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Many women, in fact thousands of women complain everyday to me on social media that they are gaining weight during perimenopause and/or menopause and can't figure out what to do.
They are gaining weight around their waistline - it's getting thicker! They are gaining weight around the tops of their legs, hips and butt and for many it seams relenting.
Many women around the world agonise over this and for good reason too. You maybe working out, watching your diet, eating the same things you ate before your hormones went on an emotional rollercoaster but now... you are gaining weight like nobody's business.
There is a reason for this and its not your fault. The biggest take out is that YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR DIET.
Our body is going through big changes and the things we once could eat are no longer working for us.
Insulin can have various effects on women during menopause due to changes in hormonal balance and metabolic processes. Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman's reproductive years and is characterised by a decrease in the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormonal changes can lead to several metabolic and physiological shifts, which can in turn influence how insulin affects your body. Here are a few reasons why insulin may have different effects during menopause:
Weight Changes: Many women experience weight gain or changes in body composition during and after menopause. This can lead to an increased risk of insulin resistance, where your body's cells become less responsive to the effects of insulin. Insulin resistance can contribute to higher blood sugar levels and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Hormonal Changes: Estrogen plays a role in regulating insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. As estrogen levels decline during menopause, it can lead to alterations in insulin function. Some studies suggest that estrogen helps enhance insulin action, and its reduction can contribute to insulin resistance.
Distribution of Fat: During menopause, there's often a shift in fat distribution from the hips and thighs to the abdominal area. This visceral fat, located around the organs in the abdomen, is more metabolically active and can lead to insulin resistance and other metabolic disturbances.
Lifestyle Factors: Menopause can also coincide with lifestyle changes that can affect insulin sensitivity, such as decreased physical activity, altered dietary habits, and changes in sleep patterns. These factors can all influence how your body responds to insulin.
Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps glucose in your blood enter cells in your muscle, fat, and liver, where it's used for energy. When we go through menopause and with estrogen declining, our body's cells become less responsive and don't take up the glucose like it used to, so we have lots of glucose spare. So what does our body do? It stores it as FAT.
What spikes insulin quickly:
If your current diet consists of ANY of these or a LOT, then your body is in a fat storing frenzy! Our body can make more and more fat stores over and over again and that is why we gain weight. It's also due to Estrogen declining and our body can take estrogen from the fat it stores.
But we can do something about it.
The following are the basics of what you should and shouldn't eat.
White, Brown, Multigrain bread, all pastas (including those made from corn or lentils), white potato, sweet potato, oats, quinoa, corn, flour, oat flour, chickpea flour - all flours. Anything that is white or could be white, don't eat as these all spike insulin quickly and this is what we are trying to avoid.
Swap for:
These swaps are high in fibre and wont be converted into insulin. They are also good at keeping you full for longer.
2. No fruit
If you want to lose belly fat - then no fruit. Fruit is full of fructose and fructose spikes insulin.
3. No sugary drinks, sodas, fruit juice, no diet drinks
They all spike insulin.
4. Dairy
No fat, low fat or full fat milk or yoghurt - they all spike insulin
Swap milk for:
Many of you may be thinking what do I now eat for Breakfast. I love my eggs on toast, porridge or potato hash brown. Rather than thinking of Breakfast as breakfast, think of it as Meal No 1.
Meal No. 1 should be protein rich - around 30g of protein.
If you are sticking to the principles above (at near 100%) then every week add in a cheat day. This is a day where you get to eat whatever you like. Yes that means starchy carbs, fruit - all of the forbidden foods.
Just make sure that your first meal is a protein rich meal.
Stick by these rule above and you soon will lose your meno belly fat. 😀
Some research shows that bitter melon can have beneficial effects on reducing the waistline. One study found that consuming a capsule containing 4.8 grams of bitter melon extract each day led to significant decreases in belly fat.
