When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Too many facial lines to be laughed at any more, double chin appearing, boobs starting to head South in spite of the best support and, perhaps worst of all, an expanding tyre around the middle that doesn’t seem to shift, no matter what exercise or dieting you do? Did you ever do a double take as you walked past a mirror to realise that that woman was actually you?
It’s almost as if your fat cells take on superpowers while you sleep, adding inches in the space of just a few hours. And all those tricks you had up your sleeve in your 20s and 30s for quickly shaving of half a stone before the summer holidays just don’t work anymore, despite your dedication and willpower. You might even be at an age where your children are heading into their teenage years and an empty nest is just a whisker away. And then what? Is this it? Is this as good as it is going to get? The ‘midlife’ years can be a challenge for all sorts of diferent reasons and, yes, weight loss is harder during this time.
I want you to know that it’s not your fault. It might be your hormones. How I wish I could tell you there was a magic pill and, just by taking it, you’d automatically revert back to the woman you were 20 years ago … Sadly, it’s not quite that straightforward. The rules are different when it comes to weight loss once you’re over 40, that’s for sure. It’s a path you need to navigate carefully to find your own magic formula. But losing weight, regaining your energy, getting back to your best is possible with the right advice, and some support along the way.
You may not have given your hormones a second’s thought before but, given the rollercoaster you are on right now, it’s worth having some understanding of what’s going on chemically inside you and the impact it’s having.
WHERE ARE YOU OUT OF BALANCE?
OESTROGEN: Progesterone levels fall rapidly as you ovulate less as regularly and, although oestrogen is decreasing, too, it’s falling at a slower rate, meaning you can end up being oestrogen dominant (that’s too much oestrogen in proportion to progesterone).
THYROID The thyroid is your internal motor and it comes under increased pressure in your 40s. Imagine a record playing at a reduced speed … That’s what happens when your thyroid is struggling to keep up. Low levels of thyroid hormones can bring mood changes, weight increases, constipation and a sluggish feeling. Your hormones work together synergistically. When one or more is out of kilter, there is an effect on the others, too. This is especially true where the thyroid and adrenal glands are concerned.
CORTISOL The stress hormone cortisol, made by the adrenal glands, can also increase (particularly if you’re used to spinning too many plates), making sleep more difficult and leading to weight gain. Rather comically, we have not evolved a great deal since caveman times, when the big stressor was the sabre-toothed tiger and we had to keep the energy round the middle, so it could be easily accessed when we needed to run away from that tiger.
So, what should you eat? This means it’s more important than ever to switch from whatever kind of diet you’re on now to a low GL (glycaemic load) diet that balances your blood sugar levels. This means you will be eating foods that do not trigger as much insulin secretion in response to what you eat. I appreciate that might sound a bit scientific and possibly a bit scary, but eating this kind of diet really is enjoyable and filled with foods you’d probably heard you couldn’t eat, like good fats, avocados and eggs! A blood sugar balancing diet like this focuses on real food: meat, fish, eggs, tofu, lentils, beans and chickpeas, lots of veg, some fruit, nuts, seeds, and wholegrains.
For more information how nutritional therapy can help with peri-menopause and menopause symptoms, contact Aine on 07833 740043 or visit www.goodfoodnutrition.co.uk and book your FREE mini consultation today. You don’t have to accept these symptoms as normal. Get your ZING back and feel fabulous everyday
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