Exercising & dieting like crazy & but still can’t get rid of that mid-section weight? Sound familiar?

As we get older and certainly as we hit peri- & menopausal stage of life, different changes take place and our bodies don’t respond to things the same way as they used to. I remember in my 20’s, I’d just cut down what I ate for a few days and my weight would come down again and I’d carry on my way! No chance of that now!

The big question is why is it so hard to shift the weight as we get older? Many of us women hit this phase when we are super busy, perhaps already overweight, suffering anxiety & depression, feeling exhausted, tried (and possibly failed at) too many diets for too many years all leading to feeling STRESSED! When the delightful menopause symptoms start to kick in too, is there any wonder we struggle to cope?!

Here are a few of my reasons why you may not be able to shift that stubborn mid-section weight gain and how we can think about them differently.

👉 Sleep… 💤 Are you sleeping properly? We are tempted to eat more if we are tired – to keep boosting our energy levels through the day. Plus if we don’t sleep properly, our non-fat burning hormones continue to be produced storing our food as mid-section fat.
💡Try: to wind down before bedtime and set a regular sleep routine – such as taking magnesium, reading a book, taking a hot bath, de-cluttering your brain or listening to something soothing or a meditation. Aim for 8 hours sleep a night – not easy!!

👉Snacking & overeating…🥪 We don’t actually need to eat as much as we get older so try giving yourself smaller portions full of good nutrients that will help protect you from disease and illness. Are you drinking enough? Sometimes we mistake hunger for thirst.
💡Try: drinking 2 litres of water daily (buy a large water bottle!), eat more good fats, protein, wholegrains & white meat and cut down on sugar, alcohol, caffeine and processed foods that will more likely store as abdominal fat.

👉Stress…😩 Determine areas of your life that are causing you stress and try to lower those stress factors so cortisol production lowers. Cortisol combats stress so is continually produced if we are continually feeling stressed and encourages abdominal fat storage!
💡Try: daily brisk walk, getting outside in nature, dog walking, meditation or sitting quietly for a few minutes at the start of your day.

👉Low mood… 😞 Depression and low mood can be an issue as we approach this phase of life. Often we are dealing with age-ing and a body that is changing. Our moods can be low especially if we suffer low self esteem and can’t manage our weight effectively, are trying to cope with all life throws at us ending up in a downward cycle….
💡Try: take a vitamin D & magnesium supplement, moderately exercise to help boost our mood, speak to the doctor about HRT (it is believed that HRT will not cause weight gain – in fact there is belief it may do the opposite) or other medication – but try all other self-help options first.

👉Lack of moderate exercise🏋️‍♂️ Are you exercising enough? Or perhaps you are over-exercising – yes there is such a thing! If we are doing too much exercise, regardless of perhaps doing it for years, our bodies won’t be able to cope – they will become fatigued and in turn you may find yourself feeling low and turning to food to pick you up. We need to rest and relax during the menopausal phase as well as moderately exercise. The type of exercise we do may need to change too – short bursts will keep burning those calories, strength work to keep your body (& bones) strong, cardio for looking after your heart and relaxation for calming your body & mind.

💡Try: a combination of different things – higher impact exercise – daily brisk walks or jogging, HIT classes, strength training, stretching, breathing techniques & meditation. Work on your balance & proprioception to help your nervous system and prevent falls. Pilates classes and classes for Women’s Fitness focus on many of these elements – it’s an ideal way to keep the body strong, mobile and functioning correctly.

🙏 One last word – there is help and hope out there ladies – join a group, class or community with someone who knows their stuff – don’t despair and certainly don’t suffer in silence. 👍

Sara is a Women’s Health & Fitness Specialist and has been a Pilates Teacher for 18 years. She is highly qualified in all aspects of women’s health and is about to start her brand new ‘Move with the Menopause’ 10 week virtual exercise program – suitable for all abilities. Sara is passionate about keep the body moving in the right way. In this course she will focus on the right exercise to help combat many symptoms of the menopause (including, fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, anxiety and depression to name but a few). Each week will follow a menopause-related theme. Read more here