fbpx

Click Here to Receive Your Free Hormone Detox Guide for Balanced Hormones in Perimenopause

Stop Winter Weight Gain With These Simple Tips

Stop Winter Weight Gain With These Simple Tips

by | Aug 9, 2023 | Perimenopause, Weight Loss

Stop Winter Weight Gain With These Simple Tips

Worried that you’ll be hit with winter weight gain? Now is the perfect time to act and prevent it from happening in the first place! Let’s have a look at how you can maintain a healthy weight over the colder months.

Want my free age-defying secrets? (Silly question, i know!) click here now

Simple tips to prevent winter weight gain

Stay hydrated

You might not think of hydrating as much during winter as you would over summer. But you’re actually just as prone to dehydration, thanks to heating!

Hydration supports every system of the body, including energy production, detoxification and digestion. So make sure you’re getting at least 1.5L of water in per day. If you struggle to remember, set yourself an alarm on your phone that tells you to refill your water bottle or fetch a glass of water.

Switch to herbal tea

When it’s cold, it’s tempting to go for a big mug of hot, milky beverage such as hot chocolate or flavoured coffee. But this can add on unnecessary, empty calories – calories that don’t provide any real nutrition or benefit!

Instead, reach for herbal teas. These help not only to keep you hydrated when it’s too cold for plain water, but they also offer health benefits. Plus there are countless flavour combinations to choose from – if you’re not a fan of herbal tea, choose a berry herbal tea. If you love a sweet tea, look out for blends that include licorice.

Move your body daily

I know, you just want to hide under your covers all day, so movement is the last thing on your mind! But now is the perfect time to establish a daily exercise routine. After all, if you can work out during the bitter cold months, you’re onto a winner!

Movement keeps you warm, and it can also give your metabolism a boost. Plus it’s a good way to minimise symptoms of seasonal depression, which can often drive winter weight gain.

Start your day with protein

This isn’t specific to the colder months, but I had to include it anyway! Protein is the most satiating of the macronutrients, and having it at breakfast sets you up for success. It helps to keep your blood glucose steady – a must for preventing or managing insulin resistance – and you feel fuller for longer.

Aim for 20-30g of protein with your breakfast. Ideally, you’ll also have some fruit and/or veg in there as well!

Be smart with comfort foods

When it’s freezing outside, you’re more likely to find yourself craving comfort foods. This is both physiologically and psychological, so we need to tackle both! From a physical perspective, your body craves carbohydrate-rich foods to boost your serotonin and your mood. And from a mental perspective, winter is a time you’re likely to feel bored and restless.

So what is the solution? Find a way to enjoy comfort foods that is healthier, but still satisfying!

For example, you can make yourself pasta using lentil pasta for a fibre and protein boost. If you’re craving a creamy dish, substitute your cream with goat’s cheese chevre. You can even make your own healthy desserts such as an apple crumble with apple, cinnamon, oats and chia seeds.

This can also help to alleviate the boredom, as you’ll be getting creative in the kitchen and finding new favourites.

What if it’s already happened?

Discovered these tips after the wintertime has already affected your weight? The good news is that you can start supporting your metabolism at any time of the year. Make sure you give this article a read for more actionable tips.

If you dread winter weight gain, you don’t need to battle it alone…

Let’s jump on a FREE Pre-Screening Call to talk about how we can get you looking and feeling amazing again!

Ready to live your best life? Click to Book your free pre-screening call now

Susie Garden | Clinical Nutritionist & Naturopath

Are you a woman feeling stressed, flat and experiencing the challenges of peri/menopause?
It’s time to reclaim your youthful energy, radiance and self-assurance (and your ideal weight).
I’m here to help with my proven method.

Book your complimentary Pre-Screening Call here, and let’s see how I might help you.

Perimenopausal Weight Gain Isn’t Inevitable – This Is Why

Perimenopausal Weight Gain Isn’t Inevitable – This Is Why

by | Aug 8, 2023 | Perimenopause, Weight Loss

Metabolism In Your 40s – How To Maintain A Healthy Weight

One of the most common symptoms women experience once they reach their 40s? The dreaded perimenopausal weight gain – where the scale keeps shifting up even when you’re eating the same amount as your 30s!

But although countless women see their weight go up no matter what they do, this isn’t inevitable. If you want to halt perimenopausal weight gain in its tracks and maintain a healthy body composition, I’m here to show you how.

What causes perimenopausal weight gain?

Perimenopause is a complex transition period, with a lot of changes occurring. Unfortunately, there are several that can feed into weight gain.

Stress

This is one of the major causes of weight issues in women, no matter what their age! But those in perimenopause are particularly vulnerable to the effects, as stress tolerance is lower during this stage. When you’re constantly stressed, your body protects you by:

  • Making it harder to lose weight
  • Storing more energy as body fat
  • Increasing appetite (and craving for sweet, energy-dense foods!)

Stress also puts additional pressure on other systems involved in weight maintenance & metabolism.

Insulin resistance

Another big issue during perimenopause is the risk of developing insulin resistance (IR). Insulin is the major fat storage hormone of the body. So once your body’s cells have taken the energy they need from the bloodstream, your insulin will direct the remaining energy to store as fat.

