One tiny change that made perimenopause and weight loss easier for me

Why your morning coffee is making perimenopause harder

What if your morning coffee routine - the thing you rely on to wake up and get through the day - is actually working against you?

It might be the reason you’re crashing by mid-afternoon, craving sugar, and feeling like you can’t get through the afternoon without more caffeine.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

• Why coffee first thing in the morning makes perimenopause symptoms worse - and how it affects your energy, cravings, and hormones
• The surprising way coffee messes with blood sugar and nutrient absorption - and why this matters if you’re struggling with fatigue, mood swings, or brain fog
• The simple change to your coffee habit that helps stabilise your energy, reduce cravings, and support hormone balance

Sneak Peek:

“If you can’t function without coffee, we need to look at what’s really going on.”

Your morning routine matters more than you think - and this tiny tweak could make a huge difference in how you feel.

🎧 Hit play now to learn why coffee timing is everything, and what to do instead.

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Ep 9: Intermittent fasting 
• Ep 59: Eat your way through perimenopause

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...

Transcript

Now, if I were to tell you that just doing one small thing, one tiny thing could be the difference between having steady energy all day and crashing mid-afternoon, would you try it? Do you think you could do it? Or what if I told you that this small tweak could reduce your cravings, especially for coffee or chocolate and chips in the mid-afternoon, improve your focus and even help with hot flushes and night sweats.

Do you think you'd do it? And I think the best part of this is that it's simple, it's tiny. It's like the tiniest of tweaks. It's backed by science and really doesn't require any drastic changes. So stay with me till the end of this episode today because I'm talking about the best way to drink coffee in perimenopause so you can still enjoy your morning cup without it wrecking your energy, metabolism, or hormones, or giving you crazy cravings mid-afternoon. Because every single woman that I've worked with who's made this one simple change, this tiny change, has noticed a huge difference.

Less brain fog, fewer cravings, no sort of mid-afternoon slump, more stable moods, and yeah, no feeling like they need caffeine just to function, especially in that home run in the afternoon, mid-afternoon to dinner time there as well. And I wanna tell you, like straight up front, I learned this the hard way myself, this was something I was doing exactly the opposite of what I tell my clients to do.

So I was doing what I told, telling them not to do, rolling outta bed, grabbing a coffee before breakfast, and then wondering why I was crashing mid-afternoon. I'm wondering, also, I was not even hungry. After that, for breakfast, I have a giant bucket of coffee 'cause that's what I needed to function when I really start, when I really got deep into my studies or post naturopathy studies and I went deeper into more studies on metabolism.

And really got into the science of your blood sugar and insulin and other hormones and caffeine. Then I really had that wake up call. I realized what was happening then, and once I started doing it differently, a game changer, literally straight away, totally changed how I was feeling. 

If we haven't met, Hi, I am Sarah, The Perimenopause Naturopath, and I've helped hundreds of women over 40 navigate perimenopause with confidence so they can feel great in their bodies and reclaim their mood and energy.

So if you are feeling like you're changing hormones or hijacking your mood, energy, and weight, and you want to change that in a holistic way, this is the place for you because each episode I share my views on what's happening in your body, why you're feeling the way that you are, and how you can change that with actionable advice to help you move from chaos to calm and feel more comfortable in your body.

So welcome friends to episode number 85 of Chaos to Calm. Today I am sharing how this one tiny change can make a massive difference to your perimenopause symptoms, and that tiny change is how you do your coffee, because let's face it, most of us start our day with coffee. A few of you do tea, but most of us do coffee.

It's a ritual, it's a survival tool for lots of you, unfortunately. And sometimes it feels like the only thing keeping you functional, keeping you upright and moving through the day and ticking things off your to-do list. So before we get started, don't worry, don't panic. I'm not gonna take your coffee away from you.

I love it too. I just finished my coffee after breakfast before I recorded this. But I will say that these days I drink coffee for the taste of it, not because I feel like I need it, like I don't need it to give me energy and to get me through the day or to help me pay attention. So what I am gonna do today is show you why having coffee first thing in the morning, like before you eat, might be wrecking your energy, creating cravings for you and messing with your hormones as well and how we can just do things a little differently and totally change that for you, turn things around. So first of all, let's talk about why drinking coffee first thing on an empty stomach might be messing with your energy there as well.

And I've been, been here too. I know for lots of you, coffee first thing in the morning feels essential. Like you cannot function, no one talked to me until I've finished my coffee. But what I want you to know is that when we do that this way, whether it's black or whether it's milky, it doesn't matter, it spikes your blood sugar levels. So what that does is it pushes them up, pushes your insulin up, but then you have a crash a few hours later, and your blood sugar crashes down then as well. And that's when you can get in that cycle of needing another pick me up or your, or you think, oh, I need another coffee, or I need a cake, or biscuits, or something because your brain is seeking like an instant energy hit to get you functioning again.

