Weight, the infamous peri-menopause and our relationship with food…
I’ve had a decade off dieting after being impressed by the strength in my body. However having always been a pear shape I had begun to thicken around my waist too. Was this the infamous peri-menopause that has become so talked about? I certainly felt as hormonal as a teenager about it! It wasn’t until last year when I got weighed by the Doctor that I thought anything about it. I was strong as an ox and shouldn’t I feel grateful for that?
But I wasn’t proud of my body, I felt different and really really sore. I bought some weights which I have been using 3-4 times a week this year. I can now fit into more than stretchy leggings. My mindlessness about food has gone, but part of this has made me realise how much about mentality it all is.
The key things i’ve done are;
– Consistent training. I’ve upped my weight training from 1 to 4-5 times a week. This consistency and eating protein within 30 minutes of training is very important for women in this stage in life. I also started to observe my steps, as I wasn’t moving very much round the massage couch. Sometimes consciousness gives you the kick you need.
⁃ Cut out coffee. Now this is controversial as people love coffee for a boost. I would get cluster migraines every few months for about 5 days. They’d come out the blue and always affect my eyes. When something makes you feel crap to give it up isn’t depriving, it’s enlightening. To not rely on that boost is actually quite calming.
⁃ Change the narrative. I had tried to tell myself I was worthy of being lighter but never fully believed that language. To lose something indicates that you’re not gaining anything. I work with some exceptional people who instead of calling it losing weight talk about letting go what wasn’t meant for you. I’m letting go of what I don’t need to be healthier and that’s very freeing.
⁃ Eat the rainbow. I love beige buffet food with a side of coleslaw. Now I make my own coleslaw as I know exactly what’s in it, plus it’s made to taste as I have a preference for salad cream over mayonnaise. By upping your consumption of vegetables you can fill up on goodness, rather than grabbing rubbish or eating more carbs.
– Mindful eating. My husband cooks for six (not sure who else is coming round), so we would eat double what we should be if it’s in the middle of the table. It’s true what they say about portion control. To put at least the protein on the plate allows an element of portion control.
Food obviously carries a lot of emotional attachment – some eat when they feel rubbish, others when they’re happy. I once hit my knee on a step and immediately wondered what I could shove in my mouth. But whether it’s comforting, you like the fullness of eating or comfort your emotions through it, that’s what makes our relationship with our own bodies unique. It’s also what makes us dependent on food for all kinds of things. Unlike other drugs we can’t just give it up as we need it to live.
Hormonally I took the decision to go on to HRT. I wasn’t sleeping for 3-4 hours during the night, and was so sore after one PT session a week I would be walking like John Wayne for 4 days. I don’t know if it’s the moving more, the hormonal balance allowing me to sleep or my healthier attitude to what I put in my body but if you haven’t seen me in a while you’ll be seeing 10% less of me!
Na-freakin-maste people
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