Alright, ladies! So, menopause – that natural phase marking the end of our reproductive years – brings a whole bunch of changes to the table.
But you know what? One of the trickiest challenges many of us face during this time is managing our weight. Thanks to those pesky hormonal fluctuations, shedding pounds can feel like an uphill battle. But fear not! As we approach this stage in life, let’s dive into some grub choices that can be real troublemakers for menopause weight loss. Brace yourselves!
With all the changes that happen to our bodies as we approach menopause, there are certain types of food that do not serve us anymore and don’t do us any favors.
- Ultra-processed food
Ultra-processed foods have become incredibly popular due to their convenience and long shelf life. However, these foods pose a significant obstacle to menopause weight loss. Packed with added sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial additives, they include items like bacon, packaged snacks, sugary cereals, frozen meals, and sweetened beverages.
Ultra-processed foods are calorie-dense but lack essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber – all crucial for supporting overall health and managing weight during menopause. What’s more, their hyper-palatability makes it tough to control portion sizes and cravings, often leading to overeating. As a result, shedding those extra pounds becomes an uphill battle.
- Sugar and refined carbs
Those added sugars and refined carbs, like white bread, pasta, pastries, and sugary treats, aren’t exactly our best friends during menopause weight loss. Why? Well, they cause speedy spikes in blood sugar levels, leaving us feeling low on energy and ravenous in no time.
Menopause plays tricks on our hormones, and insulin, the blood sugar regulator, becomes more sensitive. So, when we indulge in too much sugar and refined carbs, it can lead to weight gain, especially around the belly area. And that’s not all – over time, it can even pave the way for insulin resistance, making losing weight an even tougher battle. So, let’s watch out for those sneaky sweet temptations!
- Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages, unfortunately, come with a downside when it comes to weight loss. They pack empty calories and can hamper our body’s fat-burning capabilities. Not to mention, they can lead to dehydration, disrupt our sleep, and make it tougher to shed those extra pounds.
It’s been scientifically proven that’s it’s hard to build muscle when you drink alcohol and building muscle is the best way to restore your metabolism when you’re over 40. But it is already hard to build muscle for women around menopause so you don’t want to make it impossible by consuming alcohol.
When we drink alcohol, our body gives it priority in metabolism over other nutrients, like fat. So, any fat we eat alongside those drinks is more likely to be stored rather than burned for energy. Not the best news for our weight loss goals, right? So I always want to remind women to avoid drinking alcohol as much as they can and be mindful of its impact on our waistlines. Cheers to a healthier journey!
