I just had a checkup at the doctor and learned that over the last year I have gained 13 pounds. I had been avoiding scales, because I knew it wouldn’t be good, but thirteen was more than I could have imagined.

I am 52 years old and I still get my period, but only about every 3-4 months. I have been on hormone replacement therapy for 2 years.

My doctor asked me a bunch of questions about my eating and exercise. I have’t changed a thing! 

 

Sincerely,

Unlucky Thirteen and Counting

 

Dear Unlucky,

 

I am in awe of this calm and level-headed letter. 

The piece that jumped off the page at me like a blinking neon sign on the Vegas strip wasn’t the 13 pounds, but that you only get your period every 3-4 months. Holy Hell!  

Your reproductive system is in the deepest depths of the death rattles and you managed to clear the brain fog long enough to write a letter filled with complete sentences. Nicely done. 

Why we gain fat in the menopause transition

Your doc is right about one thing, that type of weight gain is normal for women of our age, which blows. 

Your estrogen is still wacky despite the booster it gets from HRT. Over the next couple of years your hormones will settle down into the lowest of low, and this makes your body sad. 

To try and cheer itself up, it collects a cuddly-security blanket of fat, which provides a small amount of estrogen.

I hear the math your are doing in your head, thirteen pounds a year, times a couple of years = !!!!!!!!

So, here is WHAT to do and WHY to do it:

Make protein and veggies the star of every meal, avoid processed foods and simple sugars

Plummeting estrogen makes us poor at using the food we eat.  

We need to overshoot on protein to offset muscle loss.  Then, get limbo-champ-low on processed foods and liquid sugars, like alcohol or sweet drinks, because they will be more likely stored as belly fat than used for energy

Add strength training and more daily moment

Our muscles and bone need a challenge to stave off loss, and get stronger. If you’re already lifting, ask yourself if you could pick up a heavier dumbbell today.

Don’t rely on a workout to offset being mostly sedentary. Get up and around as often as possible to keep blood moving and muscles flexing. This decreases your risk of heart disease, but also helps pull energy into the muscle, so it won’t be stored as fat.

Rest and de-stress

We run so much of our day in the sympathetic “stress” system of our bodies. This can make our bodies hold tight on to fat, while burning muscle.

Slowing down, breathing deeply, and prioritizing sleep, turns on our parasympathetic “rest and reset” system, but in today’s world these behaviors aren’t easy to attain. 

Be aggressive in defending your bedtime, down time, and mental space.

Have faith things will get better

I clearly remember being where you are and being absolutely miserable. I felt as if I were climbing a sand dune, where every step had me sliding back down. 

I put my head down and leaned into these menopausal laws of self-care. When I became extra discouraged, I thought, “How much worse would it be if I weren’t trying as hard as I am?” 

It’s like a form of faith. Believe in your ability to support your health in this tough time. Know that any effort you make will pay off in the long run.

 

Sending you protein, dumbbells, sleep and faith,

 

Coach Pamela