corsetbelt.net

During menopause, many women report that the challenge of weight loss becomes even more difficult. The need to lose weight haunts women most of the time, and now more men are reporting the same struggle. When women hit menopause, weight gathers around the waist and hips; despite our best efforts to diet and exercise.

What we know is that this additional body fat is linked to your hormones. Most women follow a conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet with lots of processed foods. Eventually this diet creates a condition known as insulin resistance; see Dr. Schwarzbein’s book on the book list.

When you are insulin resistant, your body converts calories into fat even when you are dieting. Menopause feels like a losing battle, but it doesn’t have to be.

When you are stressed, as the body typically is during menopause, stress hormones block weight loss. Despite adequate food, the body acts as if it’s in a famine and stores all spare calories as fat. This leads to a metabolic disorder called adrenal fatigue.

Many women combine a high-stress life with a low-fat, high-carb diet which creates a powerful hormonal imbalance which causes us to gain weight. Yo-yo dieting exacerbates the problem.

Also, when a woman is on a high-carb diet she is often barraged with a craving for sweets. The body can’t maintain optimal blood sugar and serotonin levels, so you snack and drink caffeine to feel better. That makes your insulin resistance worse and the vicious cycle of gaining weight is accelerated.

During peri-menopause, women lose estrogen which is an added factor to this problem. As estrogen decreases, the body needs extra fat resources. Other factors that play into this problem, are unresolved emotional issues, food sensitivities, digestive issues such as yeast, and even heavy metal toxicity.

So what do we do?

The most important step is to GET HEALTHY!

Follow an eating plan like the one in the Schwarzbein Principle or the Zone Diet

You need protein at every meal, low carbs, very little to no processed food, and lots of fruit and vegetables

Drink plenty of water

Take nutritional supplements

Try Supplements Designed for Menopause

Stop weighing yourself, use your clothes as a gauge (focus on your health not your weight)

Start exercising – walk 4-5 times a week for 30 minute (it boosts metabolism)

Get help for emotional eating – you have to face your fears to get through them

Reduce the stress in your life, make time for fun and relaxation – strive for BALANCE

Learn to love yourself during menopause and accept who you are and at what stage in life you find yourself. Menopause can make weight loss even more challenging for both women and men. But with the right knowledge and some hard work, it can be done.

The information in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.

Winter hibernation is over and Spring time has come. It’s time to get back into great shape and enjoy your body with some Spring exercise.

It’s here and finally time to break out your shoes or even your hiking boots, and get going. The warmer weather and sunny skies are just beckoning to me “Come outside and play!”

However, I’ve got a confession, I have been looking in the mirror noticing the fine winter coat that I have seemed to put on over the last few months. All the months of being trapped, cooped up in the house with nothing to do but eat and watch TV has taken its toll on my poor body.

Even with the sunny skies outside, it can be hard to be motivated to do anything with such a coat on, especially spring training.

Dressing For Outdoor Training in the Spring Weather.

Fitness in the spring can be a challenge thanks to our wonderfully varied weather; one minute rain, then hail, then snow and finally a few minutes of sunshine.

The beautiful thing about spring weather is that of you don’t like it wait about 10 minutes and it will change! So what ever outdoor activity you are doing just be prepared.

Spring Training

Dress in layers that you can change quickly. Start with a light quick drying base layer that wicks away moisture. Always remember NO Cotton. Cotton does not dry quickly enough.

For your next layer pile on the clothes to make the layer heavier. On top you should have a light shirt under a heavier long sleeve shirt followed by a light/medium weight jacket. You should top off with a water repellent outer jacket or a light rain slicker. You want to be able to add and remove these layers quickly and easily.

What you wear on you bottom half will depend on how your warm or cool your body runs. I ideally you do not want to have to change anything on your bottom so try to keep it simple: shorts or leggings underneath shorts, sweats, work out pants, etc.

A simple rule of thumb for dressing for a Spring Training: be a little cool or slightly chilly starting out and remember the rain jacket!

Getting Motivated for Spring Training!

So how do you get motivated, stay motivated and start your own Spring Training in spite of the winter coat and the various weather patterns?

First get excited! Find several activities that you really enjoy and get excited about. There are a lot of things to do this time of year: walking, hiking, biking, climbing, running, etc. You can even still enjoy snow sports in the higher elevations: skiing, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

Second plan the execution of your activity and don’t take bad weather as an excuse to deny yourself your planned activity. Be sure and have a plan b and allow for flexibility. Be determined to get your workout in no matter what.

* If you planned to rollerblade a section of the Centennial Trail but it is hailing (its hard to roll over little balls of ice!) Then walk instead or move it inside and go to the local roller rink! * If you planned to rock climb at Minnehaha but it is raining and cold then find a trail to hike instead or move your climb to the indoor crag downtown. * It you had your heart set on a hiking a mountain trail but you get there and snow is still covering the trail, bonus! Break out the snowshoes and hit the trail anyway.

Remember that you are doing this spring training for your physical health as well as your mental well being. You will feel better knowing you were not derailed from your commitment to yourself. Is All This Too Complicated?

If all this seems too complicated but you still want to get active and shed your winter coat then seek the help of a coach to shortcut the process.