Metabolism magic!

Recently, scientists from places like Harvard, Tufts and Stanford got together and chose the very best diet for women dealing with age-related hormonal changes. Their pick? The Menopause Diet, a science-backed and plant-forward twist on the Mediterranean diet. “It’s not vegetarian, but it emphasizes vegetables, fruit and beans along with high-quality protein, heart-healthy fats and some minimally processed grains,” explains Elizabeth Ward, M.S., RDN, who wrote The Menopause Diet Plan with best friend Hillary Wright, MEd, RDN. Can the approach revive a sluggish menopausal metabolism? When retired health administrator Gloria Crosslin, Ph.D., 65, tried the plan’s key strategies, she not only got off heart meds, she shed 140 pounds in a year. Keep reading to learn how to make magic for yourself.

- ALLISON NEMETZ

What makes the Menopause Diet—a term experts used to describe Ward’s plan and similar plans—ideal for women over 50? Basically, it skips foods that tend to worsen the impact of declining estrogen levels; it also fills us up with options that help us age well. Ward says the diet’s basic techniques improve everything from brain fog and fatigue to blood sugar and a fatty liver. Meanwhile, Dr. Gloria’s medical team suggested it to improve her heart health. So this is by no means simply a weight-loss diet. But Dr. Gloria admits she was giddy to find herself losing over 10 pounds a month.

3 reasons you'll slim down

A few waist-shrinking benefits:

1. Appetite dwindles

The Menopause Diet has us eat at least half a gram of protein for every pound we weigh, which means at least 90 grams if you're 180 pounds. Among many benefits, University of Washington research shows extra protein seems to make midlife adults more sensitive to stop-eating hormones, so we want 441 fewer calories per day.

It gets better. An NIH study found that when adults only have access to whole foods, we consume 500 fewer calories a day without trying (and automatically slim down!) compared to when we're given ultra-processed versions of the same fare.

And there’s a hack to maximize the benefits of a smaller appetite: Just track what you eat. Doing so increases awareness, so you won't overeat out of habit. In one large study, older Mediterranean dieters using the tactic lost five times more weight than those who didn’t. “I use a pink sparkle notebook for my food log,” shares Dr. Gloria. “At first, it was to make sure I got enough protein. But I found it motivates me and keeps me from eating when I'm bored!”

2. Inflammation is soothed