But what if your cells are resistant to insulin’s messages? The majority of that glucose gets sent to be stored as body fat instead. So if you seem to put on weight no matter how many calories you’re eating, IR may be to blame. Your body is not utilising the calories and is putting them away for later instead.

Thyroid function

You likely know that the thyroid is your metabolism management gland. So when it’s happy and happy, your body will use a good amount of energy to keep all systems running smoothly.

But during perimenopause, the thyroid is more vulnerable. In fact, autoimmune thyroid disease is more commonly diagnosed between 30-50 than any other life stage.

There are a lot of reasons why, but a common factor in an underactive thyroid? Stress! Stress can reduce your conversion of T4 (inactive hormone) to T3 (active hormone). And as a result, your metabolism drops, and you have to eat fewer calories to maintain the same body weight.

Eating too little

Believe it or not, many clients I work with are undereating to begin with! Calorie restriction, insufficient protein, empty calories and nutrient deficiencies all add up to weight gain over time.

Of course, diet culture tries to tell us that we need to keep restricting to lose weight. But your body wants to protect you – and if it thinks there isn’t enough food, it will hold onto what it has.

If you’re not getting the nutrients needed to fuel your thyroid, to keep your blood glucose levels steady, to tackle inflammation and support your nervous system, guess what? Your metabolism will fight back. The body will keep sending you signals to eat more – think cravings and increased appetite.

And if you continue to restrict, your thyroid function will drop and your stress hormones will ensure you store everything you eat.

The good news?

These factors might all be working against you right now – but they’re not out of your control. There are steps we can take to alleviate stress, support the thyroid, optimise your nutrition and balance your insulin.

Want my free age-defying secrets? (Silly question, i know!) click here now

So how can I maintain my weight (or even lose a few kilos)?

I’m glad you asked. It’s time to look towards a personalised approach to your health. This allows you to not only release any extra weight, but also feel energised and amazing in the process!

When I help clients with this, we take a look at:

  • Their nutrition and how their body processes different foods

  • If there are any nutrient deficiencies contributing to their symptoms

  • How they move, sleep and manage their stress

  • The state of their gut health

  • Any underlying conditions that might need addressing

So the weight loss almost becomes a secondary benefit because we’re optimising everything that feeds into weight gain (along with all of your other symptoms!)

Ready to release that pesky perimenopausal weight gain?

Let’s jump on a FREE Pre-Screening Call to talk about how we can get you looking and feeling amazing now and for decades to come!

Grab My Essential 8 Age-Defying Secrets – Click Here Now

Ready to live your best life? Click to Book your free pre-screening call now

Susie Garden | Clinical Nutritionist & Naturopath

Are you a woman feeling stressed, flat and experiencing the challenges of peri/menopause?
It’s time to reclaim your youthful energy, radiance and self-assurance (and your ideal weight).
I’m here to help with my proven method.

Book your complimentary Pre-Screening Call here, and let’s see how I might help you.

Metabolism In Your 40s – How To Maintain A Healthy Weight

Metabolism In Your 40s – How To Maintain A Healthy Weight

by | Aug 4, 2023 | Perimenopause, Weight Loss

Metabolism In Your 40s – How To Maintain A Healthy Weight

Has your body weight crept up in recent years? It’s not uncommon to experience changes to your metabolism in your 40s – but the reasons why might surprise you. Let’s explore what you need to know to maintain a healthy weight throughout your 40s and beyond.

The biggest myth about metabolism in your 40s

When I speak to women about their health, they often mention gaining weight once they hit their 40s or even late 30s. And it’s often followed up with ‘but that’s normal, because your metabolism slows down/everyone gains weight in their 40s/weight gain is inevitable during perimenopause’.

But it’s time to bust this idea!

Yes, your metabolism may drop with age. But it’s probably not as much as you think, and much later than you assume!

In fact, the latest research found that the adult metabolic rate (post-puberty) doesn’t really change until you hit your 60s. And even once you reach your 60s? The study found the metabolic drop was only by 0.7% per year.

Maybe this myth even feeds into the problem. When you believe it’s inevitable that you’ll put on weight, you don’t take action when it happens because you don’t think you can stop it!

Want my free age-defying secrets? (Silly question, i know!) click here now

What influences metabolism in your 40s?

So why does weight gain occur in your 40s if it’s not just part of getting older? There is a lot going on for most of us during this stage of life. You may be juggling unruly teens, elderly parents, career peaks, relationship challenges… the list goes on. All of this adds up to an increase in lifestyle factors. Your baseline stress level is probably the highest it’s been, exercise may be intermittent or out the window, and convenient food choices sneak in more frequently.

But that’s not the only thing going on. A big part of the metabolic shift is thanks to perimenopause. During this transition period, a lot of factors can get thrown off if your body is out of balance. There are 3 core causes of a slower metabolism & increased weight gain during this time.

Thyroid function

Another common concern during your 40s is reduced thyroid function. People are more likely to develop Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune thyroid condition) between 30-50 years old, and it’s more common in women.

