How to lose weight when perimenopause sabotages your metabolism: I’m a PT but when I hit 46, I piled on the pounds overnight. This is the 12-week programme that totally reset my body

Losing weight in your 40s can feel like stepping into unfamiliar territory. Habits that once worked no longer work. Energy fluctuates. Hormones are changing. And for many women, this experience can be not just physical but also deeply personal.

As Vicky D’Arcy, 52, explains: ‘At the age of 46, I suddenly gained a huge amount of weight as perimenopause began. It felt like it happened overnight. My body changed completely in a matter of six months, which was something I wasn’t used to. “It was terrible.”

It was particularly shocking for D’Arcy, who had spent two decades working as a personal trainer and was on a healthy diet and not particularly fit. ‘I tried every trick of the trade I could think of and everything I had learned before but nothing worked; “I needed a new approach,” he says.

This is one of the most common frustrations for women in their 40s and 50s: Things that were effective at maintaining a certain body shape and weight are no longer effective. Hormonal changes, especially during menopause, can affect fat storage, energy levels, sleep and recovery.

‘I haven’t changed anything in my diet,’ says D’Arcy. ‘This proves that hormones play a huge role in how our bodies function.’

Takeaway? If your old routine isn’t producing results, it’s not a personal failure. This is a sign that your body needs a different strategy. Here two women share how they did it…

Build beats predictions

Dubai-based consultant Kellie Mulvey told how years of sporadic exercise had affected her as she approached her 50th birthday last year.

‘I’ve always been a sports person, but more on a casual basis, doing it when you’re in your 30s and not so much when you’re in your late 40s,’ he says.

Like most people, his lifestyle had quietly changed to include less consistent exercise and more fast food. ‘We live in Dubai, so you can have every takeaway under the sun delivered to your door within 30 minutes,’ he says.

According to Mulvey, the weight gain didn’t happen overnight but gradually – ‘I didn’t really notice it, and one day you’re wearing jeans that were supposed to be your “fat jeans” and they’re really tight,’ she says.

What changed things for both women was bringing structure. Coaching at Roar Fitness. The 12-week plan offers a high-intensity body transformation with strength training sessions three times a week, personalized nutrition plans and regular follow-ups and checks.

D’Arcy’s motivation was his upcoming birthday. ‘I wanted to enter my 50s by losing weight, becoming stronger, fitter and happier again and finding my old self,’ he says.

Why is strength training becoming necessary?

Both women highlighted one big change: Moving toward heavier weight training.

This may seem scary at first, especially for those used to cardio or light exercise. But its benefits are especially significant in middle age.

Not only does it counteract age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), but muscle tissue burns more energy than fat, even at rest. Building muscle supports a healthier metabolic rate and helps manage weight changes common in middle age.

Having the guidance of a personal trainer helped both women tremendously. ‘I think when you have someone there to support and motivate you, you can go beyond what you expected,’ says D’Arcy.

Vicky D’Arcy shows the results of the 12-week program in which she lost 9 kilos

According to Mulvey, physical changes occurred surprisingly quickly. After four weeks of weight training, a friend commented how great she looked, and by the end of the three-month program, Mulvey says, ‘I felt like a completely different person.’

His workouts included one lower body, one upper body and one full body workout per week; It included everything from deadlifts to sled pushes. ‘I can actually say I’m getting stronger every week,’ says Mulvey.

‘Some things seem impossible at first, but then suddenly you’re doing a 40kg chest press or a 140kg hip thrust. I’m a little addicted!’

Protein, portions and the reality of ‘eating more’

One of the biggest surprises for both women was that losing weight didn’t involve starving themselves, but actually eating more.

At the beginning of the 12-week challenge, they were given meal plans to follow. ‘Initially, I was far from starving with the amount they wanted me to eat, especially in terms of protein,’ says D’Arcy.

‘For the first four weeks I had to eat my breakfast and lunch in two sittings; I thought I couldn’t eat this much!’ Mulvey says.

Roar was founded by Sarah Lindsay, a former Olympian.

Rather than drastically restricting food, the demands of strength training mean the body needs fuel, especially protein. ‘I had to make these four-egg omelets,’ says Mulvey. ‘I’ve never eaten more than one egg at a time before this!’

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t rules, including eliminating sweet treats and alcohol. There’s no chocolate or cake – ‘fruit is allowed if you want something sweet,’ laughs Mulvey – and no booze. ‘That’s the one I think I’ll struggle with the most,’ Mulvey says. ‘But it was actually good. Twelve weeks isn’t that long.”

The balance of her meals also changed during her weight loss plan. “I ate a bigger breakfast and a bigger lunch, then ate fewer calories at dinner because it’s harder for you to digest those in the evening,” she explains.

The power of responsibility

Another recurring theme was responsibility; not just against the coach, but against the routine.

Scheduling training days, rather than exercising occasionally, made consistency easier for Mulvey: ‘I knew I was going to strength train every Tuesday, every Thursday, every Saturday at 9am.’ Routines were carefully planned by PTs to ensure progress; That’s not always the case when left to your own devices, as anyone who’s slogged around the gym for months will know.

‘In the beginning, it’s a time when you pour your heart out and set out your goals, dreams, etc.,’ says D’Arcy. you go to a consultation that you share,” he explains. ‘They record the measurements using calipers and take photographs,’ he says. This creates a foundation from which you can make progress.

D’Arcy tracks his progress.

Daily habits also played a role. Walking, for example, has become a cornerstone with a daily step count goal of at least 10,000-12,000. Both women say they have continued with the plan since its completion. D’Arcy said, ‘I walk every day in the morning; “This gives me some calm and joy to start the day,” she says.

Accountability also came through check-ins with a nutritionist every three weeks. ‘There’s nothing better than walking out of check-in and seeing your fat measurements drop,’ says D’Arcy. ‘It makes you feel powerful.’

Realistic expectations (and real-life flexibility)

Neither woman had a ‘perfect’ journey. Travel, social events and life still continued. Although strict phases were part of the initial process, they managed to maintain the results by maintaining balance.

Sustainable habits that both D’Arcy and Mulvey point to include:prioritizing protein (“turns out it’s true, it keeps you fuller longer,” says Mulvey), maintaining daily activity (excluding special rest days), and allowing occasional treats.

‘At the end of 12 weeks, you’re a completely different person, not just physically, but mentally, too,’ says Mulvey. One of the biggest changes for her was that she now always eats breakfast, as she had skipped it in the past.

‘I now always have a salmon- or egg-based breakfast and that’s really helped,’ she says. He continues to focus his workouts on strength training. Her advice to other women her age looking to get fitter? ‘Don’t be afraid – just keep going!’

D’Arcy says it’s important to find a way to stay fit that you actually enjoy. ‘It’s so important to find things you love to do,’ he says. ‘Be consistent, don’t overcomplicate things and always be kind to yourself.’