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Are you a woman over 40 struggling with sugar cravings during menopause? 

You're not alone. 

Many women in this stage of life find themselves battling cravings, weight gain, and frustration with slow progress. 

But don’t get discouraged. In this post, we will explore game-changing strategies to help you gain better control over your eating habits and conquer those sugar cravings once and for all.

Why do I want junk food?

Menopause brings hormonal changes that mess with your body; these changes may cause increased sugar cravings and less willpower. 

They are often a result of your brain seeking a dopamine hit, which highly processed foods provide. The dopamine hit isn’t bad, and you can get it by eating fruits or walking. 

"The key is to realize that your thoughts are actually a part of the problem."

The good news is that you can change your...

https://www.purple-planet.com/ 

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Ready to be bored to tears?

At least, I feel like you may be, but in the vein of staying real and showing you how to eat to lose weight in midlife….and keep it off.

Here’s a day in the life of my meals.

I am living proof that simple, boring systems do well to bring joy to your daily meals. Let’s explore the art of simplifying your meals so you are successful in midlife, lose extra weight, and boost your health to feel well. I’ll show you how to use practical strategies and keep meals simple yet incredibly satisfying.

The Power of Systems Over Goals

Picture this: a life where making healthy choices becomes second nature. It all starts with the realization that systems trump goals. Setting a goal is excellent, but without a system, reaching it can be a challenge. Years ago, I worked to build a habit of creating healthy yet easy meals for my family and myself. And I...

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Midlife Challenges in Your Trim Healthy Journey

Back in 2012 a couple of my “besties,” Serene and Pearl, searched for answers to sustainable weight loss for women. As they figured out the best ways to fuel with foods for fat loss, I joined their plan and together we lost weight and regained our health. 

The plan (Trim Healthy Mama) they laid out for weight loss is excellent and works for women of all ages but as I’ve moved into my midlife years I’ve learned to make a few tweaks to the basic Trim Healthy plan to make weight loss easier with hormonal changes.

A key concept we often overlook in midlife is to eat plenty of protein. Protein is a key pillar of the Trim Healthy plan and continues to be of utmost importance through your...

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If losing weight in your 40s were as easy as "calories in, calories out," then I would be out of a job. 

But sadly, it just isn't that easy. 

In fact, you can almost throw out every "diet" plan you've ever tried or heard about because it won't help you lose weight in midlife. In fact, it might do the opposite and cause your body to keep more weight instead. 

It's time to understand how to best support your body with nutrition during perimenopause and menopause and get tools to get through it quickly. 

Right now, you may be in your late 30s or early 40s and wondering why you're experiencing changes in your body that you never had before. You may be moody, anxious, have irregular periods, or have hot flashes. You probably find weight loss more difficult and notice your waistline expanding no matter what you do. These are all common symptoms of perimenopause. Or, you...

There is a lot of resistance about this topic of meal prep and menu planning and because I've been coaching women for several years, I know this is a BIG issue.

First, I want to address this with our mindset. Allowing your brain to tell you how hard this process it, or that you don't have enough time or that you don't know what to fix is not helpful. All those negative thoughts will not help you create a plan that you can sustain. 

When you think those negative thoughts, it brings up the feelings of dread, which then makes you procrastinate, when you procrastinate, you really don't get anything done. And you don't really start or give yourself the opportunity to make good choices. 

What you need to have is a good mindset around preparing and prepping. 

So first, I want you to take some time, and really start cultivating some helpful thoughts, some thoughts like - “Wow, even though I don't love prepping and planning, this will set me up...

Feeling confused?

Not sure what to eat?

Don’t know which Trim Healthy Mama fuels you should put on your menu plan?

Let’s get some clarity.

Optimizing your eating plan during the menopause transition is key to getting weight loss results. 

But, you can’t get those results if you are feeling confused, scattered, and overwhelmed.

Let me give you some peace, some security, and some confidence knowing that you are eating in a way that is blessing your body towards better health, vitality, and fat loss.

First, set your expectations correctly. You cannot be in a place of peace and kindness towards yourself if you are expecting to lose weight fast. Your body is special and needs the time it needs to heal and release extra fat. Give yourself the gift of time.

Next, stop the searching and questioning. The Trim Healthy Mama eating plan is hands-down the best weight loss LIFESTYLE approach. You can tweak it...

Let it be known that the author of this content is an official THM Affiliate and is earning a percentage off of links used in the content that may link directly to the THM online store.

As you age, you start to lose bone and muscle mass. But, there is 1 nutrient that is key to helping you retain muscle mass and bone density. 

Protein.

Every day you are faced with food choices. Some of those foods help your body and others simply don’t.

If you are in the throes of perimenopause or menopause, even in post menopause one of the best ways you can support your body is to pay attention to what is at the end of your fork. 

Your hormonal symptoms like inability to sleep, hot flashes, low-level anxiety, and stomach bloating are directly related to the foods you choose to eat. It is time to put on your big-girl panties and declare that your health will take priority over your desires and urges and choose foods to heal &...

Trim Healthy Mama is not about obsessing or number counting. But having a few guidelines can help you bring your eating into balance. This can be especially important if you have gotten confused with all the chatter around about what you “should” and “should not” eat.

Your body craves balance. Blood sugar balance, fat balance, and carb balance.

With Trim Healthy Mama, you will bring your body into a place of healing and balance so it can release fat. You do this by cycling your fuels. Choosing a fat focus fuel (S-Satisfying) means you add healthy fats to your protein-focused meal but keep your carbs very low. A carb-focused meal (E-Energizing) is focused on a lean protein with added healthy carbs. Both meals should include good amounts of non-starchy veggies. Read here for a refresher on your fat & carb number guidelines.

Let’s take a look now at the Fuel Pull meal (FP). This meal will be centered around lean protein ...

You can learn a lot about what you are putting into your body by simply taking a moment to read the labels on packages. 

Let’s get super clear on what you are looking for when you read those labels. <<Click for a helpful guide

When you are putting together an S (Satisfying) meal, you will be focusing on fats anchored by protein but limiting carbs. Your carb count should not exceed 10 grams for an S meal. You will not count the carbs in non-starchy vegetables, those are freebies!

For an E (Energizing) meal, your focus is to anchor your lean protein with healthy carbs. You may include starchier vegetables and will keep your carb amount 45 grams or less. Watch your fat amounts with this meal and keep the fat amount 5 grams or less.

If you find that a regular E meal is a bit more carbs than your body likes, feel free to rotate out with a pulled-back E meal. Take your carb amount down to 12 grams instead of 45 grams. 

Are you ready to get Energized?

Let’s continue to learn about the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan. This is the best eating plan that you can follow for your health, hormones, and fat loss especially if you are over the age of 40. Mid-life weight can be very difficult to shed because you are dealing with shifting hormone levels. The best plan for you to follow is the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating because it will bring your blood sugar levels under control and allow your body to heal and release stubborn weight.

I taught you earlier about Satisfying meals that are centered around good healthy fats; now let’s look at Energizing meals. 

E meals are Energizing meals. When we create E meals our focus turns away from fats and toward carbs. Carbs give us the energy that we need. Carbs are basically glucose and our bodies need glucose in the right setting and at the right time.

Healthy carbs are metabolism revving and healing to our...