Appetite Loss Is Common After 50 For Women In Perimenopause

Most women expect perimenopause and menopause to come with:
✨ Cravings
✨ Increased hunger
✨ Emotional eating
✨ Weight gain

And honestly, many women do experience that.

But something far less talked about can also happen as women get older, loss of appetite.

I’ve seen this in older women around me, and it often gets brushed off as:
“Oh, I’m just not that hungry anymore.”

But the reality is, this can have a major impact on health, strength, energy, and quality of life over time.

This is something known as, ✨ Anorexia of Aging ✨

And despite the name, this is NOT the same as anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia of aging refers to the gradual decline in appetite that can occur as we age.

Women may start:

💔 Forgetting to eat
💔 Feeling full very quickly
💔 Picking at food instead of eating meals
💔 Losing interest in cooking
💔 Eating tiny portions
💔 Losing weight unintentionally
💔 Becoming weaker and more fatigued

The problem is, when appetite drops, nutrition often drops too, leading to nutrient deficiencies.

And nutrition becomes MORE important as we age, not less.

This is especially important for women during and after menopause because aging naturally increases the risk of:

💔 Muscle loss
💔 Bone loss
💔 Reduced mobility
💔 Falls and fractures
💔 Weakness
💔 Slower recovery
💔 Lower immunity

One of the biggest concerns is muscle loss.

Muscle is incredibly important for:

💜 Strength
💜 Metabolism
💜 Balance
💜 Independence
💜 Healthy aging

Yet many older women are unintentionally under-eating protein, fibre and overall calories.

There are many possible reasons appetite changes with age.

Hormonal shifts can influence hunger and fullness signals.

Digestion may slow down.

Stress, grief, loneliness, fatigue, medications, and reduced movement can all play a role too.

I think this is why healthy aging needs to be talked about much earlier.

Not when women are already frail, or when strength is already declining, but NOW.

Because healthy aging is not just about living longer.

It’s about maintaining energy, mobility, independence, confidence, and quality of life for as long as possible.

This is why I encourage women to focus on:

✨ Strength training
✨ Protein intake
✨ Fibre-rich foods
✨ Hydration
✨ Social connection
✨ Movement
✨ Regular meals

Even simple things like eating meals with others can help improve appetite and consistency around food.

One thing I often remind women is this:

Your body still needs nourishment, even if hunger signals change.

And honestly, this is one reason I dislike extreme dieting culture so much.

Women spend decades being taught to:

💔 Eat less
💔 Shrink themselves
💔 Ignore hunger
💔 Fear food

Then later in life, many struggle to nourish themselves properly.

Supporting women through midlife and beyond is about far more than weight.

It’s about helping women stay strong, energised, capable, and thriving for years to come 💜

If you need help navigating nutrition through perimenopause or menopause, book a Strategy Session and let’s talk.

👉 Book a Strategy Session: https://oncehub.com/strategycallwithterri

And if you know a woman drowning in conflicting hormone advice, please share this 💫

Coach Terri Batsakis