The hormonal changes of perimenopause may be to blame. Low progesterone can affect thyroid hormone production and trigger autoimmunity. Fluctuating oestrogen can also play a role by increasing the compound that binds to thyroid hormone in the blood.

The thyroid is responsible for your metabolic rate. So if your thyroid function reduces, your metabolism will slow as a result.

Insulin resistance

There are a lot of hormones that can be thrown off during perimenopause, including insulin. Unfortunately, perimenopause is a perfect storm for insulin resistance to develop. And once your cells are resistant to insulin, you store more fat and gain weight easily – even if you’re eating a normal amount.

The other big concern? Insulin resistance becomes a vicious cycle if you don’t act. It causes you to crave more carbohydrates and sugar, which feeds into the insulin resistance picture. This also plays a role in exacerbating the other factors impacting on your weight.

Inflammation

You’ve likely heard this from me a million times before, but inflammation and inflammaging always need to be considered! Inflammation feeds into insulin resistance, thyroid function, hormone imbalances, and of course premature ageing.

Studies are starting to link inflammation with weight gain. Of course, excess body fat can cause inflammation, but there is evidence to suggest this is a two way street. So chronic low-grade inflammation could be contributing to your weight gain.

So how can I stay a healthy weight?

The answer is simple. Whether you want to lose weight or prevent future weight gain, the key is addressing the underlying issues!

That means tackling any insulin resistance, balancing hormones, reducing inflammation and supporting thyroid function. But these be difficult to identify if you’re not sure what to look for, so the best option is to work with a qualified practitioner.

If you’re struggling with your metabolism in your 40s, know that weight gain doesn’t have to be inevitable!

Let’s jump on a FREE Pre-Screening Call to talk about how we can get you looking AND feeling amazing.

Ready to live your best life? Click to Book your free pre-screening call now

Susie Garden | Clinical Nutritionist & Naturopath

Are you a woman feeling stressed, flat and experiencing the challenges of peri/menopause?
It’s time to reclaim your youthful energy, radiance and self-assurance (and your ideal weight).
I’m here to help with my proven method.

Book your complimentary Pre-Screening Call here, and let’s see how I might help you.

The Insulin-Weight Loss Link You Want To Know About

The Insulin-Weight Loss Link You Want To Know About

by | Sep 6, 2022 | Weight Loss

Struggling to lose weight, no matter what you try? Find kilos sneaking on even when you eat well and exercise? Insulin may be to blame.

Insulin is an important hormone that we need. But when we have elevated insulin, it can lead to insulin resistance. And insulin resistance can make weight loss virtually impossible.

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance (IR for short) occurs when you have high levels of insulin over a long period of time.

In this condition, your body is producing enough insulin to do its job, but your cells don’t respond to the insulin. Because your cells aren’t listening, your body tried to fix it by producing more insulin – which makes them more resistant!

This turns into a vicious cycle that can eventually lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Insulin resistance can also cause a lot of inflammation in the body, between the excess insulin in the bloodstream and the sugar (glucose) that lingers in the blood because the cells won’t take it up.

The link between insulin resistance and weight loss

Ok so now that you know what insulin resistance is – what does this have to do with weight loss?

Among other mechanisms, insulin is the major fat storage hormone of the body. So once your body’s cells have taken the energy they need from the bloodstream, your insulin will direct the remaining energy to store as fat.

But guess what happens if your cells are rejecting the glucose? That’s right – almost all of the glucose gets sent to be stored as body fat instead of little to none of it. A small amount gets stored in the muscles and liver, but the majority is going straight into storage for future use.

This is also why you seem to put on weight no matter how many calories you’re eating. Your body is not utilising the calories and is putting them away for later instead.

What can I do to lose weight, then?

There are a couple of steps to take:

  1. Address the underlying issue – insulin resistance. Stay tuned for a full article where I share my top tips to tackle IR.
  2. Ditch the calorie restriction and excessive exercise. These are only going to feed into the stress on your body, make you miserable and not help you lose weight!
  3. Turn to personalised nutrition. The only nutrition plan that will work for you is one that tailors to your needs and how your body processes nutrients, including glucose. To learn more about how I can help with this, check out The Glow Protocol here.
  4. Eat 3 square meals. Until recently, it was thought that the best way to manage glucose and insulin levels is to have small frequent meals during the day. However, research has uncovered that better glucose control in diabetic patients is achieved with 3 meals a day. The reason? When we eat frequently, insulin is continually being secreted by the pancreas and doesn’t have a chance to return to a baseline level.
  5. Consider evidence-based supplementation. No, I’m not talking about fat-burning supplements or laxatives! Again, we want to tackle the underlying concerns with targeted supplementation. That’s why I created my new supplement, Energy Glow NR.

    Amongst a host of other benefits, Energy Glow NR helps to support healthy blood glucose & metabolism of carbohydrates, both of which play a critical role in insulin resistance. Learn more about Energy Glow NR here.

Susie Garden

I help women feeling stressed, flat and older than they’d like regain their youthful energy and glow using a proven method so their natural beauty and confidence shines through.