Many women struggle with menopause, including the weight gain that can come along.
Other symptoms of menopause include fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, hot flashes, reduced libido, and brain fog.
If you are having those types of symptoms, I recommend seeing a functional medicine doctor or naturopath and have a dry urine test, comprehensive urine. It’s also known as the Dutch test. This test does a great job of mapping out the levels of your sex and stress hormones.
It may be that you lack estrogen. Many women also have low levels of testosterone, resulting in problems with libido, cognition, mood, and memory. It’s also crucial to have your adrenal function checked. Adrenal function can cause fatigue and trigger cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods. Hormones have a massive impact on eating habits so be sure to have them checked out.
Further readings:
- Mealtime And Weight Loss: What You Need To Know
- Why You Need To Fix Your Gut To Lose Weight
- Drinking water and weight: What you need to know
- Does Dietary Fat Increase The Risk Of Candida?
When it comes to what to eat to manage menopausal weight gain, I think the better question to ask is what not to eat.
If you are trying to lose weight, stay away from alcohol. One big glass of white wine is equivalent to a double cheeseburger.
Keep track of what you eat as snacks. You may need to look at changing your habits if you’re frequently reaching for sweets.
Make sure that you eat regularly. I’ve noticed that many women tend to skip meals.
The best foods to be eating are the basics: vegetables, fruit, and lean proteins. It’s not rocket science.
You can eat a lot of different foods and maintain a healthy weight provided you use common sense.
The foods you should be avoiding are deep-fried anything, takeout, highly processed foods, and treats full of sugar.
If you find yourself reaching for sweets, consider supplements like the B vitamins and chromium.
Try and catch weight gain early. As you get bigger, it is hard to be motivated to do anything about it, which can lead to a downward spiral.
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