What’s going on with my weight?
Does this photograph ring any bells? From the moment we became aware of our bodies, we became aware of our weight. Unfortunately, on many occasions, we allow it to determine the value we give ourselves.
And with the rise of social media, fitness trainers, slimming clubs and crazy diet plans, it’s pretty easy to get sucked into the mindset that we don’t look good enough on the outside.
Now I am no personal trainer, but I am in menopause. Although probably post menopause by the law of averages. I have had personal training for many years and have a nutritional qualification. With this in mind, I thought I would share my thoughts on this topic and how we can take control of our physical and mental well-being.
Knowledge is Power
Estrogen determines our weight. This isn’t strictly true.
When we go through perimenopause, our mind tells us that we hunger more often than before. Why? Because lower levels of estrogen mean that we feel hunger more often, we eat more.
The problem with this is that as we age, we don’t need as many calories to survive—meaning that we burn less daily.
(eat more – burn less = weight gain)
How do I know how many calories I burn?
Okay, so you may have to concentrate for a minute. If we lie down all day, we will burn calories as daily energy to survive. If we get up and do some housework, we burn more calories, and if we go for a long run, we burn even more.
The total of all of this is called TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)
Now you are wondering how you can work out what your TDEE is. Well, I have put a link below which you can use as a guide.
https://tdeecalculator.net/ (Be honest when completing this)
So, what do I do with this information?
The next thing to do is determine how many calories you consume daily. And the best way to do this is through an app such as https://www.myfitnesspal.com/ (Be honest with this too)
Monitor your food intake for at least a week. The app will try and set your calories to 1200 a day. Ignore this, as it is generic.
I have all of the information now.
It’s the end of your first week. Look at each day and see if you eat more calories than your TDEE. If the answer is yes, this is why you are gaining weight (unless you have a medical condition or are taking specific medication).
Perform a calculation
To lose weight slowly and in a way that you can do without too much hassle, reduce the number of calories you eat daily by 10%. So if you consume, on average, 2000 calories a day, then lower your calories to 1800 a day.
And this is the big secret behind any weight loss plan you may take on, except that a whole load of money has been thrown at that to make it look fancy and appealing.
Can I do anything else?
There are plenty of things you can do, such as
move more (which will increase your TDEE).
Do some resistance training (improve muscle which will help you burn more calories naturally)
Improve your sleep quality (I know it’s difficult during menopause)
Eat a diet that is rich in protein, vitamins and fibre.
Look at your alcohol intake (empty calories)
Ensure your hormones are as balanced as possible – GP
Speak to a personal trainer, qualified dietitian, or your GP.
By taking control of your well-being, you are taking back the power of your mindset and moving it from a negative state about yourself to a positive one.
You deserve to know how amazing you are just as you are x
If you would like some more advice on how to change your mindset, or if you would like some recommended fitness coaches, then drop me an email.