Understanding Body Composition Changes at Midlife

For many women, midlife is a time when the body feels like it’s changing shape, often without any major change in diet or exercise. Weight may seem harder to manage, muscle tone can fade, and bones and joints may feel more fragile. These shifts aren’t just about “getting older” — they reflect deeper changes in body composition.

What is Body Composition?

Unlike a bathroom scale that only shows weight, body composition looks at what your body is made of. It breaks down into four key elements:

• Fat – both subcutaneous fat (under the skin) and visceral fat (around organs). Visceral fat is particularly concerning as it increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

• Muscle – essential for strength, mobility, and metabolism. Muscle mass naturally declines with age unless actively maintained.

• Bone – the skeleton provides support and protection, but bone density often decreases in midlife, especially after menopause, raising the risk of osteoporosis.

• Fluid – hydration is vital for circulation, nutrient delivery, and waste removal. Fluid balance may shift in midlife, sometimes showing up as bloating, swelling, or dehydration.

• Connective tissue – including tendons, ligaments, and fascia. These tissues provide structure and mobility but are heavily influenced by declining estrogen. Reduced elasticity can contribute to joint stiffness, loss of flexibility, slower recovery, and a greater risk of injury.

Why Does Body Composition Change?

Several factors influence these shifts at midlife, including:

• Hormonal changes – Declining estrogen and progesterone alter fat distribution, often leading to increased abdominal fat and reduced bone density.

• Metabolic slowdown – Muscle loss reduces metabolism, making it easier to gain fat even with the same food intake.

• Lifestyle factors – Less physical activity, stress, sleep disruption, and suboptimal nutrition can accelerate unfavourable changes.

• Genetics and health history – Family patterns of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, or obesity may also play a role.

The Importance of Testing

When it comes to body composition, the old saying holds true: you can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Simply relying on weight or BMI doesn’t give you the full story. That’s why baseline testing — and ongoing tracking — is so valuable.

InBody body composition scans provide a detailed breakdown of what’s really happening inside your body. An InBody scan shows you:

• Total fat mass and visceral fat (the fat surrounding your organs)

• Muscle mass across your whole body and in specific regions (arms, legs, trunk)

• Water balance, including intracellular vs extracellular fluid distribution

• Segmental analysis to highlight areas of imbalance or weakness

• Phase angle measurement – a marker of cellular health, integrity, and resilience

By having this data, you can:

• Create a personalised plan for fat loss, muscle building

• Detect imbalances early and track improvements over time

• Stay motivated by seeing objective results beyond the scale

• Set realistic, measurable goals for long-term midlife health

• Monitor cellular vitality over time through phase angle changes 

Grip Strength: A Window Into Longevity

One of the simplest — yet most powerful — measures of overall health is grip strength. Research shows that lower grip strength is linked with:

• Reduced muscle mass and function (sarcopenia)

• Higher risk of falls and fractures

• Increased likelihood of chronic disease

• Shorter lifespan and reduced health span

Grip strength is considered a reliable biomarker of ageing because it reflects both muscular and nervous system health. The stronger your grip, the better your chances of maintaining independence, vitality, and longevity.

How to Support Healthy Body Composition

The encouraging news is that body composition is not fixed — and it can be measured and improved. Some key steps include:

• Build muscle through strength training – Resistance exercise helps preserve lean tissue and boosts metabolism. 

• Support bone density – Weight-bearing exercise, and adequate nutrient of key bone building nutrients are crucial.

• Manage fat distribution – Nutrition that balances blood sugar, reduces inflammation, and supports hormones can help reduce visceral fat.

• Optimise hydration – Drinking mineral-rich water and supporting electrolytes helps maintain healthy fluid balance.

The Role of Advanced Devices

Alongside nutrition and lifestyle strategies, innovative devices can also play a role in maintaining muscle, bone, and connective tissue health.

One example is the Hypervibe G-Force whole-body vibration platform. Originally developed from technology designed by NASA to help astronauts maintain muscle and bone strength in space, this device stimulates muscles, bones, connective tissues and fluid movement through controlled vibration.

In midlife, when body composition naturally changes, short sessions on devices like the G-Force can complement exercise routines by:

• Increasing muscle activation and strength

• Supporting bone density through mechanical loading

• Enhancing flexibility and resilience of connective tissues

• Boosting circulation to deliver oxygen and nutrients more effectively

• Improving lymphatic flow, helping reduce swelling and support detoxification

• Supporting fluid balance, which can ease bloating and puffiness

It’s a safe, time-efficient way to add another layer of support to body composition and long-term vitality.

Understanding your starting point is the key. With tools like body composition scans, you can track fat, muscle, bone, and fluid separately — and create a plan tailored to your unique midlife needs.

An Invitation to Reset

If you’d like to go deeper, I’m hosting the Woman’s Midlife Reset Day Retreat on Sunday 19th October at MitoCore – Edgecliff, Sydney.

The morning session is dedicated to body composition — including a detailed InBody scan (measuring fat, muscle, fluid balance, and phase angle for cellular health), small-group education, and practical strategies to help you reduce visceral fat, build muscle, support bones and care for your connective tissues.

You’ll also get the chance to experience the G-Force vibration platform for yourself, and see how this NASA-inspired technology can support muscle, bone, circulation, lymphatic flow, and fluid balance.

We’ll also test your grip strength — a simple but powerful predictor of longevity and overall health.

It’s an educational day filled with testing, hands-on experiences, and small-group learning, designed exclusively for midlife women.

Only 10 spaces are available.
👉 [Reserve Your Spot AUGUST 31 Here]