The other thing that coffee does on an empty stomach is it suppresses your appetite. And so that makes it harder for you to eat a proper breakfast, which makes it harder for you to get the nutrients into your body. The other thing that coffee on an empty stomach does when you do go to eat is it can block your nutrient absorption there.

So there are compounds in the coffee, this is the same with tea as well, this one too, in that the tannins in the tea, in the coffee, bind to minerals like calcium and iron and block their uptake or absorption into your body. So iron, particularly is already a common deficiency for perimenopausal women, women across the lifespan. So it's really important that we don't interfere with that too. And for some of you, coffee can be quite irritating on your gut, especially depending on what milk you're having in it, there as well. So it's causing that inflammation in your gastrointestinal system, which interferes with how you absorb nutrients or how you break them down and take them up there as well.

If you are finding yourself having coffee in the morning before breakfast, and then finding yourself flagging mid-afternoon and seeking another coffee or craving sugar, then that the way that you're drinking coffee in the morning could be part of that problem. And that's why it can be a, it's a really simple, tiny change that we're gonna talk about today there as well.

One of the things I wanna just touch on, because I did talk about appetite suppression. There is using coffee to suppress your appetite is that I see that a lot, especially in the fasting world, that you are encouraged to use coffee to extend your fast or suppress hunger, and that's done in the name of weight loss or, or just maintaining that fast for a longer period of time. 

What I want to say, no, I'm not gonna get sidetracked from my notes because I want you to know that this is backfiring and especially in your forties, it backfires big time and it works against you and actually can contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. So skipping breakfast and replacing it with coffee can trigger your body to go into that stress response mode, that fight or flight, and that increases or triggers the release of cortisol.

Part of cortisol's job is to increase your blood sugar levels, and that increases your insulin levels, your fat storage hormone. And then you know what goes up must come down unless you maintain that cortisol high through the day, which I know many of you are, and keeping your blood sugar very high. But when your blood sugar crashes later, you're gonna feel irritated.

Really lethargic, foggy headed and really seeking an instant energy hit. Chips, crackers, sugar, maybe another milky coffee, maybe that sounds familiar to you. And what I want to say as well is that people using coffee, even black coffee, or they'll put black coffee with some collagen in it, or MCT, the medium chain tried triglycerides or from coconut oil, that sort of thing.

You might be putting stuff in it. Even the just plain black coffee, it actually breaks your fast, it stimulates a digestive response. So if you're gonna break your fast, why not do it with a meal? And that's gonna support your hormones and your body, and your brain instead of working against you.

So I find this so frustrating. In the intermittent fasting world, there was talking about use a coffee, have a coffee so you don't break your fast. It does. It breaks your fast, it stimulates a digestive response. It changes your blood sugar levels, so you might as well eat a meal.

Because at least you're gonna give your body more nourishment than what you are just with that black coffee, which is more stressful in that time period, there. So I talk about this a lot more in a lot more detail in my episode on fasting in your forties. And I wrote a blog on it as well. So if you wanna learn more or listen to me talk about that, or rant about that some more, I'm gonna put that in the show notes for you today so you can find that more easily.

So, let's I just wanna talk a little bit more about the nutrient absorption and iron deficiency. I touched on it slightly where I was talking about the compounds in coffee that can block your nutrient absorption. So the tannins in tea and coffee both have these. I just had a thought there as well.

Tannins in tea can be neutralized a little bit if you have milk in it. So that helps. Those tannins bind to that calcium in that milk there as well. But yeah, compounds in coffee and tea bind to iron, calcium, other minerals and prevent your body from absorbing it. So also knowing too that if you are having lots of milky coffees, it's obviously gonna fill you up.

And it's not a complete protein. It's not providing your body all the amino acids that it needs. And it's also like when my kids were babies and when they got to about one, your maternal health nurse might have said to you, you like food first and then milk afterwards. Don't let them fill up on milk.

It's the same deal for you. Don't fill up on that milky coffee and then not have the rest of the nutrients that your body needs there as well, and particularly iron. Like I said, it's one of the most common deficiencies that I see in clinic. Followed by vitamin D and the B vitamins and magnesium. But iron is quite significant for most women iron deficiency.

So it's really important that we maximize the absorption of that from your food. Yeah, so if you are having that milky coffee before breakfast, or you are eating having that with an iron-rich meal, your body's not gonna get the full benefit of the nutrients you need. Oh, I said milky coffee, black coffee's gonna do the same.

So this is why I always recommend coffee after breakfast, not before. And this is the simple fix. Like how easy is that to change? It's, I think it's really easy. Most of my clients find it pretty easy to make changes, to make as well, and the benefits tend to kick in really quickly. So instead of reaching for coffee first thing, like straight away, I want you to eat some breakfast first and then have your coffee.

And that breakfast does not have to be a grand affair. Like it doesn't have to be eggs and spinach and all sorts of wonderful things. It can be as simple as a small handful of some almonds and sunflower seeds and a piece of fruit or some almond butter on an apple, or a bit of cheese and avocado on toast.

