Dear Pamela,

 

I have been on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for a year and I am disappointed with the results. 

Sure, some things have improved. I sleep better, have less anxiety and mood swings, I am less dry downstairs, and my hot flashes are waaaaay less severe.

I thought I would regain my former self—physically. 

I try to exercise and I think I eat pretty well, but I have gained 15 lbs over the last 3 years and they won’t budge.

If HRT isn’t the missing piece, what is?

 

Sincerely, 

Still Puffy on HRT

 

Dear Still Puffy,

 

Stop right now and celebrate the life-changing ways HRT has helped you so far. 

Think back to when you felt like the human version of road-kill being flattened over and over by passing trucks while sleep deprived, dripping with sweat, horrible anxiety, and a dry vag. 

HRT isn’t a magic patch that guarantees perfect health. But, it did pull that zombie version of you out of the gutter and put you in the right physical and mental space to make the next move.

Write your new self-care manual

Your reproductive years body vs. your perimenopausal body vs. your post menopausal body are different beasts. Don’t expect them to respond the same to old habits. 

HRT sets the stage for better self-care, but it isn’t a time machine that makes us 30 years old again. 

We have to step up if we want to hold on to our bone and muscle, keep cardiovascular (CV) disease risk down, and stop storing fat in our midsections.

With or without HRT, here are the menopause must-do’s:

Protein, veggies, and processed foods

Without enough protein, our bodies laugh in our faces instead of making muscle and bone, no matter how many bicep curls we do. 

Our bodies also become crap at using the protein we eat, so we need to overshoot on a goal that’s already hard to hit. 

These days seeing the word “protein” on a label should make you raise an eyebrow, they are slapping that on everything. Those high-protein chips and energy bars are not food, they are entertainment for your mouth. 

The trace amount of protein that warrants the advertising boost is negligible compared to the junky fat and carbs it is hidden within.

Toss that processed crap in the trash and reach for a protein that had a mother or grew from the ground, along with as many veggies as you can handle.

Slowing down

If you are a gal who likes to get things done, your meals might resemble a HIIT workout in speed and intensity. 

To become little less of a wood-chipper, put less food on each forkful, set down the fork between each bite, and chew a little longer than usual. You will enjoy all of your meals more, be satisfied with less, and your stomach will sigh with relief. 

Liquid calories

If there was ever a raw deal, it is how our bodies deal with sugary drinks like alcohol, sweetened coffee, and soda. 

Sugar in liquid form goes straight to our liver, and is quickly stored as fat either within the liver itself (hello fatty liver disease), or in the visceral fat between your organs. This increases your risk of CV disease.

Think of every liquid calorie you DON’T drink as an investment in your long-term health. In truth, this applies to all sugar and simple carbohydrates. Sad, but wouldn’t you rather know than wonder why the F nothing is working?

Audit your exercise and amp up self-care

If you are already in the habit of moving your body here are a couple of things to ask:

 

• • Can I add resistance training 2-4x a week?

• • Can I grab a heavier weight?

• • Can I move more in each day? Think a walk after dinner or short movement breaks every hour.

Yes, you might find these help you regain your figure, but they will also decrease the risk of CV disease and help keep your bones and muscle strong. 

Then picture every hard thing you do—taxing workouts AND stressful life events—as a cinderblock on one end of a see saw. 

Know you need to stack a brick of self-care on the other end to have any hope of de-puffing. This can be getting your z’s, seeing a friend, snuggling with an animal, or a hobby that fills your heart-meter.

You are poised to fare well on this menopausal journey and I am betting a bit of fine tuning from this list helps you feel less puffy and more at-home in your body.

 

Wishing you puff-free days,

Coach Pamela 

 

 

Dear Reader, 

 

If you can relate to this, you know you have a friend who is feeling this too. Send this link her way.

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I invite you to submit a question of your own. I want to know what you are thinking, and you can bet there are other ladies who are wondering the same. 

 

With Love, 

Coach Pamela