Menopause is a time of major upheaval, hormonally, physically, and emotionally. It can cause hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and increased fatigue.
Among the most feared symptoms: weight gain, often concentrated in the abdominal area. This tendency is explained by a drop in metabolism linked to hormonal changes, the redistribution of fat, and the progressive loss of muscle mass.
Fortunately, it’s not inevitable! Menopause is a natural stage of life, and it’s possible to limit its effects with an appropriate diet and a balanced lifestyle. Small everyday adjustments help you continue to feel good in your body and mind.
With this one-week menopause diet guide, I will show you how diet and lifestyle can play a key role in preserving your bone health, limiting weight gain and other symptoms.
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Principles of a diet adapted to menopause
Include protein at every meal
At every meal, and from breakfast onward, keep in mind that proteins help preserve muscle mass and increase satiety.
Include sources of calcium and vitamin D
To preserve bone health, I recommend regularly consuming sources of calcium. They are found in quality dairy products, but also in leafy green vegetables, almonds, and small fatty fish with bones. Vitamin D is also essential; it is found in dairy products and small fatty fish.
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Prioritize fiber
To support a healthy gut microbiota, good blood sugar balance (the level of sugar in the blood), and satiety, fiber sources are essential at every meal. Focus on vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.
Pay attention to your blood sugar
To limit weight gain, it’s essential to avoid large swings in blood sugar. Start the day with a savory breakfast that includes protein and fat. This helps stabilize blood sugar. I’ll give you examples of breakfasts below!
Don’t forget healthy fats
Fatty acids omega-3 are essential: they play a role in weight management, brain function, and have anti-inflammatory properties… And we are sorely lacking them!
Plant-based foods (oils, seeds…) don’t contain the most active molecules, so it’s essential to consume animal sources of omega-3, such as small oily fish and products from the flax sector.
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Limit alcohol consumption as much as possible
Metabolism changes at menopause, and, as you may have noticed, alcohol tolerance decreases. Alcohol can trigger hot flashes, and contribute to weight gain, especially around the abdomen. Less is better!
A week of simple, nutritious menus to support you through menopause
I offer menu ideas to help you compose meals adapted for weight management during menopause. You’ll discover how to create simple, nutritious, and varied meals to get through this stage of life with serenity and energy.
Day 1
- Breakfast: 1 slice of 100% sourdough bread + sheep’s cheese + 1 hard-boiled egg + 1 kiwi
- Lunch: steamed trout fillet, lemon juice and dill, bulgur, ratatouille
- Snack: fromage blanc (fresh white cheese) + raspberries
- Dinner: chickpea curry with coconut milk, wild rice, steamed spinach
Day 2
- Breakfast: 2 plain petits suisses (small creamy cheeses) + a handful of raw unsalted nuts + 1 fried egg
- Lunch: free-range chicken, sweet potatoes, green beans, olive oil
- Snack: hummus + raw vegetable sticks
- Dinner: 1 can of sardines, curried quinoa, mushrooms sautéed in olive oil with fresh herbs
Day 3
- Breakfast: 1 slice of whole-grain bread + 1 mashed avocado + 1 soft-boiled egg + pumpkin seeds + 1 Greek yogurt
- Lunch: steamed cod, herb quinoa, spinach with garlic
- Snack: a handful of nuts + 1 fresh piece of fruit
- Dinner: raw vegetable salad, butternut squash soup
Day 4
- Breakfast: unsweetened almond milk + rolled oats + unsweetened almond butter + raspberries + cinnamon
- Lunch: grilled turkey, mashed potatoes, zucchini sautéed in olive oil with fresh herbs
- Snack: yogurt + a handful of nuts
- Dinner: mushroom and spinach omelet, steamed potatoes, grated carrots
Day 5
- Breakfast: 2 protein pancakes (rolled oats, egg, banana, almond milk) + unsweetened peanut butter
- Lunch: raw vegetable salad, chili (red beans, corn, tomatoes, spices, wild rice, ground meat)
- Snack: 2 squares of chocolate + a handful of almonds
- Dinner: mixed salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, chickpeas, olive oil and fresh herbs
Day 6
- Breakfast: 1 fried egg + 1 slice of sourdough bread + sheep’s tomme cheese
- Lunch: trout fillet with lemon and dill, bulgur, ratatouille
- Snack: Greek yogurt + mixed berries
- Dinner: composed salad with lacto-fermented tofu, avocado, quinoa, arugula, pumpkin seeds, hazelnut oil
Day 7
- Breakfast: unsweetened coconut milk + buckwheat flakes + pecans + 1 clementine
- Lunch: 1 can of mackerel in mustard, basmati rice and green beans with olive oil
- Snack: 1 square of chocolate + a handful of mixed nuts
- Dinner: red lentil dahl
Shopping list for the week
To make things easier for you, here is the shopping list I recommend for the week. You should already have a number of items in your pantry:
Proteins
- Eggs
- Free-range chicken
- Turkey
- Ground meat
- Trout
- Cod
- Canned sardines
- Canned mackerel
- Lacto-fermented tofu
- Tomme de brebis, feta, sheep’s milk cheese
- Fromage blanc, plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, petits suisses
Starchy foods and grains
- Whole wheat / sourdough bread
- Bulgur
- Quinoa
- Wild rice and basmati rice
- Rolled oats
- Buckwheat flakes
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes
Legumes
- Chickpeas
- Red lentils
- Red kidney beans
Fruits and vegetables
- Kiwi, clementine, banana, raspberries, mixed berries
- Avocados
- Tomatoes, cucumbers
- Carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, leeks
- Spinach, butternut squash, ratatouille (prepared or homemade)
- Green beans
Nuts and seeds
- Almonds, walnuts, pecans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Almond butter, peanut butter
Fats and condiments
- Olive oil, hazelnut oil
- Cinnamon, curry, fresh herbs
Plant-based milks
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Unsweetened coconut milk
My advice for managing your weight, improving your well-being, and reducing menopause symptoms
It’s not only about what’s on your plate! Along with a suitable diet, quality sleep and regular physical activity help improve your well-being and reduce symptoms and the risk of menopause-related diseases.
As shown by this study published in 2024, combining an appropriate diet and regular physical activity improves cardiometabolic health in postmenopausal women.
On the one hand, sleep is essential for recovery and metabolism, sleep disturbances can occur or worsen at the time of menopause. Don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor if that’s the case!
Regular physical activity, stress management and limiting screen time in the evening often help you sleep better.
On the other hand, physical activity helps protect muscle and bone mass before and during menopause, and is an integral part of weight management strategy.
Endurance sports are beneficial; I also advise not to forget strength training, which is essential for preserving muscle mass and contributes to maintaining a better metabolism.
Sources and scientific studies
- Erdélyi A, Pálfi E, Tűű L, Nas K, Szűcs Z, Török M, Jakab A, Várbíró S. 2003. The Importance of Nutrition in Menopause and Perimenopause-A Review
- Keawtep P, Sungkarat S, Boripuntakul S, Sa-Nguanmoo P, Wichayanrat W, Chattipakorn SC, Worakul P. 2024. Effects of combined dietary intervention and physical-cognitive exercise on cognitive function and cardiometabolic health of postmenopausal women with obesity: a randomized controlled trial
- Ko SH, Kim HS. 2020. Menopause-Associated Lipid Metabolic Disorders and Foods Beneficial for Postmenopausal Women