It totally doesn't have to be grand, and it doesn't have to be massive either. Just has to be something. Yeah, so have a little bit of brekky first, make sure it's balanced for protein and fat. So remember I did that episode on the perimenopause diet. You can totally I'll link that in the show notes.

Go have a listen to that. That'll help you work out how to balance that breakfast meal. And yeah, so this small change, it works because eating first helps stabilize your blood sugar, so it softens the blow of the coffee on your blood sugar levels than insulin, and that helps prevent that energy crash later.

You'll also be able to eat more at breakfast, or just even eat, and improve your nutrient intake and hormone balance. And breakfast really does set you up for the day and it helps prevent that energy crash mid-afternoon. S,o having a protein and fat, have breakfast, then contains protein and fat, means that you are less likely to have that mid-afternoon slump and those cravings for chocolate, coffee, whatever it is that you're having.

So you're gonna get more nutrients because you're having food, not coffee, and your coffee is still there. You still get to enjoy the flavor of it. It's still gonna give you that caffeine boost, but it's not gonna mess with your metabolism, your cortisol or contribute to those cravings.

So I think it's a really win-win. We don't necessarily have to give up the things that we love to be healthy. Sometimes it's just about these tiny changes. So just to reiterate there, the best way to have your coffee and perimenopause is food first, coffee second. And like I said, even just a small protein rich brekky, it could be a little bit of yogurt, some plain or natural yogurt or Greek yogurt.

So a little amount of nuts with some fruit. That's fine. That's all it needs to be. It doesn't have to be fancy. Ideally, I like my clients to drink their coffee black because cow's milk can be quite inflammatory and also messy with our hormones or messes with our hormones. And even plant milks can be very irritating to your stomach or to your gut.

But you might not be realizing that because that can get a bit muddied because coffee can be quite stimulating to our bowels. So it can be hard to know if it is the plant milk doing that irritating you as well. And also I find that people don't take cow's milk or the plant milks out for long enough to see a difference, to see if it has impacted them.

So, I like you might eat your brekky, I want you to have a 15, 20, 30 minute gap between your food and your coffee, especially if you are iron deficient or low in iron, and especially if you're having a milky coffee there as well. And I just wanna say, if you can't function without coffee, we really need to look at your blood sugar, your nutrient levels, your sleep.

We need to look at all of what's going on for you there and help your body better adapt and adjust to those perimenopause hormone changes that can mess with your blood sugar, your sleep quality, all of those things that might be leaving you feeling really tired when you wake up. So yeah, so let me know if you want my help with that.

You can certainly have a look at my website. There are a few different ways that you can work with me and that I can help you maximize your nutrition and even to understand what's going on for you, what's behind how you're feeling, because that's really key. Understanding what's driving, how you're feeling, and sure.

Perimenopause hormone changes are part of that. They always are. But also there can be so much more behind that too. And it's, if you don't identify. The driving cause or the driving factors, then you're just really suppressing symptoms and, that means you're just gonna get other symptoms popping up.

Yeah, I like I said, it, when you make this change, it, things can shift for you quite quickly. So most women don't realize how much their morning coffee routine is contributing to their symptoms. Mostly, it's often a crutch. It's getting, you going, getting you through the morning and the day.

It's not until you try switching it up that you realize actually how much it's impacting you. Most women, when they do that, they'll find that they have steadier energy through the day. Fewer cravings, especially mid-afternoon or after dinner. They don't need as much caffeine as to get through the day.

Even less hot flushes and night sweats. Because the caffeine can contribute to that too and better sleep. Because if you are having a coffee mid-afternoon, that's really gonna mess with your sleep, even if you still go to sleep, okay? It's going to mess with the quality and the depth of your sleep.

So yeah, if you wanna optimize your nutrition or find out, have your blood tests and analyzed or even have blood tests done so that you can find out what's behind how you're feeling. Please look in the show notes, visit my website to learn more about my programs PerimenoGO and the Chaos to Calm Method, or even one-to-one sessions that I offer now.

And that's the way that I can help you find out what's happening for you. So we've got, yeah. Either a bit of DIY with some of my support, or very high support and very personalized with the Chaos to Calm Method with your personalized nutrition there. But that my friend is all for this episode. Just a little tiny one today for you to make a tiny change.

I'd love to know how you go with it. So make sure that you do let me know. You can message me on Instagram at the perimenopause naturopath. I'd love to hear how you go, how you feel when you make this change, there as well. And if you did find this episode helpful, please do make sure to follow the podcast so you don't miss future episodes and tips.

And while you're there, please rate the podcast and leave a review. Let me know what you'd like to see more of on the podcast. Ratings and reviews mean that more women are shown the podcast and have the opportunity to transform their perimenopause from chaos to calm. So thank you again for tuning into today's episode on "One Tiny Change that made Perimenopause easier for me".

I really appreciate your sharing your time with me today. Have a wonderful week, my friend.