I’m doing everything the same, but I am gaining weight!
This a common complaint among perimenopausal women I speak to, so why do we gain weight in midlife? Read on to see why simply consuming the same as always might be contributing to your weight gain.
It’s estimated we need around 200 kcals per day less during midlife. Now, I’m not one for calorie counting but it demonstrates clearly how you need less energy.
You may not be sleeping well or experiencing joint or muscle aches and pains which mean those early morning workout sessions suddenly don’t seem so appealing. Likewise, you are too shattered at the end of the day to do anything then. So, you start moving less.
We lose muscle mass as we age which means, you guessed it, we need less energy. And if you are exercising less as above then this is a double whammy.
Midlife can be stressful! You may have aging parents who need your support, hormonal teenagers, increased responsibilities at work, not to mention the hormonal rage you feel trying to juggle everyones needs. Cortisol and other stress hormones are known fat blockers and contribute to this perfect storm. This might also push you to seek emotional comfort from alcohol or sugary snacks.
So, you can see why eating as you always did might be part of the problem, but once you understand what is happening you can start to turn the tide.
SOLUTIONS TO MIDLIFE WEIGHT GAIN
Portion control
It’s unfair but as we reach midlife the amount of calories we need on a daily basis reduces by about 200 calories, so that little snack here or extra bit of dinner there quickly adds up.
Try to stick to three well balanced meals per day. Base your meals around nutrient dense wholefoods such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables, beans, nuts and pulses and you can’t go far wrong. Add to this a little seafood or lean meat, eggs and dairy and this provides a diet rich in protein and healthy fats which supports hormone production.
Make sure you try new recipes that excite you, it’s important that you look forward to your meals so you don’t fall back on unhealthier recipes. I have a page dedicated to menopause friendly recipes that you may find useful.
A great tip is to prepare some vegetables at the beginning of the week, so it’s easy to go to the fridge and top up your meals with plenty of goodness.
Watch your carbohydrate intake
There is a direct correlation between lowering oestrogen and insulin resistance which contributes towards weight gain. This is exacerbated by a high carbohydrate, high sugar diet. Focus on reducing bread, pasta (your cooked serving should be no bigger than your fist) pastries and cakes. Avoid fruit juices and smoothies, even your homemade version that you think is good for you.
Try out some alternatives such as quinoa, pearl barley, or fill up with beans and pulses. These are also great sources of fibre, which is important to prevent constipation and help manage your symptoms.
An extremely important aspect of this is managing your alcohol consumption. Even if you are completely on top of your diet, you can blow this out of the water by drinking half a bottle of wine every night.
It’s really worth noting here, that I say ‘lower carbohydrate’ not Keto, which can make some of your symptoms worse. You should be aiming for moderate consumption here and this is easily achievable by making the tweaks I’ve suggested in your daily diet.
Sleep
So underrated but so important! OK, I know getting a decent nights sleep might be difficult due to other symptoms you may be experiencing but a few tweaks to your routine may help. Not eating too late, not drinking caffeine past 2 pm and better control of your blood sugar should help with this. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, turn off the television in the bedroom, take a cool shower and make sure you’re not checking your emails.
If you find you wake up at a regular time during the night, you may need a small snack an hour before bed. Nut butter and an oat cake would be a good choice to help see you through until the morning.
When we are tired we make poor food choices. The hormones that regulate hunger also become out of balance when we don’t get enough sleep. This drives us to consume more high fat, high sugar foods, meaning that you are fighting a losing battle. Better sleep should lead you to gain better control of cravings and your appetite.
A recent study also showed how decreased sleep, combined with decreasing oestrogen leads to increased fat storage. You can read more about that here.
There are also certain supplements that can help aid sleep, however there isn’t much point in adding these in until you have improved your day-to-day diet. So, I’ll leave this as a post for another day.
You are not alone
Midlife weight gain is a common issue for peri/menopausal women, so please don’t feel you are alone. Knowing you can modify your diet helps you regain some control and puts you on the road to feeling like yourself again. Use this as an opportunity to change your mindset around food and create a lifestyle that doesn’t involve diets.
I do understand that joining the dots when you are in the midst of debilitating brain fog or feeling completely overwhelmed by your circumstances can feel like an impossible task. I am here to guide you through this using my gentle approach. To book an appointment or to arrange a no obligation chat, use my contact form below or drop me an email.