Reviewed by Dr. Kenton Bruice, MD
Reading time: three minutes
If you’re doing everything “right”, eating clean, exercising regularly, watching your calories, and the belly fat still won’t budge, you are not alone in wondering what gives. For many people in their 40s and beyond, weight gain around the midsection starts to feel inevitable, no matter how hard they try.
Here’s the part that often gets overlooked: hormones have a major influence on how your body stores fat. When your hormones shift, especially during perimenopause, menopause, or andropause, the usual weight loss strategies often stop working.
The good news is, once you understand what is really going on, you can take the right steps to address it.
Table of Contents
Why Belly Fat Becomes So Stubborn
Hormones play a major role in how your body stores and burns fat. As levels of key hormones fluctuate or decline, it becomes harder to maintain your weight. This type of hormonal belly fat does not usually respond to diet and exercise alone.
Here is how hormone imbalance leads to weight gain:
1. Estrogen and Testosterone Changes
In women, estrogen levels tend to decline during perimenopause and menopause, which can trigger more abdominal fat storage. In men, lower testosterone can have a similar effect, especially as muscle mass decreases and metabolism slows. Hormone therapy for men can help restore testosterone to healthier levels and support fat loss, energy, and overall metabolic health.
2. Cortisol and Chronic Stress
High stress levels lead to elevated cortisol, your body’s stress hormone. Cortisol is strongly linked to increased fat around the abdominal area. If you are not sleeping well or constantly feel overwhelmed, this stress response could be preventing you from losing belly fat.
3. Muscle Loss and Slower Metabolism
Testosterone is essential for maintaining lean muscle and metabolic health in both men and women. When levels drop, the body burns fewer calories at rest and starts storing more fat, particularly around the midsection.
4. Insulin Resistance
Hormonal shifts can also impact insulin sensitivity. When your body becomes resistant to insulin, it stores more fat, especially visceral fat around your organs. This makes weight loss more difficult and increases long-term health risks.
What Actually Works (Hint: It Is Not Just Willpower)
If you are doing the right things and still struggling with belly fat, it may be time to shift your approach. Here is what can help:
1. Balance Your Hormones
This is often the missing piece. Dr. Bruice specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), which restores optimal levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormones, and others. Once your hormones are balanced, your body is much more likely to respond to healthy habits.
“Dr. Bruice is responsive and incredibly knowledgeable! I loved working with him and have referred him to numerous friends and family! He changed my life!”
2. Address Hormone-Related Weight Gain
For some patients, Dr. Bruice may recommend compounded semaglutide with B12 (semaglutide + cyanocobalamin). This treatment can help regulate appetite, support blood sugar balance, and assist with fat loss especially when combined with hormone optimization and a healthy lifestyle. You can learn more about Dr. Bruice’s approach to weight loss here.
“I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Bruice. He has helped me get in better shape and has me feeling great.”
3. Build Habits That Support Hormone Health
Extreme diets and intense workouts can backfire when your hormones are imbalanced. Dr. Bruice works with each patient to create a realistic, long-term plan that may include:
- Whole foods that support metabolic and hormone health
- Daily movement without overtraining
- Better sleep and stress management
- Sustainable lifestyle changes
When these pieces work together, belly fat becomes much easier to lose.
Patients in St. Louis Are Already Seeing Results
Although Dr. Bruice has long been known for hormone therapy in Denver, his new clinic in St. Louis is already helping patients regain their energy, improve their metabolism, and finally lose stubborn belly fat that would not respond to traditional diets.
Whether you are male or female, hormone imbalances could be the real reason your weight is not changing.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you are frustrated with stubborn belly fat, low energy, or unexplained weight gain, it may be time to check your hormones. Dr. Bruice helps men and women in St. Louis rebalance their health through personalized treatment plans that combine hormone optimization with modern weight loss support.
To book an appointment with Dr. Bruice at the St. Louis Hormone Institute of Missouri, call (314) 222-7567 or visit us at 9909 Clayton Rd, Suite 225, St. Louis, MO.
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