While I have not gone through The Big “M” aka menopause quite yet, I can share some top secrets that women need to know about weight gain during menopause.
I have dealt with hormonal imbalances since my early 20’s when I had to have a partial alpingectomy-oophorectomy. This is where they remove an ovary and fallopian tube.
This left me feeling as though I was going through menopause at 21. I suffered from hotflashes, mood swings, and all the other nasty symptoms of menopause.
I am going to share with you some of the secrets to combating menopause weight gain… especially around the middle.
You can use a few helpful strategies to “outsmart” the hormone changes that are attempting to wreak havoc with our metabolisms…
Practice Intermittent Fasting (IF) for Menopause Weight Gain
Practicing intermittent fasting is going to be key for women especially during menopause. I personally have practiced IF for a couple of years now, and it definitely has aided in keeping the weight off especially around the middle.
So what is Intermittent Fasting?
It is simply fasting for 16 hours a day and then eating within a consecutive 8-hour window. If you are solely practicing IF, you can eat anything during the eating window period. Alternatively, there is a 5:2 method of fasting – eat normally for 5 days out of the week and fast for 2 of them (500 calories max). I utilize and recommend 16 hour fast – 8-hour eating window each day, but each essentially shows the same health benefits:
*Diminishes body’s glucose reserves burning fat (rather than glucose) for fuel
*Increases energy
*Improves memory and cognitive function
*Reduces insulin resistance
*Builds physical and mental resilience
I personally use Bulletproof Coffee utilizing Amp Coffee to help with food cravings and hunger.
Eliminate (or at least extremely limit) the Amount of Added & Simple Sugars
Eliminating simple sugars is the best option. Not only will it decrease the severity of menopausal symptoms, but also it will reduce the frequency of them. A win-win right there!
I understand eliminating simple sugars can be so challenging for us. The desire for simple sugars goes way beyond just mild interest. You are wired to want it and learning to resist the sugars is hard.
In his book, The End of Overeating, Dr. David Kessler MD explains the breakdown:
“When you taste foods that are highly palatable (such as foods containing excess sugar and salt), your brain releases opioids into your bloodstream. Opioids are brain chemicals that cause you to have intense feelings of reward and pleasure, as well as relieving pain and stress. The pleasurable effect is similar to the feelings that morphine and heroin users experience. The desire may be so intense that you keep asking one bite after another: it can be hard to stop.”
I teamed up with a friend, Lisa Bolivar, a nutritionist and Keto Expert about the challenges with weight gain during menopause and sugars, and she shared with me a simple Guide to Overcoming Sugar Cravings. Be sure to grab a copy of it here so you can strategies to help you overcome your sugar addictions.
Exercise Regularly
Add a few brisk walks to your schedule each week. I added a 2 mile walk during quarantine and I have kept it up. I can share that moving my body helped me in so many ways mentally and physically. It’s a good idea to throw in some weights. If we are not doing weight-bearing exercise, our muscle mass will decrease, leading to a decrease in our basal metabolic rate. This leads to – you guessed it – unexplained weight gain! Throwing in cardio with weights will keep you burning calories for longer after your workout, so that’s another win-win.
Lower Inflammation in the Body
Inflammation in the body can lead to many health challenges. Inflammation is bigger than just the physical appearance we notice when we are “bloated”. When you have chronic inflammation, your body’s inflammatory response can eventually start damaging healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Over time, this can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, and internal scarring. All of these are linked to the development of several diseases, including: cancer.
To help eliminate inflammation not only during menopause you can eat a diet that helps fight inflammation . This diet may include inflammation fighting foods such as:
Anti-inflammatory foods
- tomatoes.
- olive oil.
- green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards.
- nuts like almonds and walnuts.
- fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines.
- fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.
I have also found a simple 3 step system that is affordable which helps with all of the above strategies.
I have been using this simple system since December 2020, and I have found my night sweats have gone away, less bloat, less cravings for sugar, better sleep, and some weight loss.
Don’t just trust me:
Several other women in the free facebook group have shared their menopausal success using the simple system known as the triad.
“Definitely a game changer for menopause! My Mood isn’t all over the place and hot flashes are down for sure.” Becky W.
“I was in full menopause, anxiety through the roof, bad depression, daily IBS flare ups, very high blood pressure and bad migraines. I used to bloat with anything I would drink or eat. I too have not had any of those since starting. I also lost 2 pant sizes and weight of almost 20 lbs.”
If you are suffering from menopause or simply have bloating, inflammation, weight gain, digestive issues, you owe it to yourself and your family to check out the what is quickly becoming #1 Gut Health System in the world.
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