Beyond CICO: The Real Story of Weight Gain and Energy Balance in Menopausal Athletes

June 19, 2025 • Calories in calories out menopause • Energy availability in menopausal women • Menopausal weight gain and athletes • Menopause and muscle loss

Weight gain in menopause is often framed as a simple math problem: eat less, move more. But for menopausal athletes, the "Calories In, Calories Out" (CICO) model doesn't just fall short—it often backfires. This post unpacks what the science really says, and why a nuanced, physiology-informed approach is essential for health, performance, and body composition in midlife and beyond.

The Research at a Glance: Summary Table

CICO: What Works, What Doesn’t Let’s be clear: the CICO framework is based on physics. Energy can’t be created or destroyed. But applying that principle to human bodies—especially those navigating hormonal changes and high physical demands—gets messy fast.

Where CICO Falls Short for Menopausal Athletes:

Metabolic Adaptation: Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) drops slightly due to decreased physical activity and recovery efficiency. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) might not plummet, but even small declines matter.
Nutrient Partitioning: Estrogen influences how the body uses carbs and stores fat. Less estrogen = more visceral fat and impaired carb metabolism.
Recovery Debt: CICO doesn’t factor in increased inflammation, slower recovery, or higher protein needs that come with menopause.
Energy Availability (EA): CICO counts calories, but it doesn’t measure how much energy is left for critical functions after training.

The Role of Energy Availability (EA) Energy Availability = Energy Intake – Exercise

Energy Expenditure / Fat-Free Mass (FFM)

Low EA is a silent performance killer. Even in athletes eating what seems like "enough," poor timing or quality of intake can drop them into the danger zone:

Muscle loss
Mood and sleep disruptions
Bone density declines
Sluggish recovery and performance plateaus

Why Estrogen Matters Estrogen isn’t just a reproductive hormone. It supports insulin sensitivity, muscle preservation, fat metabolism, and appetite regulation. When it drops:

Carb tolerance drops
Fat storage increases (especially abdominal)
Satiety cues become less reliable
Recovery becomes more energy- and protein-demanding

So two athletes eating the same number of calories may get very different outcomes based on hormonal status, meal timing, protein intake, and training type.

Protein Is Queen Because of anabolic resistance, menopausal athletes need more protein to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS). The sweet spot:

1.8–2.2 g/kg body weight/day
Spread across 4+ meals
Prioritize leucine-rich sources

This doesn’t just preserve muscle—it supports satiety, bone health, and a stable metabolism.

Training and Recovery Adjustments Athletes can’t train like they did in their 20s and expect the same return on investment. Priorities shift:

Resistance training 2–3x/week to offset sarcopenia
Fuel before and after workouts to blunt cortisol and support EA
Sleep and stress management to reduce fat storage and inflammation

Practical Framework: Fueling Beyond CICO Instead of "eat less, move more," we coach:

Fuel to train: Prioritize carbs and hydration before intense sessions
Eat to recover: Protein + carbs within 30–60 minutes post-workout
Live to thrive: Don’t starve your system on rest days—adaptation happens here

CICO Is the Map, Not the Terrain Yes, energy balance matters. But how that balance is achieved in menopausal athletes requires respect for hormonal realities, training load, and recovery needs. If we want to preserve muscle, protect bone health, and maintain performance, we have to go beyond CICO.

Understanding this nuance isn’t just about weight—it’s about longevity, vitality, and sustainable athleticism in midlife and beyond.

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