately, nothing seems to work anymore.

Your body feels… foreign.

The same clothes that used to fit effortlessly now cling in all the wrong places — especially around your middle. Jeans dig in. You notice your belly getting in the way when you bend over. You find yourself buying looser tops and elasticated waists “just for now,” but deep down you’re scared it’s not temporary. That this is your new normal.

And it’s not just about the weight.

It’s the bloating that makes you dread eating out.

The fatigue that always there, then hits hard by mid-afternoon, even when you’ve had a full night’s sleep.

The brain fog that makes you forget what you were saying mid-sentence.

The thinning hair, the stubborn sleep, the mood swings you don’t recognise yourself in.

And no matter what you try - cutting carbs, skipping breakfast, walking more, signing up for another challenge - your body just… resists.

You scroll through Facebook and see ad after ad shouting at you to try this supplement or that menopause patch. There’s constant noise about fasting, seed cycling, collagen, GLP-1s, metabolic workouts. You're bombarded by influencers saying it's just a calorie deficit and "move more."

You’ve even wondered if you should try the injection. Just to regain some control.

But that thought comes with a wave of shame.

You’ve done all the right things. So why does it feel like your body is punishing you?

Worse, when you finally speak to your GP, you’re met with:

"That’s just part of getting older."

Or, "Your bloods are normal."

Or, “Maybe you should eat a bit less and exercise more.”

It feels like a slap in the face.

Because it’s not that you haven’t tried.

It’s that no one has actually looked under the bonnet.

And what no one told you is that after 40, your hormones shift. Your metabolism slows. Your stress load matters more than ever. Your body becomes more reactive, not less.

This isn't just "getting older." It's a new phase of biology — and trying to push through it with the same strategies you used in your 30s is like trying to charge your phone with the wrong plug.

Meanwhile, you feel yourself starting to avoid things.

Social events, because you hate how you look in photos.

Intimacy, because you feel disconnected from your own body.

Even your reflection — because you barely recognise the woman in the mirror anymore.

And under all of that?

Fear.

Fear that if you can’t get a handle on this now…

The weight gain will continue.

The health risks will rise.

The confidence will keep slipping.

And you’ll be stuck watching your own life pass by from the sidelines.

You don’t want to be defined by your weight.

But you do want to feel at home in your body again.

You want to feel sharp, calm, energised.

You want your clothes to fit without a second thought.

You want to feel strong, attractive, connected.

Most of all — you want to know there’s a way forward that actually works.

Not because you need to be perfect.

But because you’re not ready to settle for feeling like a stranger in your own skin.