Women in perimenopause and menopause who are losing muscle, gaining weight, dealing with brain fog, or watching their bones change despite doing everything they think they should be doing — the missing piece may not be hormones. It may be protein. And the way you are eating may be working against you in ways nobody has told you about yet.
Dr. Ian Smith is a physician and the author of The New Menopause Kitchen, a book he built around 50-plus affordable, science-backed recipes developed with Rachel Ray and a 10-week eating and movement plan designed specifically for the hormonal reality of perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause. He wrote it because midlife nutrition has been under-researched, under-discussed, and badly misrepresented — and women are paying for it with their muscle mass, their bone density, their energy, and their mental clarity.
In this conversation Dr. Smith goes deep on exactly what falling estrogen and progesterone do to metabolism, muscle, and the brain — and what the plate needs to look like in response. He breaks down the protein numbers most women are not hitting, why resistance training is the non-negotiable partner to protein for preserving and building muscle, why no-carb diets are ‘completely antithetical to what the body needs,’ and why undereating during menopause produces exactly the brain fog, fatigue, and weight stall women are trying to avoid.
He also takes you to the grocery store. Salmon, trout, skinless chicken breast, legumes, beans, lentils, chickpeas, cottage cheese, high-protein yogurt, whole grains, roasted vegetables, and olive oil. He gives you the three-to-one water dilution trick for cutting sugar from sweet drinks without willpower. And he closes with the one word that drives everything: consistency. Not perfection. The C word.
What You Will Learn
- What falling estrogen does to muscle mass, bone density, metabolism, and mental clarity in perimenopause and menopause — why sarcopenia accelerates during hormonal transition, how protein and resistance training work together to reverse it, and the specific daily protein targets (36g to maintain, 0.7g per pound of desired body weight to build) most women are not hitting
- Why no-carb diets are ‘completely antithetical to what the body needs,’ why undereating produces brain fog and weight stall rather than weight loss, how to shop the perimeter of the grocery store for calcium, omega-3s, vitamin D, B vitamins, and protein, and which foods to put in the cart and which to leave behind
- The three-to-one water dilution trick that cuts sugar from sweet beverages without willpower, why taste buds adapt to lower sugar in a matter of weeks, and why consistency five to six days a week beats perfection every time
About Our Guest
Dr. Ian Smith is a physician, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and the creator of The New Menopause Kitchen, a nutrition and movement program built around 50+ affordable, science-backed recipes and a 10-week plan for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause. He hosts a supportive Facebook community — The New Menopause Kitchen — where he and menopause experts answer questions and support women through the transition.
Website: doctoriansmith.com
Instagram: @DrIanSmith
TikTok: @OfficialDrIan
Facebook community: search The New Menopause Kitchen
Book: The New Menopause Kitchen — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and local bookstores
Additional Resources
Reclaimed: 40 Days
A faith-integrated 40-day sugar reset designed for women in perimenopause and menopause — with live coaching calls, a private community, a full education library, and a 10-episode private podcast. Learn more and join:
https://hellohotflash.com/reclaimed
Hello Hot Flash Quiz — What Is Your Soul Trying to Tell You Right Now?
If menopause has been stirring up more than physical symptoms — a deeper restlessness, a quiet question about what this season is for — this quiz is for you. Take it free:
https://hellohotflash.com/quiz
Christian Women and Menopause — Limited Series Podcast
21 episodes on what the Bible says about the midlife transition — stress, anxiety, identity, purpose, confidence, and faith. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen:
https://hellohotflash.com/christian-women-and-menopause
Christian Women and Menopause — A Hot Flash Podcast Community on Skool
Weekly live prayer calls, symptom breakdowns, quarterly 21-Day Resets, and a faith-based community for Christian women navigating menopause. Founding member rate: $27/month. Cancel anytime.
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