Yes, you need a calorie deficit to lose fat. Nobody is arguing with that. But try holding one on five hours of sleep. Try holding one when you’re bloated, exhausted and your hormones are all over the place. I’m 50, and after 20+ years of working with women in perimenopause, here’s what I see most. You’re already doing the work. Your body needs more support before that work can pay off. Here’s what I’d do, in this order: 1. Fix my sleep. In a 2024 study, cutting sleep by about 80 minutes a night for six weeks made women more insulin resistant, and postmenopausal women were hit hardest. 2. Support my gut. If you’re bloated and tired, start there. Your gut helps clear used estrogen, so gut health and hormones go together. 3. Steady my blood sugar. Fiber and protein before starchy carbs, every meal. Fewer crashes, fewer afternoon raids on the pantry. 4. Lift heavy. Muscle is where most of your blood sugar goes. I hip thrust 275 and I eat before I train. 5. THEN create the deficit. ...