Making Sense Of Women's Health
Welcome to "Making Sense of Women's Health," a podcast dedicated to helping women navigate the often complex and misunderstood aspects of their health. This podcast is inspired by a personal story that highlighted the gaps in our healthcare system.
After witnessing my sister’s struggle with early menopause and the challenges she faced in getting proper support, I realised the need for a more comprehensive approach to women’s health. Women deserve holistic care that addresses the interconnectedness of their bodies and minds, focusing on the root causes of their health issues.
In each episode, I aim to provide education, motivation, and practical tips to help you take charge of your health and wellness. I'll cover a wide range of topics, from pelvic floor health to menopause and beyond, featuring the latest research, expert insights, and inspiring stories from women who have overcome health challenges.
Join me as I create a supportive community where women can learn, share, and grow together. Let’s make sense of women’s health and empower each other to live healthier, happier lives. Thank you for being here!
Www.thriveandshinewomenswellness.co.uk
Making Sense Of Women's Health
Understanding Menopausal Weight Gain: Causes and Practical Solutions
In this episode, Roberta discusses one of the most common issues women face during menopause—weight gain, especially around the middle. She breaks down the underlying reasons, from hormonal changes to poor sleep and stress, and offers practical tips to help women regain control of their weight and overall health. Roberta also shares strategies like strength training, mindfulness, and nutrition tips, including the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and time-restricted eating.
Key Takeaways:
- Why Menopause Causes Weight Gain: Hormonal changes, including reduced oestrogen, affect fat distribution, leading to increased abdominal fat, including visceral fat, which can elevate health risks.
- Sleep and Weight Gain: Poor sleep during menopause disrupts hunger hormones, leading to overeating and cravings for unhealthy foods.
- Stress and Cortisol: High stress levels increase cortisol, which contributes to fat storage, particularly around the midsection, and triggers emotional eating.
Practical Solutions:
- Focus on whole foods and adopt the Mediterranean diet.
- Practice stress management techniques like mindfulness and yoga.
- Incorporate strength training and cardio into your routine to boost metabolism and improve insulin sensitivity.
- Try time-restricted eating to help regulate insulin and calorie intake.
- Prioritise sleep hygiene to restore hormone balance.
Resources Mentioned:
- Making Sense of Women’s Health Podcast Facebook Group
- Roberta’s Website for Workshops and Consultations
Join the Conversation:
Continue the discussion in our Facebook group: Making Sense of Women’s Health Podcast Community
Call to Action:
If menopausal weight gain is affecting you and you’re seeking more personalised guidance, visit Roberta’s website to explore workshops and consultations. You can also join our Facebook community for ongoing support and further discussions.
www.thriveandshinewomenswellness.co.uk
Supporting Women's Health Transitions with Education, Physiotherapy, Mentoring, Pilates, and Hypnosis.
Hello and welcome back to Making Sense of Women's Health.
I'm Roberta, and today we're discussing an issue that many women face during menopause, and that is weight gain. You might have noticed if you are peri or post-menopause that you have gained a little bit more weight, particularly around the middle, or you might be struggling to maintain your usual weight despite not making any big changes to your lifestyle.
The good news is that you are not alone, and there are reasons behind this weight gain. We're here today to understand them and address some of them. So, in today's episode, we're going to break down why the weight gain happens and what factors are at play. Then, I'm going to give you a few tips on how to manage these changes and maintain your health.
Let's start by looking at the why. So, why do we gain weight during menopause?
Firstly, we're looking at the hormonal changes. As we transition through menopause, our estrogen levels drop significantly. Estrogen actually plays a role in fat distribution, and when it decreases, fat tends to accumulate in the abdominal area, as well as everywhere else, but particularly around the middle. But this is not just superficial abdominal fat; we also get what we call visceral fat, which is fat that surrounds our internal organs and increases the risk of conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Additionally, abdominal fat produces a certain type of estrogen called estrone, which isn't the same as the "good" estrogen we had before menopause. This type of estrogen can have negative effects, increasing the risk of certain health conditions, including breast cancer. But the body holds on to it, thinking, "We're going to hang on to this estrogen," and that’s why we often struggle to get rid of that stubborn fat.
Another thing that can cause us to put on weight is sleep disturbances, which are really common during peri and post-menopause, whether that’s due to night sweats, anxiety, or just general restlessness. Poor sleep affects more than just our energy levels; it disrupts important hormones related to hunger and fat storage.
When we're sleep-deprived, we produce more of our hunger hormone, ghrelin, and less of leptin, which is the hormone that tells us when we're full. This hormonal imbalance can lead to overeating, especially cravings for high-calorie, sugary foods if we've had a bad night's sleep.
