Your Hormones are Changing

If you're over 35 and doing regular cardio workouts, like running, following a clean, healthy diet, and still noticing weight gain and fatigue, it can be really frustrating.

The reality is, during midlife, hormonal changes occur, causing previous fat loss strategies to become ineffective.

These hormonal shifts significantly impact your body's reaction to diet and physical activity, leading to changes in weight, energy levels, and overall well-being.

If this is happening to you, here are some essential points to understand about why it is happening and what hormones might be changing.

• Decreased Oestrogen: One of the standout transformative changes is the drop in oestrogen levels. This hormone plays a vital role in controlling metabolism and fat distribution. Decreased oestrogen levels can result in higher fat storage, especially in the midsection.
• Insulin Resistance: Hormonal shifts can impact the way your body metabolises sugar, resulting in heightened insulin resistance. Consequently, your body tends to store fat instead of burning it.

• Cortisol and Stress: In the midst of midlife madness, stress levels tend to spike due to career pressures, family hustle, and life’s little surprises. The stress hormone (cortisol) can sneakily lead to weight gain, particularly around the belly region.

  Stripping back calories or dabbling in intermittent fasting may spark a quick fix, but watch out! This could put a damper on your metabolism and crank up those stress hormones, like cortisol. Plus, it might bring along unwanted side-effects like anxiety, cravings, and a dip in your energy levels.

• Thyroid Function: Fluctuations in hormones and skipping meals due to persistent dieting can disrupt your thyroid, which controls metabolism. A sluggish thyroid can act as an unexpected obstacle to losing weight and may even contribute to some unexplained weight gain.
• Sarcopenia: Age-related muscle loss, referred to as sarcopenia, poses a notable issue. As you age your muscle mass naturally decreases, which slows down your metabolism. Sweating it out with cardio alone could speed up this muscle meltdown, leading to further muscle loss and a sluggish metabolism.
• Sensitivity to Stress and Inflammation: As oestrogen and progesterone start to take a nosedive, the stress and inflammation sensors in the female body become less responsive. Consequently, stress and inflammation triggers, such as specific foods or activities, can have a more significant impact. When inflammation disrupts the hormonal balance, it can lead to a rollercoaster of weight gain and fatigue.

Understanding these hormonal changes is crucial because it explains why traditional methods like running more and eating less might not be effective anymore.

If you're focusing solely on cardio and neglecting strength training, beware of losing muscle mass. Ignoring strength exercises could make it challenging to maintain a high metabolism and manage your weight effectively.

In my programme, we work in four 4-week training blocks that concentrate on strength and conditioning. The goal is to develop lean muscle, enhance your metabolism, and counteract the natural decline in these areas due to hormonal shifts and ageing.

You will discover your body type, the suitable exercise and nutrition it requires, methods to collaborate with it instead of against it, and ways to embrace a sustainable diet for long-term benefits, instead of opting for a temporary solution.

Through my nutrition and exercise plan, you will experience increased energy levels, reduced cravings, and stabilised blood sugar levels.

The next small group starts on the week of 16 September. And spots are filling up.

I limit the programme to 15 women at a time to ensure personalised care and individual support from me.

Schedule a call with me Beth Campagna here, and I'll reach out to address any questions you may have and then we can kickstart your journey to a fitter, stronger, and healthier you.