Weight gain in menopause
Do you find that you can’t get away with eating the carbs you did when you were younger? Are you putting on weight, particularly around your belly, and finding it difficult to shift?
This might be due to insulin resistance.
So what is insulin resistance?
Insulin is the metabolic hormone that controls fat storage and fat burning. As we age, our sensitivity to it declines, making it harder to lose weight. This is particularly true for women at perimenopause/menopause where declining levels of oestrogen makes us less sensitive to insulin and thus creates what we call ‘insulin resistance’.
What’s supposed to happen is the food you eat is turned into glucose (blood sugar) and then insulin is released to carry that glucose into your cells, where it’s needed. However, when insulin spikes, it turns OFF fat burning. If it happens too often, and due to other various reasons (sleep, age, hormones, muscle mass, stress etc.), your cells become resistant to it.
This means insulin stops effectively moving glucose into your cells and instead stays circulating in your system forcing the excess glucose into fat storage and stopping your body from burning stored fat. Thus, instead of burning fat your body starts storing even more of it. The more fat you have, the more you crave sugar and carbs –leading to higher insulin levels. It’s a vicious cycle.
Insulin resistance doesn’t just suddenly happen. It tends to occur over decades, from long term dietary and lifestyle choices, hence why what you ate in your twenties or thirties is harder to get away with in your forties and fifties.
Insulin matters more in midlife because:
And, as it gets worse, insulin resistance can lead to weight gain, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Cutting carbs might look like it’s the answer but it’s just treating a symptom - not solving the problem. When your body is insulin resistant, it constantly stores fat – even if you’re eating ‘healthily’. What you need to do, instead, is prime your body to become more sensitive to insulin so that your body can handle it better. There are many simple things you can do to increase your insulin sensitivity and reverse insulin resistance.
What to do
The sooner you realise that insulin is a fat-storing hormone, the sooner you can work WITH your body to burn fat not against it.
Get in touch for more information
This might be due to insulin resistance.
So what is insulin resistance?
Insulin is the metabolic hormone that controls fat storage and fat burning. As we age, our sensitivity to it declines, making it harder to lose weight. This is particularly true for women at perimenopause/menopause where declining levels of oestrogen makes us less sensitive to insulin and thus creates what we call ‘insulin resistance’.
What’s supposed to happen is the food you eat is turned into glucose (blood sugar) and then insulin is released to carry that glucose into your cells, where it’s needed. However, when insulin spikes, it turns OFF fat burning. If it happens too often, and due to other various reasons (sleep, age, hormones, muscle mass, stress etc.), your cells become resistant to it.
This means insulin stops effectively moving glucose into your cells and instead stays circulating in your system forcing the excess glucose into fat storage and stopping your body from burning stored fat. Thus, instead of burning fat your body starts storing even more of it. The more fat you have, the more you crave sugar and carbs –leading to higher insulin levels. It’s a vicious cycle.
Insulin resistance doesn’t just suddenly happen. It tends to occur over decades, from long term dietary and lifestyle choices, hence why what you ate in your twenties or thirties is harder to get away with in your forties and fifties.
Insulin matters more in midlife because:
- It affects belly fat storage
- Impacts hot flashes
- Influences energy crashes
- Controls sugar cravings
- Helps maintain muscle
And, as it gets worse, insulin resistance can lead to weight gain, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Cutting carbs might look like it’s the answer but it’s just treating a symptom - not solving the problem. When your body is insulin resistant, it constantly stores fat – even if you’re eating ‘healthily’. What you need to do, instead, is prime your body to become more sensitive to insulin so that your body can handle it better. There are many simple things you can do to increase your insulin sensitivity and reverse insulin resistance.
What to do
- Ensure every meal contains a source of protein. Protein takes longer to digest, keeps your blood sugar levels balanced and helps keep you full
- Stop grazing between meals giving your body time to use the food you have eaten
- Strength train 2-3x per week to help build and retain muscle. The more muscle you have the faster your metabolism will work.
- Manage stress
- Prioritise sleep
The sooner you realise that insulin is a fat-storing hormone, the sooner you can work WITH your body to burn fat not against it.
Get in touch for more information