Another factor affecting our weight is stress, particularly cortisol, which is our stress hormone. Menopause often coincides with stressful times in our lives, whether that’s work, family, older parents, young children, other health concerns, or just dealing with the symptoms of menopause. Chronic stress increases our levels of cortisol, which contributes to weight gain, particularly around the middle.
Cortisol also triggers emotional eating, so many of us—me included—turn to food for comfort during stressful times, and the foods we reach for aren't exactly healthy. They’re not the salads, apples, and fruits. We often turn to sugary or processed foods, which, as you probably know, contribute to weight gain.
Another thing we need to be aware of is insulin and insulin resistance. As we age, especially during peri and post-menopause, our bodies can become more resistant to insulin. Insulin is the hormone responsible for managing our blood sugar levels, and when we become insulin-resistant, our bodies start to store more fat, especially in the abdominal area. This can make it harder to lose weight as our blood sugar levels fluctuate more, leading to cravings and energy crashes. Over time, insulin resistance can lead to diabetes.
We also experience reduced muscle mass and slower metabolism. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, and during menopause, this decline accelerates. Normally, muscle burns more calories than fat, even when we’re at rest. So, as our muscle mass decreases, our resting metabolism also slows down, making it harder to burn calories and maintain our weight.
On top of the physical changes that menopause can bring, there are also emotional challenges. Mood swings, anxiety, and depression are common during menopause, and these emotional shifts can lead to mindless eating or turning to food for comfort, even when we're not physically hungry.
Now that we've covered why we gain weight during menopause, let's look at some practical ways to manage it. These strategies can help you regain control and support your health:
1. Subconscious Changes:
Many women find that addressing the emotional and mental aspect of weight gain is crucial. Techniques like hypnosis, mindfulness, or journaling can help you recognize emotional eating patterns and deal with stress more effectively. Taking control of your mindset and subconscious habits can be a powerful tool in preventing weight gain.
Consider seeing someone who offers hypnosis, like myself, to address underlying emotional blocks and improve your relationship with food. Or, if you prefer, talking therapies or journaling can also help improve that relationship.
2. Setting Goals:
It's important to set goals that focus on health rather than just weight loss. Rather than obsessing over the number on the scales, think about building strength, improving fitness, or managing stress. For example, set a goal to walk a certain number of steps a day, add strength training to your routine, or aim to get to bed earlier to improve your sleep. These goals indirectly help with weight management but also improve overall health.
3. Nutrition:
As you're probably aware, diet plays a huge role in managing your weight. Particularly during peri and post-menopause, it's important to focus on whole foods—vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats. The Mediterranean diet is particularly good for managing menopause symptoms.
It’s also about avoiding highly processed foods that spike insulin levels and increase cravings. Consider trying time-restricted eating, where you eat within a specific window of time each day. This could be 10 hours or 12 hours, allowing your body more time overnight to digest and repair outside of that eating window. Time-restricted eating has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce calorie intake.
4. Sleep:
Since poor sleep can contribute to weight gain, it’s essential to improve your sleep hygiene. Prioritize creating a calm bedtime routine, avoid screens before bed, and make sure your sleep environment is comfortable—cool, dark, and quiet.
You might also try natural sleep aids like magnesium, but be sure to check with your doctor before taking any supplements.
If you want more tips about improving sleep, I did a previous episode all about sleep where I gave more detail on this topic.
5. Stress Management:
Reducing stress is key to managing cortisol levels and preventing emotional eating. Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help reduce cortisol and improve mood and energy levels. Even short mindfulness practices can make a big difference.
6. Exercise:
Both strength training and cardio are essential during menopause. Strength training helps maintain or build muscle mass, which boosts metabolism and burns more calories even at rest. It’s also good for bone health and many other menopause symptoms. Cardio, on the other hand, supports heart health and helps burn calories.
Simple weight-bearing exercises like walking, resistance training, or Pilates can make a big difference. Building muscle also improves insulin sensitivity, which, as mentioned earlier, is crucial for maintaining weight and preventing diabetes.
In conclusion, menopausal weight gain can feel really frustrating, but understanding the reasons behind it is the first step. Hormonal changes, sleep disruptions, stress, and a slower metabolism all play a role, but these are things you can work on and improve with the right approach.
By focusing on your mindset, setting achievable goals, and making small but impactful lifestyle changes, you can manage these shifts and take control of your health.
If you’re looking for more tailored guidance, check out my website, where I offer support through workshops and consultations. And as always, if you have any questions or need further support, feel free to reach out. I also have a Facebook group related to this podcast where you can pop in and ask questions or give me ideas for future episodes.
But for now, thank you so much for joining me. Until next time, take care of yourself, and remember, small, achievable steps can help you reach your ultimate goal. Bye-bye!