Have you been dealing with weight gain year after year?
First things first: stay on top of your medical check ups, especially if you are a woman in your 40s, and keep a close eye on your health. Diseases like hypothyroidism and diabetes may be causing that weight gain among other issues.
As we age we start to lose muscle mass, this is a natural process. Less muscle means less calories burned. Couple that with the fact that we are living sedentary lives (the average Canadian sits for 8+ hours a day) and you get a recipe for weight gain.
Our changing hormones are also rubbing salt into the wound. Estrogen and progesterone, the main female sex hormones, start to go all over the place about 5 years before going through menopause. These fluctuations affect the way our bodies handle insulin (hence we have a harder time with sugars/carbs), our mood, bone density and they also contribute to the perimenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes.
And finally let’s not forget about stress. Those long days at the office, life demands, kids, partners….
There is so much we can do to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. Here are 3 things to focus on:
Build muscle: yes, it is harder to do when your physiology seems to be against you but it is doable. Strength training is your friend, plus fueling your body right (protein up!) especially around your workouts. Forget the idea of fasting and exercise, they do NOT go together. Rest and sleep are also key for muscle growth.
Improve gut health: Bring on the fiber. Feeding the good bacteria in our gut is great for physical and mental health. I am talking about whole grains, beans, cruciferous vegetables and probiotic foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi.
Find ways to manage stress. The odd day at the spa will not cut it! We need strategies to support our nervous system to move from a ‘fight or flight’ state to a ‘rest and digest’ state. I have found that journaling, spending time outdoors and exercise have helped me greatly. Connecting with people, like really connecting not just through social media, has also been amazing.
It is not too late to start making small changes to your diet and lifestyle that will allow you to feel and look great at 40 and beyond.