Why You Gain Weight (Even When You Do Everything ‘Right’)

"I feel heard, doc."

She almost moved me to tears.

Because for years, she had been dismissed.

She talked to her primary care doctor. Ignored.

She talked to her OB/GYN. Brushed off.

She told them about:

• Hot flashes.
• The joint pain.
• The weight gain.

And every time, she got the same response:

"Cut carbs."

"Exercise more."

There’s nothing wrong with you.

The irony?

She teaches exercise classes at her gym.

Sometimes three back-to-back!

She was doing everything ‘right.’

• Eating clean.
• Drinking mostly water.
• Skipping late-night snacks.
  

Yet, the scale wouldn’t budge.

Worse—she was gaining weight.

Frustrated, she came to me.

Because she was at her heaviest.

 And she felt uncomfortable in her own skin.

But as soon as she started talking, I could tell—

She was embarrassed.

Like somehow, it was her fault.

I recognized it.

Because I see this all the time with patients.

We talked about her life.

Because with my patients.

There’s no rush.

So we can talk.

The thing that we landed on.

She was in perimenopause.

And that was the cause of her weight.

For women in perimenopause, everything shifts:

Estrogen drops—slowing metabolism.

Cortisol rises—telling your body to hold onto fat.

Muscle mass declines—making it harder to burn calories.

That’s why she couldn’t lose weight.

Even though she was doing everything ‘right.’

She looked at me and said.

For the first time, “I feel heard.”

Because she had been struggling for years.

She’d thought about weight loss medication.

But she was hesitant.

Because of all the things she’d heard.

We talked.

About options.

About what would support her body.

Not just for weight loss—but for energy, strength, and confidence.

She decided to try it.

Alongside the right nutrition and movement.

And last week, she sent me a message.

She feels better.

More like herself.

And for the first time in years—hopeful.

The joint pain is gone.

She’s sleeping so much better.

And the weight is disappearing slowly.

I’m happy for her.

Because she took the first step.

And if you’re ready, I’m here to help you take it.

I know what it’s like to be ignored.

And I know how powerful it is to finally feel heard.

Talk soon,
Dr. Beckford

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