Peri Lean Method^TM  Coaching

Phase 1: Midlife Audit

The first step in the program involves a comprehensive midlife audit, where your Perimenopause Dietitian conducts a detailed evaluation of your current medical, health, lifestyle, body composition and dietary habits.

This includes assessing your nutritional intake, activity levels, sleep patterns, stress management, current medical status and supplement protocol, lean muscle, bone mineral density and body fat mass, overall well-being and disease risk, alongside gaining insight into your personal values and specific goals. Additionally, a discussion about your unique perimenopausal symptoms (such as fat redistribution, brain function, temperature disturbance, mood changes, sleep disruption, and irregular periods) will help further guide the creation of a personalised food and supplement plan.

This step ensures that the Dietitian has a clear understanding of your baseline health, current medical diagnoses, any existing imbalances or food intolerances, and the factors contributing to your symptoms. From here, a tailored approach can be designed to optimise your health and support your transition through menopause in liaison with your other health or medical practitioners where necessary.

Phase 2: Support your Hormones to Drop Belly Fat

During perimenopause, fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol levels make it difficult to maintain weight and can contribute to fat accumulation, particularly around the midsection (as you’ve probably noticed if your waistline has expanded!). In Phase 2 of the PLM, your Perimenopause Dietitian focuses on supporting your hormonal balance through evidence-based nutritional strategies that can help regulate these fluctuations.

The program emphasises foods that stabilise blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance and inflammation, helping to counteract increasing cholesterol levels and risk of non-fatty liver disease commonly arising in perimenopausal blood work. Emphasis is placed on incorporating healthy fats (such as omega-3s), antioxidant fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and fibre-rich foods help lower visceral fat, which is strongly linked to increased risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders. Supplements, stress reduction techniques, and targeted exercises may also be integrated to optimise fat loss while maintaining hormone health.

Phase 3: Fat Loss & Lean Muscle Retention

As muscle mass decline is accelerated in perimenopause, it essential to support muscle retention while targeting fat loss. This step focuses on preserving lean muscle tissue, which helps boost metabolism and supports healthy weight management and functionality long-term.

Nutritional recommendations are designed to provide adequate protein for muscle repair and maintenance, complimenting resistance and strength training exercises to support muscle mass. Your Perimenopause Dietitian will recommend nutrient-dense foods with a focus on protein to promote lean body composition, through foods of your preference to obtain essential amino acids.

Additionally, strategies like adequate hydration, sleep routines, and balanced micronutrient intake (including magnesium, vitamin D, and calcium) help optimise muscle function, bone mineral density and fat metabolism.

Phase 4: Calm your Stress Axis, Repair your Gut, Restore Energy

This multifaceted step targets key areas that often become disrupted during midlife: stress, gut health, carbohydrate, alcohol and caffeine tolerance, and energy levels. Chronically elevated stress hormones and exercising without adequate nutritional support can exacerbate hormonal imbalances and thyroid function  which affecting metabolism, resulting in weight gain, especially around the belly.

Your Perimenopause Dietitian will introduce practices to help calm the stress axis, such as mindfulness, yoga, and possibly adaptogenic herbs, along with an anti-inflammatory diet to reduce chronic stress and improve overall hormonal function. Gut health also plays a critical role in perimenopausal symptoms, so a focus on repairing the gut microbiome, minimising gastrointestinal symptomatology and reducing inflammation to help digest and absorb nutrients through prebiotics, probiotics, and gut-healing foods is included. Curating carbohydrates at optimal times and reflective of exercise volume is emphasised to minimise insulin resistance and poor glucose tolerance that can lead to fatigue and weight gain.

Together, these strategies restore energy, support hormones of metabolism and appetite, and improve overall vitality.

Phase 5: Maintain the Peri Lean Method into Menopause

As women transition from perimenopause into menopause, maintaining the progress made over the Peri Lean Method becomes crucial for long-term health and well-being. Phase 5 involves transitioning from the specific perimenopausal support strategies to a sustainable, ongoing health plan that ensures optimal results well after your final menstrual period.

Your Perimenopause Dietitian will provide continued guidance to adapt to new hormonal changes, focusing on continued fat loss, muscle preservation, and overall wellness. Once body composition is optimised, nutritional strategies may shift to account for menopause-related concerns such as bone health, cardiovascular health, and cognitive function. Lifestyle strategies, including stress management and sleep optimisation, are updated to fit the new phase of life.

This step ensures the results of the Peri Lean Method are maintained well into menopause and beyond, helping you thrive during this next life chapter.