Recently, I attended a screening of The (M) Factor 2: Before the Pause. After watching the film and listening to the panel discussion that followed, I've synthesized the wealth of information that I received into one key take a way:

Perimenopause and menopause change the rules of the game.

Many women entering perimenopause, and those in menopause, find themselves struggling with things that used to feel easy — managing weight, controlling cravings, maintaining energy, and feeling balanced around food.

It is very clear that none of these changes are simply a result of what is happening in our heads. It’s our biology that is changing.

The good news is that: nutrition — especially fiber — can play a powerful role in helping women navigate this transition on their own terms.

That’s one of the reasons I created Barely Craving.

Why Perimenopause Changes Hunger, Weight, and Metabolism

As estrogen declines during perimenopause and menopause, the body undergoes several metabolic shifts.

Research shows that this transition is associated with:

• Increased visceral fat and abdominal weight gain
• Higher risk of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome
• Changes in blood glucose regulation
• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

These metabolic changes are well documented in the scientific literature and are considered key drivers of weight gain during menopause.

In fact, studies suggest that over half of women experience weight gain during the menopause transition, often averaging about 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) per year during perimenopause!

This is why many women suddenly feel:

• Hungrier
• More prone to cravings
• More sensitive to blood sugar swings

Our bodies simply process food, and the natural signals around satiety, differently during perimenopause and menopause.

Why Fiber Becomes Even More Important After 40

While the benefits of fibremaxxing are well established, nutrition researchers consistently emphasize that dietary fiber is one of the most important tools for managing metabolic health during perimenopause and menopause.

Fiber works in several powerful ways:

1. It Helps Stabilize Blood Sugar

Certain fibers — especially beta-glucan from barley — slow digestion and the absorption of carbohydrates, reducing the spike in blood sugar after meals.

Stable blood sugar helps reduce:

• energy crashes
• cravings
• overeating later in the day

2. It Supports Natural Fullness Hormones

Beta-glucan fiber has been shown to stimulate gut hormones involved in satiety, including GLP-1 and PYY — the same hormones targeted by many modern weight-loss medications.

These hormones help signal to the brain that you are full and satisfied.

In other words:

Instead of fighting hunger, beta-glucan will work with your body naturally to feel full.

3. It Helps Reduce Hunger and Energy Intake

Human trials have shown that beta-glucan-rich barley reduces hunger and lowers total calorie intake later in the day.

This is particularly valuable during perimenopause and menopause, when appetite regulation often becomes more difficult and we feel a stronger pull to give into our food cravings.

4. It Supports Metabolic Health

Studies show that beta-glucan can improve several markers associated with metabolic health, including:

• blood glucose regulation
• cholesterol levels
• insulin sensitivity
• satiety

These effects make it a promising nutritional strategy for conditions associated with perimenopause and menopause, including metabolic syndrome and obesity. 

A Smarter Way to Support Your Body Through Menopause

We all know that the perimenopause and menopause transitions can feel frustrating, but instead of relying on willpower or restrictive diets, increasing fiber intake — particularly beta-glucan-rich fiber — is one of the simplest and most powerful natural tools available to support:

✔ appetite control
✔ metabolic health
✔ stable energy
✔ digestive health

All of which the scienfitic research shows us is increasingly important in midlife.

The Bottom Line

While I didn’t fully understand the science behind perimenopause and menopause when I first started this journey, I did notice something very clearly: as I got older, it was becoming harder to make the food choices I wanted without constantly battling cravings.

And that didn’t sit right with me.

My mindset hadn’t changed. My discipline hadn’t changed. But my biology clearly had.

That realization is what ultimately led me to create Barely Craving.

At its core, Barely Craving is built around one of the most studied fibers for appetite regulation — barley beta-glucan — designed to help support fullness, stabilize blood sugar, and calm cravings before they start.

Not as a diet.

Not as another rule.

But as a small daily habit that works with your body during a time when your body is changing.

Because navigating perimenopause and menopause isn’t about fighting harder.

It’s about giving your body the right support so that making the choices you want to make becomes just a little bit easier again.

And sometimes, that small shift can change everything.

👉 Add Barely Craving to your perimenopause/menopause journey.