Putting on Weight When Life gets heavy!
Our constant battle with midlife weight gain.
The last year I have been navigating grief, caring for mum, moving internationally and getting settled into a new routine for my business. This has placed immense strain on my ‘meno brain’ and has led to a fair amount of comfort eating. As a nutritionist I know what I need to be doing so I am writing this as a reminder to refocus on the things that can help reduce midlife weight gain. I hope you will also find this useful.
Have you noticed your waistline expanding, your clothes feeling tighter and the scales creeping up? It can be frustrating, especially when the strategies that used to work no longer seem to make a difference.
Poor sleep, stress, comfort eating plus a change in post-menopausal hormones and before we know it we have become accidentally overweight.
Here are my tips and what I will be prioritising for the next few months.
Start with the foundations:
- Include as much organic protein-rich foods and plenty of varied plants
- Lift weights and do strength training to build muscle
- Prioritise sleep and make time for stress management, especially Tai-Chi, yoga and breathwork
- Notice changes in hunger, energy, digestion and activity
- Record body measurements rather than focusing only on the scales.
- Always drink water before and never during meals
- Don’t skip meals but reduce portion size by 30%
- No eating after 8pm
- Limit starchy foods such as rice and potato as the occasional treat
- Eat cruciferous veggies everyday including broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, radish and brussel sprouts
As a nutritionist, I help women navigate midlife changes with personalised nutrition and practical support for gut health, hormones, digestion and energy. Now it is time to take my own advice and put this plan into action.
If you’re struggling with weight changes, bloating or feeling unlike yourself I hope some of these tips will inspire you too.
If it is sleep that is holding you back, I highly recommend the free sleep recordings offered by Mindshift Mentors. Listening for 10 minutes at the end of the day can make a huge difference to a sound night sleep. Once you are getting a better night sleep you will have more energy to focus on lifting weights and eating mindfully.
You are welcome to come join our Nourish and Thrive community on Facebook here where I share weekly videos, recipes and ideas to support your gut and hormone health. Midlife weight gain isn’t always about eating more or trying harder. Changes in body composition, hormonal transitions, sleep, stress, activity and eating patterns can all play a role. Join us in our community to feel like you are not alone in navigating huge changes in life.
Book a consultation with Trish Tucker-May and take the next step towards feeling more comfortable, energised and confident in your body.