Sep 4 (edited) • Give Advice
Thyroid, Stress, and Belly Fat OVER 40
Most women think weight gain in menopause is just about “slowing metabolism.”
Most men, It's just part of aging.
But the truth is deeper — it’s about the interaction between thyroid hormones, adrenal stress, and insulin resistance.
1. Thyroid: The Metabolic Engine
- The thyroid gland makes T4 (storage hormone) and some T3 (active hormone).
- The real fat-burning hormone is T3.
- ~80% of T3 is made in your liver, gut, muscles, kidneys, brain, and fat tissue by converting T4 → T3.
If conversion is poor, or if T4 is shunted into Reverse T3 (RT3), metabolism slows and belly fat becomes “stuck.”
2. Adrenal Function & Stress: The Cortisol Connection
When stress is high (physical, emotional, mental, or environmental), your adrenal glands pump out cortisol.
What cortisol does -
- Signals the body to conserve energy (store fat, especially in the belly).
- Pushes T4 to RT3 instead of T3 (blocking fat burning).
- Breaks down muscle meaning - fewer calories burned at rest.
- Disrupts sleep further raising cortisol and cravings.
It's a never ending downward spiral - until it's stopped in it's tracks
Forms of stress that raise cortisol -
- Emotional stress (work, relationships, worry)
- Physical stress (over-exercising, under-eating, poor recovery)
- Chemical stress (toxins, alcohol, medications, halides, heavy metals)
- Biological stress (parasites, gut dysbiosis, infections)
- Sleep stress (too little or poor-quality rest)
High cortisol = high RT3 = slow metabolism + belly fat storage.
3. Insulin Resistance: The Belly Fat Amplifier
As estrogen declines in menopause, and testosterone in Men, we become more prone to insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance means-
- Sugar doesn’t move efficiently into cells for energy.
- More insulin is released to compensate.
- High insulin tells the body: “Store fat, especially in the belly.”
When combined with -
- Low T3 (less fat burning)
- High RT3 (blocked thyroid receptors)
- High cortisol (stress belly)
You get the perfect storm for stubborn menopausal belly fat.
4. How It All Connects
- Thyroid = makes T4, converts to T3 for fat burning.
- Adrenals (stress & cortisol) = decide if T4 becomes T3 (good) or RT3 (bad).
- Insulin resistance = makes belly fat “sticky,” especially when estrogen is low.
- Menopause = amplifies all of the above with hormone shifts.
FitnHealthy Forever Action Steps
- Support Your Thyroid Conversion
- Balance Adrenals & Lower Cortisol
- Improve Insulin Sensitivity
- Reduce Toxin & Halide Exposure (What's this about?)
Belly fat is NOT just “age-related slowing metabolism.
When you support your thyroid + adrenals + insulin sensitivity, belly fat becomes much easier to lose.
Which are your biggest forms of Stress
BTW - There's another BIG Missing piece!!!
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Thyroid, Stress, and Belly Fat OVER 40
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