Avoiding the Menopausal Middle

Some days I feel like I am talking about the menopausal middle all day long. Many women in perimenopause and menopause start to gain weight in places they never knew existed on their bodies.  It is like their body is not their own and is now being inhabited by an alien takeover. 

Weight gain during this time is common for a variety of reasons.  One key to this season in life is linked to hormones.  Hormones are basically messengers that give the body signals about what to do, similar to traffic lights.  Hormones can control the immune system, metabolism, and reproduction, in addition to many other systems in the body.  During menopause these systems can change or become disrupted.

The hormone insulin becomes more dominant and resistant, which makes weight gain, especially around the middle exponentially easier.  The balance of what you ate and foods you tolerated your can now cause whole life cause problems.  Several studies show women who eat a low fat high carbohydrate diet during menopause gain more weight.  Shifting the diet towards more protein, healthy sources of fats and lowering starches is fundamental to keeping your weight under control.

A balanced health plan during menopause might look like:

• Regular meals and snacks with high-quality protein
• Fruits, vegetables and healthy carbohydrate sources at meals and snacks with avoidance of starchy and processed carbohydrates
• Healthy fats – from monounsaturated and omega-3 rich sources
• An exercise program incorporating cardiovascular and strength training
• Incorporating omega-fats into your diet such as ground flax seed and fish oil since they help rebalance hormones
  

Since bone loss occurs with changes in hormones and age, weight gain around the middle is more prevalent.  Weight training can stop muscle atrophy or bone losses, which will then increase the metabolic rate and stop or minimize weight gain.

In addition, exercise can assist with mood stabilization, reduction of hot flashes, anxiety and insomnia.  Yoga is extremely helpful with moods and symptoms of menopause.  Acupuncture also helps rebalance the systems of the body.

Having an individualized plan to cope with the hormone shifts and weight gain can be very helpful.  You can dismiss the alien in your body and reclaim your body – it might require shifting the balance of what you are consuming and adding other therapies such as weight training to achieve your goals.

Are you Eating More Carbs than you Think?

I hear more often than not – “I’m not eating any carbohydrates.  How is my body going to function?”

Just cutting out obvious sources of carbohydrate may be adding up to more carbs than you think.  How many carbohydrates does one need per day?

The answer to that question is very individual.  If you are a healthy active person who moderately exercises and wants to lose weight you may only need 150 grams of carbohydrate per day.  If you exercise more vigorously you may need more.  If you are diabetic and/or insulin resistant you may need a little less.

What types of foods contain carbohydrates?  I usually measure carbohydrates in terms of a slice of bread which contains 15 grams.  The obvious ones are potatoes, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.  A cup of rice has 45 grams of carbohydrate.  A half cup of grape nuts contains 47 grams of carbohydrate and a bagel has 60 grams!  

Fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, and dairy products contain carbohydrates as well.  One serving of fruit has 15 grams of carbohydrate.  A cup of non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli contains about 10 grams of carbohydrate.

One ounce of nuts which is about 20 almonds has about 6 grams of carbohydrate.  A cup of plain yogurt has about 15 grams.

Eating your carbohydrates mostly from fruits, veggies, nuts and plain dairy adds up to about 130-150 grams per day depending on the volume of food you eat.  If you add just 1 cup of rice and 2 slices of bread you bump up the total to a little over 200 grams.  Add a few pretzels or chips and you’re up to over 250 grams.

Condiments can also contain large amounts of carbohydrate.  Ketchup and barbecue sauce register at 10 grams for just 2 tablespoons.

Just cutting out the obvious carbs starchy or processed carbs may mean you may be following a balanced diet.  Moderation in terms of carbohydrate is the healthiest way to prevent inflammation and disease.  The body needs at least 70-80 grams of carbohydrate per day to function.  

True low carb diets of the past recommended 20 grams per day which is not in your best health interest.  Try adding up the carbohydrates you eat during the course of the day – you might be surprised at the number – and that the low carb diet is truly a thing of the past.