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If you are in midlife, perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause, and you've said this to yourself, “I feel like I'm going crazy.”

You are not alone.

Let me tell you about a lady, just like you, I’ll call her Eleanor. 

Eleanor prided herself on her ability to handle life's ups and downs with grace. 

But as she entered her late forties, something inside began to shift. It started with subtle changes, forgetting where she placed her car keys, struggling to concentrate on reading a book, and things like that. 

However, over time, the lapses became more frequent.

One evening while she was cooking dinner, she couldn't remember the recipe for her signature pasta dish. The dish she’d made hundreds of times. Frustration boiled within her and tears rolled up unexpectedly. She felt like she was losing control. Her best friend, Tina, noticed the changes...

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Are you navigating the twists and turns of menopause symptoms while trying to stay on track with your weight loss journey? 

Believe me, you’re not alone. 

So many women, as they approach midlife, struggle with hormonal changes, which can make weight loss seem even more challenging. 

As a Trim Healthy Mama coach who focuses on helping women in menopause & perimenopause, I’m here to guide you through some tried-and-true techniques to face these challenges head-on.

Power of Your Mindset in Menopause

Remember the time when sticking to a health plan seemed effortless? And whatever you were doing, exercise or calorie counting, got you the results you were striving to get?

Times change, and so do our bodies and circumstances. 

The thought, "it's just too hard right now," creates feelings of defeat. 

But our mindset, and our thoughts, have...

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Hormones are chemical messengers in your body. They communicate and control most of the physiological things going on. They tell your body what to do and hormones work together like an orchestra. But, when they aren’t playing well together we start to see imbalance, and things get out of harmony.

These imbalances affect all other hormones. Cortisol is your main stress hormone and it gets pretty bossy when not kept in check by other hormones. Too much cortisol steals progesterone, drives up insulin and blood sugar levels and until you get it under control will cause issues with all of your other hormones. 

The Big Four Hormones and Why They Matter

There are 4 main hormones you need to focus on to find better balance and support in your weight loss journey. 

First is cortisol, this hormone when left to run rampant is great at packing on extra belly fat, giving...

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In midlife, you do not want to exercise in a fasted state. 

That is the bottom line. 

As a woman, especially in menopause, you want to reduce any type of stress that can cause a rise in cortisol, which in turn causes a rise in insulin, which is a fat-storage hormone. Exercise, especially exercise in a fasted state, can be somewhat stressful. We want to work with cortisol levels. We want to work with our menopausal body and not work against it.

TIMING AND TYPE OF EXERCISE

So one of the things you really want to focus on is pre-workout fueling. 

Overall, it is best to exercise intensely, and that would be either some type of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout or a workout where you're getting your heart...

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Is hormone replacement therapy for every woman? 

Aren't there more "natural" options? 

The answer is yes, and yes. 

Some women are not good candidates for hormone replacement therapy or aren't comfortable taking it; this might be due to a lack of education about the safety and protective benefits or availability.

But that doesn't mean you can't reduce or eliminate suffering from hormonal symptoms during menopause. You still have a lot to say about how you feel by implementing four ways to treat menopause. 

But you won't get the protective benefits when you're not using bioidentical hormone therapy. Bioidentical hormone therapy can help treat menopause symptoms, providing protective benefits to you. 

Menopause is a natural biological process. It marks...

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"I hate the belly fat that I have. I'm on bio-identical hormones and can't get rid of the tire. I don't want to go through surgery; I don't know what to do; please don't tell me to start running; I can't do it."

Does anyone else feel the same?

This question came from a member of my Peri/Menopause Trim Healthy Mama Community.

No, I'm not going to tell you to start running, and I'm not going to encourage you to exercise more. Or eat less. 

But there are multiple things that contribute to that spare tire/muffin top you are seeing. And a lot of it has to do with your age and your hormones. 

Extra fat is frustrating and a health risk for women, especially in midlife. 

The fat you see around your middle is most likely visceral...

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Is exercise in midlife really all that important?

Would you rather be doing just about anything other than exercising?

After all, the extra time and an open schedule can be challenging.

I get it.

The truth is, yes, exercise is important enough for you to prioritize. But not the exercise you are thinking of.

Getting older has loads of great benefits, but choosing not to include exercise and include daily movement in your schedule may set you up for health issues that are better avoided.

Exercise in midlife is necessary for longevity, health and will help you build strong muscles to maintain your independence as you age. 

And as added benefit doing the proper exercise gets your body in metabolism-boosting & fat-burning mode fast.

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR FAT LOSS

I have great news for you and some myths to bust. 

It's time to hang...

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Wouldn't life be simpler if losing weight was actually a calorie-in/calories-out math equation? But in reality, eating less and exercising more does not guarantee you lose belly fat. And as you get older, it can create the opposite and cause you to increase in weight and inches instead. So, let's get this figured out. In menopause, your body needs supported hormones and strategic exercising to burn fat faster without burning you out.

STOP DOING SO MUCH CARDIO

A few decades ago, cardio was all the rage. Women couldn't get enough of it and thought this was the magic pill to weight loss. We now have the research to prove this is not true, and excessive cardio is not beneficial for women at any age. But in menopause, you for sure do not need more cardio. 

Let's also clear up the confusion around cardiovascular disease and cardio exercise. Doing one doesn't negate the other. The cause of...

What’s for dinner?

When should I exercise?

How many E meals have I had today?

When am I going to walk?

What should I eat for a snack?

Is this enough protein?

What Trim Healthy fuel should I eat next?

Can you feel your increased heart-rate? Or the sweat beading along your hairline? Maybe you’ve found a nice quiet corner to hide in until all these questions go away.

Has freestyling your Trim Healthy eating plan turned into a recipe for stress?

Do you feel like you might just explode if you have to field one more question or make one more decision?

While we don’t want to live in calorie counting land, living without a plan is a sure recipe for hormonal disaster.

Let’s take a 30,000 foot view to see what is going on in your body when you try freestyling decisions every day.

Estrogen serves as your main hormone to counter cortisol and works as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. 

Cortisol is your primary stress...

What if you could love your menopausal body no matter what?

What if you knew that the symptoms you experience are just part of the menopause transition and they are taking you to a better place?

You do not have to be a victim to hormonal changes and crazy symptoms. You can have relief through this transition and support your body well while you manage your hormones. 

Symptoms during menopause like joint pain, aches, hot flashes and trouble sleeping are usually temporary. But the better you treat yourself, the better you are going to feel.

When you were younger you could push self-care to the bottom of your priority list. That is no longer the case! Punishment & deprivation are out. Neglect of your needs and desires has had its day. This season is a time for you to love on your body.

Choose to make peace with your body during menopause. Understand that your body is changing and needs support and care not anger and frustration. Treat...