The Messy Middle of Midlife: Body Image, Nutrition, and Wellbeing for Women

Midlife can be pretty messy. 

Women in midlife, in particular, are navigating a whole range of changes and experiences - physical, emotional, and social. 

There are added responsibilities: you might be caring for ageing parents while still raising your own kids (if you’re a parent). There can be financial pressures, shifting relationship dynamics, and a constant stream of life transitions that seem to happen all at once. 

Then there's the hormonal shifts that often lead to symptoms in perimenopause and menopause - hot flushes, sleep disturbances, joint pain, brain fog -all of which can really impact your quality of life.  

And of course, there are body changes. For some, this may include weight gain and changes in body shape. Thanks to Western appearance ideals and ageist messaging, these natural changes are rarely welcomed. They can stir up stress, anxiety, and a whole lot of body dissatisfaction. 

Body image concerns are common in women going through perimenopause and menopause

Midlife women are particularly vulnerable to all of this. In fact, according to research by the Butterfly Foundation (2025): 

• More than half (56%) of women feel some degree of dissatisfaction with their body during perimenopause or menopause. 

• Just over 1 in 10 (11.3%) women going through or post-menopause say they avoid looking at themselves in the mirror. 

• Around 13% of women in this life stage report avoiding photos or situations like wearing a swimsuit because of body image concerns. 

  
  

Unfortunately, when women feel dissatisfied with their bodies, it can lead to them altering their eating habits, often to conform to social ideals of appearance. For many women, the messy middle can also bring back old, less-than-helpful patterns around food and body - echoes of earlier years. Maybe an old diet or “fitness challenge” makes a reappearance, or food habits shift to feel in control of other areas of life. It’s a vulnerable time - a period of transition not unlike puberty - where your body and sense of self are both shifting once again. 

I often see women in their 40s and 50s come to me for nutrition guidance after years of trying different diets - keto, low-carb, fasting, detoxes, you name it - only to arrive completely confused about what to eat or how to nourish themselves. They tell me they don’t know what their body needs anymore. They’ve lost trust in their hunger cues and in their bodies. Every food choice is second-guessed, often served with a generous side of guilt. It’s heartbreaking, but sadly, all too common. And the nutrition issues of today are likely to have an impact on health and wellbeing in later life, if not helped.

While eating disorders and tricky eating issues are more often discussed in younger women, they can affect people of all ages and genders. Midlife women are right in the firing line. In fact, some experience an eating disorder for the very first time during this stage of life. This can bring feelings of shame, especially given the common belief that eating disorders are something only younger girls go through. 

Gentle Nutrition in Midlife and Beyond 

During midlife, your changing body is still deserving of care, respect, and nourishment - not restriction and deprivation. 

And here’s the truth: no matter when in life you’ve struggled with a difficult relationship with food, negative body image, or an eating disorder, improvement - and even recovery - is possible. Midlife doesn’t mean it’s too late to reconnect with your body, honour your hunger and fullness cues, and build a relationship with food that actually supports your wellbeing. 

A Gentle Reminder 

Yes, midlife can be messy, but if we change the focus, it can be wonderfully messy and bring about a whole lot of positives. And embracing your whole self can be part of it. 

I love this quote from Brené Brown:  

"You're imperfect, and you're wired for struggle,

but you are worthy of love and belonging". 

You and your body are worthy - of care, nourishment, and respect - at every stage of your life. 

In my next post, we’ll explore body image through midlife - how our relationship with our body can evolve, and what it means to find acceptance and appreciation in a body that continues to change. 

Butterfly Foundation. (2025, February 3). The cost of appearance ideals: The economic and social impact of body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination (Final Report). KPMG. https://butterfly.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25.02.07_Butterfly-Foundation-Appearance-Ideals-Report-Final.pdf