How I Weight Watchers: Lesley G.

Weight Watchers member Lesley G. knows that in your 40s, the only constant is change. Between moving to the Georgia countryside, navigating a massive home renovation, and raising two teen daughters, her life is a masterclass in pivoting. When perimenopause began shifting the rules of her own body, she didn't fight the transition — she optimized it. By focusing on protein, "gizmos" like her Oura ring, and the Weight Watchers for Menopause Program, she’s lost 35 pounds* and found a sense of peace that her 35-year-old self would envy. Here is how she does it.

I still eat carbs. It's not that I don't eat them, it's just that I need to prioritize the protein, and when you eat more protein, you're more full, and so I don't find myself snacking as much. In my experience, when focusing on the protein, my perimenopause symptoms are less severe — I’m way less moody and my cravings aren’t as bad.

I know myself: anything super restrictive is a non-starter. So, Friday night is the one meal I don’t track. Knowing that Friday always comes keeps me going. I stay within my Points^® all week, enjoy my Friday night with friends or family, and then get right back into the swing on Saturday.

I have two girls, 17 and 13. It feels a little cruel sometimes, because the hormones are intense on my end and on theirs. So, that can be a little difficult, but I do think it gives us all an understanding of each other. My girls have apps where they track their cycles, and it’s a great tool for them to know why their emotions are all over the place, and I’m doing the same. It’s a different time to be a woman, and I’m grateful for these tools.

The best version of me tracks my Points the night before. Especially if I know I’m going to a restaurant, I’ll build my day around that meal so I’m not blowing all my Points at breakfast and feeling stressed later.

I try to make choices that I know are going to make me feel my best. Sleep is so important. I’m in bed by 9 — I have no interest in staying up late. Then, I get up early the next morning and have that quiet time before everybody else gets up. That helps set me up for success because I’m running on a full tank.

I used to think I should work out to lose weight. Now, I move to balance my hormones and my blood sugar and to help with mental health. I’m very consistent about getting an hour of walking in a day — 10k steps is the goal. I have a walking pad for the winter, which is probably my favorite thing I own. It’s not about "burning calories" anymore; it’s about keeping my brain clear.

To anyone in a similar stage, I would just say, be so gentle with yourself. One of the most beautiful things about your 40s is that you sort of settle into who you are. I’ve worked really hard to get to this age of, you know, peace around who I am. Maybe you look at pictures of yourself at 30 and think, “I'm never gonna look that good again.” But I’m never gonna look this good again. Just appreciate every season for what it is.

I had a virtual visit with a Weight Watchers registered dietitian, and she helped me figure out how to reach my fiber goals. Basically: Just add fiber to what you’re already eating. If I’m having something like yogurt, I’ll just add some blueberries on top. If I’m having tuna salad for lunch, I sprinkle in some crackers.

So I use all the gizmos. I've got my Oura ring, which gives me lots of data about my body. I also love the new Weight Watchers app, which syncs with my ring. The new Weight Health Score feature shows how consistent you’re being with your habits, and it really motivates me to do better.

What works for me is doing a lot of the same meals during the week, which lessens decision fatigue. I’ll just use the “Add from yesterday” feature in the app, which makes tracking easy. I also do a lot of just whole-food-based meals, so it's not really recipes, which simplifies the planning in my brain. We do a lot of bunless burgers or rotisserie chicken with veggies. One Weight Watchers recipe I do use a lot is the high-protein beef bowl. It's ground taco meat with roasted sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, avocado, and a little hot honey with chili flakes. So simple. So good.