Insatiable with Ali Shapiro, MSOD, CHHC

258. Over 40? What Works Now: Perimenopause and Menopause Food and Exercise 101

May 31, 2023

Dive into the hormonal shifts that start around 35 and how they impact nutrition and exercise needs as you approach 40. Explore essential dietary changes and the surprising role of carbs at night. Discover tips for managing common symptoms like insomnia and weight gain through practical strategies and personal anecdotes. Strength training takes center stage, emphasizing its importance for resilience and overall wellness during this transformative phase. Join a community-focused discussion to redefine health narratives for women.

01:10:25

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Quick takeaways

Understanding the hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause is crucial for tailoring effective nutrition and exercise strategies.

Adopting a balanced diet rich in protein and appropriate carbohydrates is vital to support overall health during hormonal changes.

Incorporating strength training and adapting exercise routines can significantly enhance physical resilience and emotional well-being in midlife.

Deep dives

The Crisis of Body Narratives

Societal narratives around body image, health, and diet have become increasingly dysfunctional and misleading, creating a sense of hopelessness regarding self-acceptance and body positivity. The impact of these misleading stories leads to diminishing self-trust with each perceived failure in achieving health goals. The growing crisis surrounding personal and collective narratives implicates various societal structures that contribute to issues around food and body image, making many feel as though caring for one’s body is a trivial pursuit in a world of larger problems. Therefore, focusing on individual needs and experiences is paramount for fostering genuine health and wellness.

Intro

2min

Exploring Perimenopause, Menopause, and Health Gatherings

9min

Navigating Food and Exercise in Perimenopause and Menopause

37min

Navigating Strength Training and Wellness Through Menopause

22min

Part of what’s been hard for me the last three years was I didn’t understand how drastically the hormonal shifts that start for women around 35 and accelerate in our mid-40s affects ALL THE THINGS.

And I’m someone who knows that our physiology and psychology are in a constant feedback loop.

Yet because perimenopause and menopause are women's health issues, they don’t get the attention they deserve. Nor do doctor’s really understand them all that well (the horror stories I hear from clients 😮‍💨).

I’m doing my part to change that with this special Insatiable episode. I’m sharing the major nutrition and exercise realities I wish I knew about perimenopause and menopause.

I had to learn about them through a lot of suffering with plantar fasciitis, insomnia, irritation/anger/rage, and grappling with significant weight gain that felt like it came out of nowhere.

While some menopause symptoms are inevitable, there's also a lot you can do to reduce and better manage symptoms through this profound threshold and beyond.

In this podcast, I discuss:

How decreases in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone affect your nutrition and exercise needs and why what worked before 40 often backfires now (and what I did to lose 20 pounds).
The 2 key nutrition shifts I needed to make and why adding more of these foods in is more important than ever for your health and weight
Why women need carbs at this stage (especially at night), a starting point of how many carbs you need, and the best time to eats something sweet if you’re struggling with sleep
Why Intermittent Fasting (IF) often backfires and things to consider if you want to experiment with IF (and how eating a snack before bed actually helped my insomnia for a year!)
The biggest exercise shift I made to support my health, weight, and peace of mind
The simple lifestyle shift I didn’t know I needed to support my insomnia

Episode Links

Free Health Coaching Disruption Hour for Rebel Practitioners

Free Truce with Food community gatherings

Truce Coaching Certification

On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen

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