006: Why Eating Less Stops Working in Menopause with Mickee Stillman

If you are doing everything right and the scale still will not cooperate, this episode will feel like a deep exhale.For years, women have been taught that weight gain in midlife means one thing. Eat less. Try harder. Cut more calories. But during perimenopause and menopause, that advice often backfires.In this episode of Eat the Fucking Food, Kristin sits down with menopause and muscle specialist Mickee Stillman to unpack why maintenance calories may be the missing link for women over 40. Despite decades of experience in strength training and nutrition, Mickee found herself struggling through her own perimenopause transition, even while doing all the “right” things.Together, they break down why many women think they are eating enough when they are not, how hormone shifts impact hunger, energy, and the scale, and why learning your true maintenance range is essential before attempting any calorie deficit.This conversation is both science grounded and deeply practical. If you feel stuck, puffy, frustrated, or confused by what used to work but no longer does, this episode will help you understand what is really happening inside your midlife body and what to do next.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why maintenance calories in menopause are foundational for long term successHow perimenopause can disrupt results even when your habits are strongThe difference between perceived maintenance and true maintenanceWhy cutting calories too soon can stall your metabolism and progressHow consistency stabilizes energy, sleep, and recovery in midlifeWhat really causes overnight scale fluctuations in womenWhy muscle is one of the most important predictors of healthy agingHow to shift from short term dieting to long term body recompositionThe role of biofeedback in guiding nutrition decisionsWhy your metabolism is likely not brokenWe talk about:00:00 Why menopause can throw off even experienced women02:00 Mickee’s personal perimenopause experience05:30 Strength training and nutrition as the true foundation07:00 What do you want now versus what do you want most08:30 Why no one cuts before learning maintenance10:00 Building a structured nutrition blueprint13:00 Overshooting maintenance and metabolic adaptation15:00 Hunger signals when calories increase18:00 The menopause and muscle approach20:00 How slowly calories should increase22:00 Hormone fluctuations and trend line data24:00 Consistency versus weekend extremes26:00 Body recomposition and scale mindset work30:00 Using photos instead of obsessing over the scale33:00 Common causes of overnight weight spikes37:00 Favorite foods and closing thoughtsConnect with MickeeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sortafitmick/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sortafitmick Website: https://www.epnutrition.co/mickeestillman Connect with meInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #MaintenanceCalories #MenopauseNutrition #WomenOver40 #MidlifeMetabolism #StopCuttingCalories #BodyRecomposition #HormoneHealth #ConsistencyOverPerfection #HealthyAging #EatTheFood