{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Episode 261: Menopause and Weight Gain: Beyond Hormones, Diets, and Willpower with Dr. Tracy Norfleet","description":"Weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is not simply a matter of eating less or exercising more. Hormonal changes, shifts in body composition, muscle loss, sleep, stress, and metabolic health can all play a role in how your body changes during this stage of life. In this episode of Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss, I\u2019m joined by Dr. Tracy Norfleet, a triple board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine. Together, we explore why many women notice changes in their waist circumference and weight during the menopause transition, even when their eating and exercise habits haven\u2019t changed. We discuss how declining estradiol levels can affect body fat distribution and lean muscle mass, why the number on the scale may not tell the whole story, and how women can adjust their approach to protecting their metabolic health. Dr. Norfleet also shares practical guidance on resistance training, protein intake, restorative sleep, and the role of obesity medications and hormone therapy. We also address weight bias in healthcare and why women deserve to have their symptoms taken seriously, receive evidence-informed care, and be treated with respect. If you\u2019re navigating perimenopause or menopause and wondering why the strategies that worked in your 20s and 30s no longer seem as effective, this conversation will help you better understand what may be happening and what you can discuss with your healthcare provider.   Episode Highlights Why can your body composition change during menopause even when your weight stays the same? How do declining estradiol levels affect muscle mass, fat distribution, and metabolic health? Why should resistance training become a priority alongside cardiovascular exercise? What roles do protein, sleep, and stress management play in supporting healthy weight management? How do hormone therapy and obesity medications differ, and when might treatment be appropriate? Why is it important for healthcare professionals to address weight bias and listen to women\u2019s menopause symptoms? If this conversation helped you, share it with a woman who may be experiencing similar changes. Subscribe to Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss for more conversations about sustainable weight management and better health.   About Our Guest Tracy Norfleet, MD, MBA, FACP, DABOM, DipABLM, FOMA Dr. Norfleet is a triple board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine. She has more than 20 years of clinical experience and practices in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. She is the founder of Weight Liberation\u00ae, a health coaching and consulting organization dedicated to sustainable weight management, patient empowerment, and health advocacy. Website | www.myweightliberation.com  LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com\/in\/drtracymd  Facebook | www.facebook.com\/DrTracyMD  Instagram | www.instagram.com\/thedrtracymd    Connect with Dr. Alicia Shelly Website | drshellymd.com Facebook | www.facebook.com\/drshellymd Instagram | @drshellymd Linked In | www.linkedin.com\/in\/drshellymd Twitter | @drshellymd About Dr. Alicia Shelly Dr. Alicia Shelly was raised in Atlanta, GA. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH.  Dr. Shelly has been practicing Primary Care and Obesity medicine since 2014.  In 2017, she became a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the lead physician at the Wellstar Medical Center Douglasville. She started a weekly podcast & Youtube channel entitled Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight loss,  where she discusses how to get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. She has spoken for numerous local and national organizations, including the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She has been featured on CNN, Fox 5 News, Bruce St. James Radio show, Upscale magazine, and Shape.com. She was named an honoree of the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 award. She also is a collaborating author for the, \u201cMade for More: Physician Entrepreneurs who Live Life and Practice Medicine on their own terms''. Resources: FREE! Discover the 5 Reasons Your Weight-Loss Journey Has Gotten Derailed (And How To Get Back On Track!) \ud83d\udc49 Click HERE   ","author_name":"Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss","author_url":"http:\/\/drshellymd.com","html":"