Focus on the weight you can lift, not the weight you can lose

Focus on the weight you can lift, not the weight you can lose

Perimenopause reveals the far-reaching effects of our hormones from changes to our brain function, mental health, metabolic health, appetite and body composition. For some, these changes can be overwhelming.

Perimenopause is the time of hormone fluctuation prior to menopause and can last up to 10 years. You are considered to be in menopause when 12 months has passed since your last period. The average age of menopause in Australia is 51.

Studies reveal that only 12% of people report body satisfaction during perimenopause and around a 30% of women are dissatisfied with their eating habits. Perimenopause can amplify pre-existing body image issues and disordered eating habits, or it can be the onset of new struggles related to food and body.

Why is pursuing weight loss potentially harmful?

Weight loss is often desired and this is understandable in our culture however pursing weight loss during midlife is difficult and can lead to restrictive diets and have negative health implications. Dieting generally leads to weight loss and regain and can lead to disordered eating habits and poorer body image over time.

Dieting during perimenopause/menopause can harm health by:

- reducing bone density

- reducing lean muscle mass

- increasing stress levels

- slowing metabolism

- increasing disordered eating habits

- and eating disorders.

Studies of individuals using weight loss medications are showing that peri and post-menopausal bodies behave differently to premenopausal bodies. We know that building muscle after menopause is difficult and hence the cycle of weight loss and regain is often leading to a harmful loss of lean muscle mass that has negative consequences for health.

Remember:

Weight loss is not always healthy.

Weight gain is not always unhealthy.

Being smaller does not ensure good health.

Being bigger does not ensure poorer health.

So why focus on weight?

What can we focus on instead?

Instead of focusing on weight let’s take a look at what we can focus on.

- Behaviours - focusing on behaviours is a sustainable way within our control to make long term changes to improve our health. For example, stopping skipping meals or under eating which can lead to binge eating or late night snacking

- Body cues e.g. by establishing regular eating we can hunger and fullness cues (and appetite hormones and insulin levels) and eat in a stable satisfying way reducing snacking and overeating.

- Nutrition – rather than focus on avoiding certain foods a positive mindset allows us to add into our diets foods that benefit us. During perimenopause we may focus on eating more high fibre foods, adequate protein and including foods that help balance hormones such as phytoestrogens.

- Fitness, strength and movement- evidence shows that increasing strength can reverse some health issues and symptoms related to menopause and aging an that is independent of weight loss. I refer to lifting weights in the title of this article because the evidence supports strength based exercise during peri/menopause. However in reality limited time, money or physical ability can make this inaccessible for some. Essentially the best exercise is the one that you do so think broadly about movement and activity and make it enjoyable.

- Specific health measures – targeted nutrition aimed to lower blood pressure, cholesterol or insulin levels can be very motivating

- Reducing perimenopausal symptoms e.g. we can focus on improving insulin sensitivity or including foods and diet patterns that help stabilise hormonal imbalances such as phytoestrogens.

What nutrients are important for people during perimenopause/menopause?

Protein – Protein needs increase during perimenopause and menopause. Adequate protein intake can help prevent loss of lean mass, support healthy bones and prevent or manage insulin resistance.

Fibre – gut health is so important it is linked to hormone balance, digestive health, metabolic and mental health all of which are important during perimenopause/menopause. Maintaining gut health through a balanced diet, probiotics, and high fibre foods can help alleviate some of the discomforts of perimenopause and improve overall well-being.

Dairy – To try and prevent bone density losses calcium needs increase during perimenopause/menopause. Dairy foods provide calcium, hosphate and vitamin D to support healthy bones and are also be a good source of protein which can support lean muscle mass and support healthy metabolism.

Fatty acids

Estrogen is a cardio protective hormone so after menopause your risk of cardiovascular disease is increased. It may be helpful to make some changes to your intake of fatty acids such as trying to increase unsaturated fats from avocado, nuts and seeds and omega 3 fatty acids redominantly from fish.

The fairy dust: I think of these as the fairy dust or the icing on the cake because we only look at these if you have got the basic protein, fibre and fats sorted. They include things like Phytoestrogens and Micronutrients such as magnesium which can help further manage menopause symptoms.

I encourage people to embrace the process of perimenopause/menopause as an opportunity for a change in priorities. Perhaps the opportunity to focus less on weight and more on health, less on how we look and more and how we feel.