Are you trying to lose belly fat or other body fat you’ve gained in perimenopause or menopause?
Where do you begin?
This question, that I get a lot, can lead to overwhelm and frustration.
Overwhelm because there are so many exercise programs, diets, and ideas out there.
And frustration because what worked years ago doesn’t seem to be working anymore.
So, I want to share what I’ve found to be the BEST place to start if weight loss is your goal – and you’re in perimenopause (or menopause.)
Here we go…
EXERCISE – It’s not effective for weight loss, but…
When I was younger, EXERCISE was the thing I counted on and recommended to others.
I’d…
Go for a run.
Do a workout.
Sweat it out!
Now, in mid-life, I know this “exercise first” approach doesn’t work.
Exercise is great for all kinds of reasons.
But it’s not effective for weight loss.
Strange, right?
I mean we were always told “calories in, calories out”…
So why, if exercise burns calories, would you not lose weight by exercising?
Hormones.
A change in hormones in perimenopause means that your body isn’t easily storing energy in your muscles, or releasing fat.
So, calories aren’t used or burned as effectively.
There’s a lot of science behind it, but it all points to exercise not being the best place to start.
However, exercise has many health benefits, so I do believe it should part of your life as you move into menopause.
Next up… Food.
FOOD – Focus on eating habits, not food, for weight loss
Issues with food go beyond the calories.
But calories are a popular place to begin.
Calorie restriction in particular.
As I mentioned, weight loss in perimenopause isn’t as simple as reducing calories.
Instead, the focus needs to shift to food quality.
Fiber, macronutrients, micronutrients, phytonutrients, anti-oxidants,…
You can’t boil food down to calories.
For example, a donut has as many calories as a chicken breast.
However, a donut will spike your insulin and end up around your middle.
Not to mention, one donut will cause you to crave more donuts, and it will leave you feeling hungry minutes later.
A chicken breast, on the other hand, is mostly protein, and it will fill you up and keep you satisfied for hours.
Then there’s emotional eating.
Most of the time you don’t eat because you’re hungry.
You eat because you feel bored, excited, anxious, sad, happy,…
You also eat because it’s 8am, or noon, or 6pm.
Or you eat because everyone else is eating.
So, if you want to lose weight through changing food or eating habits, don’t make it about calorie restriction.
Instead, work on eating habits.
Like eating only when you’re hungry, eating slower, eating until satisfied, eating mostly whole foods, and eating what you planned.
Without banning any specific food.
Enjoy all foods, but enjoy them consciously.
Now, eating habits could be a good place to start for weight loss…
But I think there’s something even more effective.
Let’s look at stress…
STRESS – Awareness and management of your stress is a great place to start
Stress is possibly tied for the best place to start when you want weight loss in mid-life.
And by stress I don’t necessarily mean the stress associated with a deadline or an event.
Although, it is part of it.
What I mean by stress is mostly the lower level, less obvious, but almost constant stress caused by not dealing with things.
It can feel like a hum in the background (devices?), or like something is off.
You don’t feel like yourself.
Maybe you’re regularly avoiding difficult feelings or situations, or you’re people pleasing, or you’re putting on a happy face and feeling anything but.
Dealing with stress starts with becoming aware of all the areas of your life where you’re avoiding feeling bad…
And then finding an outlet.
Release stress through writing, screaming (into a pillow works well), talking to someone, meditation, or moving your body…
When other animals want to release stress, they move…
I love that dogs shake and ducks flap their wings vigorously in order to relieve tension.
And when you, as a human, release stress, you lower the hormone, cortisol, and enable fat loss.
And you also reduce other weight related issues like bloating and inflammation.
We all need to let go of chronic stress, so how are you want to begin?
And then there’s sleep…
SLEEP – The best place to start if your sleep is compromised
Getting enough sleep may be THE most important factor in perimenopausal weight loss.
Especially if you’re not getting enough good quality sleep.
Too little sleep and your body doesn’t have the time or calm environment to repair and replace cells.
And without enough sleep your cortisol/melatonin cycle gets off track, derailing your metabolism, and having energy and craving food when you ideally should be sleeping.
Not to mention, when you haven’t had enough sleep, your food choices tend towards fast, easy, and very palatable (like all packaged foods are designed to be.)
When we’re young, we frequently push aside sleep as unimportant.
But sleep, in my books, is the number one place to start for weight loss in mid-life.
Create a bedtime routine.
Make sleep the most luxurious, tempting part of your day.
One third of your life is spent in sleep, so it’s not a formality or something to just get through before tomorrow begins…
Sleep is a giant part of being alive!
Your body is doing super important things, like getting rid of toxins and creating new cells, while you slumber.
So, set yourself up for a good night of restful sleep.
Make your bedroom calm and cool, take 30 minutes to an hour to get yourself ready for bed, remove distractions, make it dark, and wear (or don’t wear) what’s most comfortable.
And if you wake up during the night, get out of bed, find something calm to do without screens, make a cup of warm water, milk, or herbal tea, and lull yourself back into sleepiness.
If your mind going a hundred miles an hour, take pen to paper and write it out, no matter how messy or grammatically incorrect.
Find calm.
Get back to bed.
Make the most of the rest of the night.
And don’t let the bed bugs bite.
SUPPORT – Another fabulous way to begin
Surrounding yourself with people who have the same goals, or already have the characteristics you want, is powerful!
Support is huge when it comes to weight loss and creating a healthy life.
This fall, in the Belly Fat to Belly Fit program, you’ll get that support.
Not only regarding weight loss, but all aspects of the life you’re trying to create beyond perimenopause.
You’ll get accountability.
You’ll get to learn and try new things with others.
You’ll be able to share and connect and talk about what’s working.
And you’ll get a whole group of cheerleaders.
Including me, your coach.
Let’s move forward together.
Debbie
P.S. Have questions about how life coaching or Belly Fat to Belly Fit can help you? I’d love to answer your questions and help you move forward.
P.P.S. Belly Fit Yoga begins on Tuesday! Join us in class, or join me as a coaching client and get access to all my yoga classes for free 🙂