During/after menopause women are far more carbohydrate reactive and stress sensitive.
This means that the carbohydrates that used to be okay to eat, that did not effect the waistline before, may now be too many.
The stress of exercise and lack of sleep that was tolerated fine previously, while still remaining lean, will now start to show itself on the waist as well.
Treating hormone imbalances requires a whole-body approach; the best approaches are often preventive and involve diet, exercise and other lifestyle-based strategies. For instance, both estrogen and progesterone are necessary in the female cycle, and their balance is key for optimal health. Many premenopausal women have an imbalance of these hormones. If you have insufficient levels of progesterone to counter excessive estrogen, this imbalance can be further exacerbated by chronic stress. Therefore, your answer might not necessarily lie in taking hormones, but rather addressing your stress levels so that your body can normalize your hormone levels naturally.
Together, a lower insulin promoting diet and a smarter stress-inducing exercising regime can make a huge difference.
The menopausal physiology is more carbohydrate reactive (estrogen is no longer there to help offset insulin) and more stress sensitive (estrogen and progesterone are not there to dampen cortisol’s negative effect).
To Address Your Hormone Imbalances, Address Your Diet FIRST.
This is true for all stages of life, not just throughout menopause!
So- a question I get all the time: What can I do? Do I stop eating all carbs…even the natural, healthy ones like sweet potatoes and rice??
My answer: See how your body responds by doing some trial and error… maybe try smaller portions for a week and watch biofeedback (hunger, energy, cravings) and fat loss. Another option would be to replace rice with extra fibrous veggies, and increasing healthy fat intake.
Women who are menopausal should look for ways to lower the impact of insulin in the body. How? Focus on lean protein, healthy fats and filling up on fibrous veggies and foods high in micronutrients. These will keep you feeling fuller longer and help to balance blood sugar. The worst thing a menopausal woman can do is to fill up on starch. Limit carb intake, focus on high protein, lots of HEALTHY fats, low sugar (even naturally-occuring sugars in fruits, etc), and low carb foods.
Here are a few things you can start doing TODAY:
Get enough sleep. A lack of sleep signals your body to release cortisol. The first and most important thing to help balance cortisol is to get enough sleep. Make rest and recovery a priority.
Practice stress-reducing activities. When possible, lower cortisol levels by doing restorative activities like leisurely walking. Take some quiet time to de-stress (even if it’s just 5 minutes!).
Avoid Overtraining. Exercise and weight training are extremely important. Not just being active, but the RIGHT type of exercise and not overtraining. Your body perceives exercise (of all types) as stress, which in turn raises your cortisol and makes it even harder to burn fat. Long-duration workouts cause elevated cortisol levels. They stress your body unnecessarily. For optimal recovery and hormonal balance, focus on short-duration, high-intensity workouts….like our BELLAtrix workouts!
Pick up the weights. By engaging in resistance training, menopausal women increase their glucose transporters without the need for insulin. This is why our circuits include heavy weights!
Rest. As mentioned above, cortisol is a stress hormone that can intensify insulin resistance. When you are insulin resistant, your body works harder to maintain balance. While blood sugar and blood fat levels fluctuate rapidly, the stressed out body of a menopausal woman is working overtime. Add to this decreased uptake of fuel for the cells, likely deficiencies in important vitamins and minerals, and overall metabolic stress and you will find that a woman who is insulin resistant, whether she feels it or not, is simply worn out. This makes REST (through sleep, as well as low-intensity, leisurely activities like leisurely walking and yoga) key. It serves to lower cortisol and help maintain metabolic balance.
Caffeine. If you believe you have issues with high cortisol levels, pay close attention to your caffeine intake. For people with normal cortisol levels, there is nothing wrong with daily coffee. But for people who already experience high levels of cortisol, caffeine needlessly causes potentially harmful spikes in this hormone. Even 200 mg of caffeine (one 12 oz cup of coffee) can increase blood cortisol levels by 30% in one hour. Remember, the problem is not the initial spike in cortisol, rather elevated levels over time. Consider limiting caffeine to the morning hours. You may need to cut out caffeine completely for a few weeks to monitor your body’s response.
Also, with the hot flashes- caffeine and alcohol (and sometimes chocolate) can trigger them. Relaxation methods (leisurely walking, meditation, herbal teas) and yoga if you feel one coming on can help.
Serotonin. Serotonin is often referred to as the “happy hormone.” It’s a relaxing chemical in the brain that impacts mood as well as cravings. Studies have shown that when you have high levels of serotonin in your brain, you’re less likely to crave sweets and carbs. Low levels of serotonin cause cravings as well as insomnia, depression and even low self-esteem. Be aware, cravings caused by low serotonin generally come on at night. There are plenty of ways to raise serotonin naturally through a healthy diet, plenty of sleep and the right types of exercise. Cocoa powder (not to be confused with chocolate, lol) also boosts serotonin levels substantially, so when in doubt…try some cocoa!
While it isn’t a walk in the park, it is survivable with minimal intervention, unless your symptoms interfere with daily life. As you journey through this time in your life, know that menopause weight loss is possible! With focus and determination, and armed with the right tools, you can experience a healthy and happy life, no matter what stage of life you’re going through!
The Bellatrix Fit Membership is designed to create sustainable fat loss, for life- through ALL stages of life! Balancing hormones is our #1 priority! Making it easier than ever to burn fat and keep it off- FOR LIFE!
Want to learn how to balance your fat fighting hormones and get in the best shape of your life- FOR LIFE? Join me and an INCREDIBLE online community of other ladies just like you to keep you motivated! This program is so effective and simple it works FOR LIFE.
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- Exact Monthly Schedule to Follow
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