Kimberley Bell recently shared some of the information she’s learned about menopause and the changes it can cause in women’s bodies. You can read more from Kimberley here. If you’re looking for more support, you can book an appointment with her here.
Over the years working as a nutritionist, I’ve worked with women of all ages who come in with weight-loss or weight gain concerns. But one of the most common age brackets where I see weight concerns is those who have recently gone through menopause.
You may have noticed your body changing despite not really doing anything differently with your diet or exercise regime.
This can be stressful and frustrating, especially when there is this expectation to remain the same size all of your life.
But not just that, there is the pressure to continue comparing yourself with the bodies of women in their 20s and early 30s.
The thing is, we change, and it’s okay.
Let’s look into it a bit more so you understand why this is happening, and how to manage it.
Here’s what’s going on…
Estrogen has left the building. This means you no longer have the carbohydrate sensitising effect of estrogen.
In other words, you may not respond as well to the higher carb diet you’ve eaten most of your life.
This is normal.
It’s not about removing all carbohydrates. In fact, that can make matters worse if it disrupts your thyroid.
Instead, it’s just about finding out what level of carbohydrates your body responds best to in this new hormonal state.
You’re at a greater risk of thyroid dysfunction and may need thyroid support. Your thyroid controls things like temperature, growth, energy levels and metabolic rate.
If you are not producing enough of the T3 hormone, you might find it harder to keep your weight stable or you might struggle with low energy.
You can get these checked through your doctor, and discussed with a nutritionist to see if you need to add in specific nutrients or lifestyle changes to support your T3 production.
Note: Remember carbs are needed for T3 production! So remember it’s not about having zero carbs in your diet – don’t go to the extreme.
Your muscle mass decreases, and it becomes harder to build muscle.
Feel like your not seeing as many results from your gym training, or its just a very slow process?
Or have you noticed the muscle tone you seemed to maintain even without exercise is starting to go?
This is totally normal.
It’s much harder to gain muscle without your sex hormones, and it’s also harder to maintain it without resistance training. This then has a flow-on effect as your muscle mass gives you more carbohydrate tolerance and a faster metabolism.
If muscle mass is something that’s important to you, getting in enough protein, adding in resistance training, and learning how to fuel yourself correctly around your training session can really help. This will also help with your carbohydrate tolerance and metabolism — win-win.
These things may take some time to figure out and adjust, and certainly something I can help you with.
But here is something you can do RIGHT NOW to feel better about your body:
Start observing a wider range of bodies, and especially those in your age group. See how much body diversity there is? See how NORMAL you are.
How does this feel rather than comparing yourself to the younger bodies?
It’s okay to want to feel better in your body, but It’s important to do it from a place of kindness. This starts with accepting your body for as it is right now.
So please don’t compare yourself to younger women.
Some actions you can take today:
Experiment with a lower carbohydrate diet, ideally with a qualified professional who can ensure you don’t go too low to disrupt your thyroid function and show you how to make lower carb meals just as tasty and filling.
Stop comparing yourself of younger women to remove the pressure
Consider getting into strength training to support your metabolism.
If you are struggling with body image or are feeling out of control with what’s happening either through peri-menopause or post-menopause, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
You don’t have to navigate it on your own.
Much love
Kim xx