As a busy working mum in my 40s, I know just how unpredictable perimenopause can be. The emotional outbursts over things I once took in my stride. The anxiety and panic triggered by everyday situations – the school run, driving a new route, a work meeting. Add in the weight gain, 3 am wake-ups and constant hunger, and it can feel relentless.

I’m Becki, a Nutritional Therapist and busy mom to two little ones. I’ve experienced firsthand how simple nutrition and lifestyle changes are supporting me through perimenopause, not only easing my symptoms but helping me navigate this stage with greater clarity and confidence.

The Chaos

Having said that, as busy mums, we often put everyone else’s needs above our own, and that includes nutrition. Take breakfast on a school morning. How often do we find ourselves preparing everyone else’s breakfast exactly how they like it, while in the rush to get out the door, we forget ourselves and end up just grabbing a coffee to keep us going?

We skip lunch, eat on the go, and suddenly, at 9 pm, the hunger hits. Often uncontrollable hunger that leads us to rummage in the cupboards for emergency chocolate and crisps. This isn’t a lack of willpower. It’s the result of a busy mum trying to hold up the family while her own body is going through hormonal chaos.

Understanding Perimenopause

Understanding perimenopause has helped me enormously. Recognising what is going on in my body has answered so many questions.

Why am I feeling fantastic one day and crying at my desk the next?

Why could I do my usual workout on Monday, and today I can barely climb the stairs?

Why am I snapping at everyone and forgetting why I came downstairs?

Why do I suddenly feel like I can’t do my job after being highly successful for the last few decades?

The Perfect Storm

The reason is erratic hormones.

Put simply, during perimenopause, oestrogen starts to behave unpredictably, spiking at times and plummeting at others without warning. Meanwhile, progesterone, our calming hormone, steadily declines, often leaving us more vulnerable to anxiety and low mood. Our hectic lives add more fuel to the fire, creating the perfect storm for hormonal chaos and for women feeling like they no longer recognise themselves.

So here are my personal top 5 tips to help you feel more nourished and energised through this challenging phase, without adding more overwhelm to an already hectic life.

Breakfast before coffee

In my practice, I’ve seen this simple shift change everything. If your mornings involve grabbing a black coffee and rushing out the door without breakfast, it may be worth experimenting with switching it around. Try eating breakfast slightly earlier and having your coffee afterwards instead. For many women I work with, this simple shift can make a real difference to headaches, energy dips and late morning cravings.

Protein, fibre and healthy fats at every meal

Energy dips are a common experience in perimenopause and often leave women reaching for quick pick-me-ups like coffee or sugary snacks. The culprit? Often fluctuating hormones, with oestrogen once again behaving unpredictably and affecting blood sugar regulation.

A simple way to support more stable energy is to include protein, fibre and healthy fats at every meal. This combination helps to keep blood sugar steadier, keeps you fuller for longer and can reduce the energy crashes that send you hunting for snacks an hour later.

My go-to budget-friendly options include:
Protein: Greek yoghurt, hemp seeds, eggs, chicken, turkey, tofu, tempeh, quinoa
Fibre: colourful vegetables, cooled pasta, potatoes and rice, beans and lentils
Healthy fats: oily fish, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds, chia seeds, avocado

Hydration

It sounds simple, but our ability to hold on to water declines during perimenopause because of hormonal fluctuations. Add in night sweats and increased urination, and dehydration becomes much more likely. Staying well hydrated can support mental clarity, focus, energy and general wellbeing, which is exactly why it makes it into my top five.

Simple ways to drink more include swapping one regular tea or coffee for a herbal tea, adding fresh lemon, orange or mint to your water bottle, or swapping a fizzy drink for sparkling water.

Prioritise sleep

We all know this, don’t we? Yet a consistent and calming bedtime routine often ends up at the bottom of the list in perimenopause, just when we need it most. Sleep disruption can affect everything from blood sugar regulation to anxiety levels, so it’s worth doing what you can to support it.

Simple ways to improve sleep include:

• keeping caffeine to earlier in the day
• limiting screens in the evening, especially work emails or anything likely to trigger anxiety
• doing a 5-minute brain dump before bed instead of scrolling
• trying a body scan in bed to help your body switch into rest mode

Joy and connection

Joy and social connection are non-negotiables during perimenopause. When life feels heavy with symptoms, stress and the mental load of holding everything together, making space for things that lift your mood matters more than ever.

Maybe now is the time to join that choir, book club or Pilates class you’ve been thinking about. If you are time-poor, even a post-work chat with a close friend on the commute home can boost your mood. Small moments of joy and connection can make this transition feel far less isolating.

Perimenopause can feel challenging, unpredictable and, at times, overwhelming. But simple nutrition and lifestyle tweaks can make a real difference to how you feel day to day.

If your symptoms feel unmanageable, it’s important to speak to a healthcare professional and get the support you need. And if you’d like more support with your own perimenopause journey, I also work with women 1:1 and through my perimenopause group programme. Come and say hello on Instagram to find out more about how I can help, or book a free breakfast audit and let’s get your day off to a great start.

FAQs About Perimenopause Nutrition

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