Menopause and peri-menopause are particularly challenging times for women’s metabolism as their hormones fluctuate wildly. The previously protective oestrogen levels plummet together with all the metabolic benefits including the prevention of lipid accumulation.
Just a puff of smoke – and it can happen from just 35 years old.
Much younger than many women expect.
Yet menopause is still viewed as a taboo subject, especially in the workplace, much like money and weight.
Metabolism
When your metabolism slows down that means you will gain weight even if you do not change your diet or activity levels.
You may also find that your adipose (fat) distribution changes too. For example, you may well find a thickening of the waist and larger breasts. The average woman gains around 5lbs during menopause.
Sleep
Many women also struggle with their sleep as a result of hot flushes (or flashes) and perhaps as a result they then reduce their activity levels.
If your lean mass reduces and your adipose levels increase then that means your basal metabolic rate, the rate you burn calories in the background before you do anything, reduces.
Unfortunately carrying more adipose around your middle and organs – something known as visceral fat – carries additional health risks such as heart disease and other chronic conditions. Being overweight or having obesity also carries a risk factor for many types of cancer, and insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, stroke and early death.
But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom.
There are many steps you can take to turn things around faster than you think.
Mindset
Focus on the things you can control such as maintaining a positive mindset. There are so many things we cannot control but our negative thoughts can always be replaced with positive ones. We can always choose to learn from challenges instead of always thinking, ‘Why me?‘ or ‘Oh no, not again!‘
Bedtime routine
I would encourage you to concentrate on a non-negotiable bedtime routine. If you plan your day one day in advance, things will flow much more easily and effortlessly.
Go to sleep early and see when your body naturally wakes up (when you don’t have to go to work or have any scheduled appointments the next day). If you struggle to get off to sleep try blue light-blocking glasses and avoid screens a few hours before sleep. Don’t eat or drink caffeine before bed either.
You deserve it!
Give yourself something nice to look forward to the next day such as going out to see a friend or arranging a phone call catch up. We are social creatures and thrive when we make time for this. It doesn’t have to involve food. It could be meeting in the park for a gentle walk.
Invest in some beautiful essential oils and diffuse them into your home. (I recommend doTerra). Buy some fresh flowers and hang a beautiful picture up in your hallway so you have something to welcome you home to.
Smile and choose to do more of what makes you happy.
Once you have done this, you can think about what you eat and drink.
If you build the right foundations, then the strongest houses can be built. But if you immediately force yourself to deprive yourself and make massive unrealistic unachievable goals you will flop and permanently fail at the first hurdle and feel like giving up.
Menopause and perimenopause are a transition from one period in your life to the next. There are positives and negatives. There is loss and excitement too. You can choose to fight it or you can choose to embrace it.
Which do you prefer to do?