It’s not just about calories and exercise
HORMONES MATTER TOO
Hormones absolutely matter!
Every single woman on the planet has a unique hormonal fingerprint. Mine’s is completely different to yours:))
Women go through 4-5 different life stages
- Puberty
- Pregnancy (perhaps)
- Peri Menopause
- Menopause
- Post Menopause
Guys go through 2
- Puberty
- Andropause
Our hormones go cycling through the month and guys are pretty static – period.
In females there is a very strong bond between oestrogen and progesterone (two sex steroids). When we start moving into peri menopause, our female body begins to change (again). The relationship between the two hormones shifts too. Progesterone falls due to lack of ovulation.
Progesterone was there to keep oestrogen under control. What then can feel like “all of a sudden” oestrogen has gone wayward. Unpredictable periods being one.
You may even experience intense cortisol effects. Namely STRESS effects. Changes in the brain relating to and not limited to:
- Mood
- Drive
- Motivation
- Worry & Anxiety
- Fat storage around the middle
At perimenopause your sleep, hunger, cravings, mood, energy can go out of whack. And this is how you know you are having the stress effect of the above. True also of menopause, post menopause and during “pmt” symptom phase when we are reproductive. Mine’s used to be off. the. scale. at times lol
What Happens When Your Sleep, Hunger, Cravings, Mood & Energy When Under That Stress Effect?
How the hell do you stay on a diet?
- Calories increase due to cravings and hunger
- You will gain weight easily here
Any diet or exercise protocol becomes very difficult maintain and sustain.
I fell into a trap of over exercising and when it came to food practiced restraint. Eventually my metabolism pushed back so hard that I got very tired. I wouldn’t eat the amount I should have (as healthy as it always is) and completely over did the exercise. I had to do a lot to keep up this behaviour.
My behaviour needed some sorting. Covid came along and It was then I pulled the plug on it all – ably assisted by the Govt. restrictions at that time.
Smarter Eating and Exercising
Look, ageing is not a disease. It is those chronic diseases of ageing that affect our long term health and wellness. By minding your weight with a great food and drink relationship, joyful exercise, (yes that can be power lifting as well:)) lowered levels of stress, better sleep, respite and recovery, you will mitigate the risks. Try a recipe like this http://weightminders.club/recipes/dinner/cauliflower-tikka-masala/ try exercise like this https://vimeo.com/user35401329/summerdancefitness?share=copy I hope you enjoy!
