We’re not going to lie. Losing weight can be a challenge. Add post-40 hormonal changes to the equation and it becomes a complicated dance. But the good news is weight loss is achievable.
If you’re like the average woman, you feel like the moment you take your foot off the pedal weight begins to creep on. If you eat what you like, begin to drink wine more regularly and indulge a little, before you know it – a kg here and a kg there creeps on and whammo your clothes are tight.
Or, in another scenario, you’ve hit 40, you’ve never had any weight gain issues and all of a sudden it’s piling on even though you haven’t changed anything. There are reasons for this, but don’t worry it is reversible once we sort out what’s happening with your hormones.
Following are a few tricks to help you drop a few kgs.
1. Intermittent Fasting
One of our all-time favourite weight management tools is intermittent fasting (IF). IF involves extending the time period between eating and is a pretty simple and flexible trick.
How IF works: your body burns glucose as its first source of fuel. IF depletes glucose levels so the body switches to burning its secondary fuel source – fat.
There are several different ways to practise IF:
We’ve found the best option for most people is 16/8 – fasting for 16 hours with an eating window of eight hours. You could choose to have your first meal at 10am and close the kitchen at 6pm. Or you might do 11am-7pm, 12pm to 8pm or 8am to 4pm. Whatever works to fit your lifestyle.
Other people eat as usual for five days and restrict their calories to 500 for two days, and some people only practise fasting in one of these ways a couple of days a week.
Research & Studies
There is a load of research that shows IF helps us manage our weight, boosts energy, allows the cells of body to repair and renew (a process known as autophagy), improves memory, increases longevity and reduces insulin resistance.
Not A License to Binge
IF doesn’t give you free rein to eat crap food. It’s still important to focus on good healthy food like lean proteins and lots of fruit and vegetables. Include plenty of good fats (olive/coconut oils, avocados, oily fish), pair carbohydrates (around 1/3 cup) with protein i.e. brown rice with grilled salmon, black beans and edamame beans with soba noodles, baked eggs on sweet potato/kumara mash and fill the majority of your plate with green vegetables.
Caution
IF isn’t advised if you’re not in good health or if you’re under immense stress. And if you’re a woman, particularly if you’re experiencing a highly symptomatic peri/menopause it would be wise to limit fasting to a maximum of around four or five days per week and see how you go.
If you do nothing else just yet make it a priority to up the amount of fibre that you eat. Vegetables and fruit are not only brimming with nutrients they also pack a punch when it comes to fibre so they should be a mainstay of your diet. High fibre foods help keep you feel beautifully sated and ensure you poop regularly. This ensures your body works like the well-oiled machine that it was designed to be. It also equates to feeling fabulous, you being the proud caretaker of balanced hormones and a healthy weight and helps stave off chronic disease. Fueling with fibre is a no-brainer really.
3. Ditch Sugar
We feel this is non-negotiable if you want to lose weight. Cutting refined sugar out of your diet as much as possible is crucial if you’re serious about dropping a few kgs. If you have a sweet tooth use natural sugars like stevia, rice syrup or glycine powder and opt for low fructose fruits like berries for snacks. Beware. There are hidden sugars in foods like cereal, bread, yoghurt, and sauces.
4. Say No To Processed Foods
When it comes to weight loss this one goes hand in hand with ditching sugar. Processed foods are so much a part of the standard Western diet it’s actually no wonder we struggle with weight and health issues. These foods are loaded with additives and ingredients our body doesn’t like and can’t process efficiently post-40.
5. Eat More Fat
For years we avoided eating fat but the right type of fat is essential to our health. For sure, we should still avoid some fats (fries and potato chips anyone?) but healthy fats like avocado, coconut and olive oil and foods high in omega-3 oils (fatty fish, seaweed, seeds and walnuts) should be a part of our daily victuals. They make it easier to lose weight and our skin and hair will love us for it.
Tip: Including ’good fats’ at each meal (coconut oil, olive oil, salmon, sardines, avocado, nuts, seeds, organic meat and dairy) slows digestion and keeps you fuller for longer.
6. Opt For Large Servings
Serve up large, generous servings of leafy green vegetables – aim for half of your plate – and fruits that are low in sugar like apples and berries as well as fibre-rich seeds. Organic is the best choice but they’re often the most expensive too so if you can’t grow your own, or get your hands on produce that’s been grown naturally wash them with a solution of baking soda, vinegar or salt and water to get rid of as many of the pesticides and chemicals as you can.
7. Close The Kitchen
Last but most definitely not least is to close the kitchen three hours before bedtime. That’s it. The kitchen is closed. Studies show grazing at night is one of the top reasons people gain weight or find it hard to lose.
I hope that helps ladies. If you incorporate any or all of these tips and you drop a few kgs please share with us. 😊Alternatively, if your body is still resistant to shedding weight do get in touch as it’s likely you may have other things going on.
If you want to take part in our upcoming (date to be confirmed)21-Day Hormone Detox go on the waitlist here.
Or get in touch about our 12-week VIP experience, The Peri Project.
