How Do I lose My Menopausal Weight?

 You Don’t Have To Put On Weight During Menopause Or During Xmas!

We are now entering the festive season and you may be concerned about managing your menopausal weight during this food intense month. If you want to learn how to avoid weight gain and lose weight have a listen to my conversation with Julie Kennedy on her podcast Fabulous After Fifty.

Do you feel like you eat healthily and workout but now there's a layer of fat around your stomach that wasn't there before? You aren't alone.

Not everyone gains weight during menopause but most women notice a redistribution of weight. This may be due to hormonal changes that occur during this time, with the reduction in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone there is an increase of fat deposition in the mid-section/abdominal area. Furthermore, we naturally become more resistant to insulin as we age, which is linked to an increased difficulty in weight loss.

Along with hormonal changes and loss of muscle, changes to eating patterns and reduced physical activity can lead to menopause weight gain, especially weight gain in the stomach area. Losing weight can help with relieving menopausal symptoms.

Have a listen to the podcast episode below to learn more.

How to avoid menopause weight gain:

Eat more whole foods while cutting back on ultra-processed items

It is important to focus on including an abundance of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and plant-based protein sources like tofu, beans and lentils and healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds, butter and ghee. A Mediterranean style diet is a healthy eating style that has been shown to improve weight management.

Eat phytoestrogen rich foods.

Phytoestrogens are naturally-occurring compounds found in plants that belong to a group of substances called polyphenolic compounds. They have a similar chemical structure to oestrogen and often behave in a similar way when ingested into the body. Increasing your phytoestrogen intake during perimenopause and menopause may help relieve symptoms.

They may also support weight loss as they’re high in protein and soybeans, tofu, and tempeh are known for having the highest isoflavone content.

Eat your fibre

Getting enough fibre in your diet is important for healthy digestion and certain high-fibre foods, such as flaxseeds, have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity.

Avoid snacking

Eat when you are hungry and avoid grazing on food throughout the day.

Focus on stress and sleep management

Stress and sleep are very important factors that affect a multitude of hormones that affect metabolism cortisol, insulin, ghrelin and leptin, just to name a few. Stress not only affects hormones that can lead to weight gain but can also make us cope by turning to 'sugary comfort foods' that are calorie-dense and lead to weight gain.

 Get moving

Physical activity, including aerobic exercise and strength training, can help you maintain a healthy weight. As you gain muscle, your body burns calories more efficiently which makes it easier to control your weight.

Choose dark chocolate

Everyone likes to indulge in a bit of chocolate  go for good quality dark chocolate which contains beneficial antioxidants, less sugar and is free of additives.

Limit alcohol 

Alcohol is not the friend of us menopausal ladies! Alcoholic beverages add excess calories to your diet and increase the risk of gaining weight amongst other things. If you do have the odd drink alternate alcoholic drinks with sparkling or still water.

Breakfast is key!

Eat protein for breakfast and you’ll reap the benefits for the rest of the day. Research shows that protein like that in eggs, will make you feel fuller, give you lasting energy and prevents the need to snack.

Get the support you need

If menopausal symptoms are affecting your daily life and making it hard to exercise and eat well, ask your doctor about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT).

MHT can also reduce the risk of some chronic diseases including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It may also help to reduce belly fat after menopause.

Remember, successful weight loss at any stage of life requires permanent changes in diet, mindset and exercise habits. Commit to lifestyle changes and enjoy a healthier you.

You can also watch it on YouTube below.

If you are struggling with your menopausal weight and would like to know how I can help please feel free to book a complementary call with me and we can discuss how to get you feeling great again.