3 Eating Habits Preventing Weight Loss During Perimenopause
Are you, like many of my perimenopause clients, struggling with weight gain and stubborn weight that just won’t budge?
Weight gain during perimenopause is common due to hormonal fluctuations, particularly a decline in oestrogen, which leads to increased fat storage (particularly around the abdomen) and a slower metabolism. Stress and sleep disturbances, also prevalent during perimenopause, can contribute to emotional eating and decreased physical activity, exacerbating weight gain.
As a Women’s Health Naturopath, I see common dietary mistakes time and again that are contributing to weight gain. And today, I want to bring your awareness to them so that you don’t fall prey to their negative effects!
Let's dive into the 3 common dietary mistakes that could be hindering your progress towards losing hormonal weight.
The Mistakes
1. Ignoring Protein
Common Mistake: Many people overlook the importance of protein in their diet, which is important for controlling your appetite.
What it does: Without adequate protein, achieving weight loss becomes more challenging because it influences the secretion of appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin (which stimulates hunger) and leptin (which promotes satiety). Insufficient protein can disrupt the balance of these hormones, leading to increased hunger and decreased feelings of fullness, making it more difficult to control calorie intake.
Quick Fix: To correct this, start incorporating protein rich food into your daily regimen. For more detailed information on how to do this and a sample diet plan see my previous protein blog post here.
2. Skipping Meals
Common Mistake: Many women believe that skipping meals is the key to weight loss, however, this can actually hinder weight loss.
What it does: During perimenopause, levels of oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate, which can slow down metabolism. Skipping meals can exacerbate this by signalling to your body to conserve energy, potentially slowing our metabolic rate further leading to weight that is hard to budge.
Quick Fix: Focus on the 16:8 fasting method instead. The 16:8 fasting method involves eating 3 balanced meals within an 8-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. This helps regulate calorie intake and can improve metabolic health. These best part is you fast overnight while your sleep!! So no skipping meals during the day and suffering with hunger pains, light headiness, and moodiness, commonly experienced by those skipping meals during the day.
3. Believing that all Carbs are “bad”
Common Mistake: Many women are led to believe that carbohydrates are “bad”, which can derail their progress.
What it does: This misconception can prevent you from achieving weight loss because carbohydrate intake is essential for providing energy, maintaining stable blood sugar levels, supporting brain function, and ensuring overall nutritional balance.
Quick Fix: The truth is you can eat carbohydrates and lose weight. Instead of cutting out all carbs, focus on carb portion control, consider the quality of carbs (e.g. brown rice over white, wholemeal multigrain bread over white bread), and consuming carbs with adequate protein, healthy fats, and fibre. This approach is more effective for sustainable weight loss.
Avoiding these 3 dietary habits can significantly impact your journey towards weight loss. As a Naturopath, my goal is to help peri-women navigate the complexities of nutrition and diet, particularly when it comes to weight gain in perimenopause.
If you're ready to make a change and see real results, contact me and book a consultation. Together, we can tailor a dietary plan that aligns with your unique needs and goals, ensuring that maintaining your ideal weight during perimenopause is not just a dream, but a reality.