Ep 366: Why “Eat Less, Move More” Backfires For High-Stress, High-Achieving Women In Perimenopause w/ Molly McNamee

In this validating episode, I’m joined by fitness and hormone health coach Molly McNamee, founder of MFit Workouts and expert in helping women balance stress hormones so they can finally shed stubborn weight without restrictive diets or punishing workouts.

Together, we break down why the traditional “eat less, move more” approach that may have worked in your 20’s and 30’s is the exact thing sabotaging your metabolism, nervous system, and fat loss in perimenopause—especially if you’re a high-achieving woman juggling stress, responsibilities, and nonstop pressures.

Molly shares how chronic stress, cortisol overload, over-training, under-eating, and nervous system dysregulation all block weight loss in midlife, plus what women can do instead to feel strong, energized, emotionally stable, and metabolically resilient again.

This episode is essential listening for any woman who feels like her body is betraying her—or who’s tired of trying everything and still not seeing results.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Why “eat less, move more” works when you’re younger… but backfires in perimenopause
• Subtle signs of nervous system dysregulation that show up as weight gain, anxiety, cravings, burnout, and exhaustion
• The truth about HIIT training, fasting, and hustle culture—and who they actually harm
• How to rebuild a fitness routine that supports your hormones instead of stressing them
• Where beginners should start (without overwhelm)
• What Molly does personally to keep her stress and nervous system regulated
• Her unfiltered advice for every woman navigating perimenopause
• How to access Molly’s resources, coaching, and her Cortisol Checklist
   

Key Takeaways

1. Weight loss resistance in perimenopause is often a stress and nervous system issue—not a willpower issue.
2. Chronic overtraining and under-eating spike cortisol, which tells your body to store fat, increase cravings, and slow metabolism.
3. Women in midlife need smarter, gentler, hormone-supportive fitness strategies—not more intensity, restriction, or pressure.

🔗 Links & Resources

Learn more from Molly:

🌐 Website: https://mollymcnamee.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfit.workouts/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsmollyrae
🧪 Cortisol Checklist: https://mollymcnamee.com/cortisol-checklist

Connect with Bria:

🌐 Website: https://www.briatheperiodwhisperer.com/ 
🎧 Listen to past episodes: https://www.briatheperiodwhisperer.com/the-period-whisperer-podcast 
📝 Take the 2-Minute Health Debt Quiz: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/68ab9b1d8bbfc20015513285 
📩 Book a Free Discovery Call: https://www.briatheperiodwhisperer.com/hormonebreakthrough