Struggling to lose weight as you hit menopause? You’re not alone. Here is the best diet for women going through menopause.
We’ve worked with so many women who felt stuck because they didn’t know how to navigate menopause to get the scales moving. And when you’re not seeing results, it’s hard to stay motivated.
Women’s bodies and hormones start to change as they approach menopause – which can make it easier to gain weight and harder to lose it again.
But with the right nutrition approach?
With an approach designed to work for women who are heading towards menopause, you can quickly and easily get the scales moving. In this blog, we’re sharing how you can drop a couple of dress sizes and feel incredible wearing anything you like, in as little as 12 weeks!
You can also listen to these tips on our podcast.
Avoid WADS foods
Certain foods are known to make menopause symptoms worse. What’s more, they’re also more likely to cause you to gain weight and less likely to lose it.
We call these foods the WADS foods:
- Wheat
- Alcohol
- Dairy
- Sugar
Sugar and alcohol and both are very moreish, and they can be addictive for some people. The more they have, the more they want. They’re both high in calories and disrupt menopause symptoms.
Both sugar and alcohol are like pouring petrol on a fire when it comes to hot flushes. This will then disrupt your sleep, which impacts hunger and satiety hormones. They also increase cravings, so you’re more likely to overeat or snack too much.
Wheat and dairy are calorie-dense. Wheat is ground down into a fine powder, which is pure calories. That’s great for preparing for a marathon, but not for sitting at your desk all day.
It’s also common to have an intolerance to either wheat or dairy, which can increase cortisol levels.
Try to limit these foods as you hit menopause, just like we do with the clients on our Fit Over 40 plan.
Optimise your calories, protein, and fibre
Let’s start with calories. As people get older, their metabolism slows down – at a rate of about 10% per decade you’re over 20. If you could maintain at 2000 calories in your 20s, that becomes about 1460 by the time you’re in your 50s.
When this is compounded by a lack of sleep during menopause, which can increase hunger hormones, and reduced activity – you need to be careful with your nutrition.
Focus on nutrition-dense foods, and eat more meat, fish, and vegetables. Avoid too many processed foods too. These won’t keep you feeling full, so you’ll constantly feel hungry and crave unhealthy foods.
You can also combat a slowing metabolism by building muscle through strength training. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. Recovering from strength training also increases your metabolism for 2-3 days after, meaning if you’re in a routine with it, you always have an elevated metabolism.
Now for protein and fibre. They’re both filling foods, with fibre slowing digestion and protein boosting appetite regulating hormones. Eat these food groups with every meal to ensure you can hit your targets for the day.
Don’t bother with phytoestrogens
There’s a lot of talk online about phytoestrogens and how they can be used to combat menopause symptoms. But is this really true?
Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds that have a similar structure to human oestrogen. They naturally occur in certain foods, such as soy-based products like tofu, edamame beans and peanuts.
Some articles and social media influencers claim these can be used instead of HRT – but is this true?
According to menopause expert Dr Louise Newson, evidence shows phytoestrogens do not have the same effect as oestrogen produced by the body. There’s no evidence that they have beneficial effects on menopause symptoms or health compared to oestrogen in HRT.
So, it’s not worth worrying about in our eyes.
Key vitamins and minerals
Your vitamin and mineral needs change around menopause due to a reduction in oestrogen. And there’s 3 really important things to consider.
Calcium levels can impact bone-density, which puts you at an increased risk of osteoporosis (porous bones) around menopause. Calcium is one of the key things for bone-density, and it’s not just found in cow’s milk and dairy. Try eating more green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, and calcium fortified plant-based milks.
Vitamin D is essential for bone-density, energy levels, and regulating mood. A lack of vitamin D can lead to tiredness, weakness and muscle pain. So it’s pretty important! Try to eat plenty of oily fish, red meat, and whole eggs (especially the yolks)!
Magnesium is a very important mineral and is found in all of your tissues, especially your bones, muscles and brain. It’s important for mood, energy levels, and sleep. Magnesium is depleted by stress and changing hormones, so we recommend having a magnesium supplement if necessary.
So not only is it important to get the fundamentals of nutrition right, but also to avoid the WADS foods and focus on the key 3. It’s also beneficial around menopause to get enough calcium, magnesium and vitamin D to feel your best.
This can sound like a lot to do, which is why we break it down into a 12 week process in our Fit Over 40 program, with just 1-2 things to focus on each week.
When those little weekly changes are added up, you can feel much better than you might think during menopause!
