Transcript

Episode 91: Tackling Belly Fat in Perimenopause and Menopause​

[00:00:00] Welcome back to episode of the Hormone Hub Podcast, where we talk all things perimenopause, menopause, and have the conversations no one else is having. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode. 

Kylie: Hello, hello, lovely ladies, and welcome back to another episode of The Hormone Hub. I’m Kylie Pinwill, your go to perimenopause and menopause nutritionist, and today we are diving into a hot topic, one which I would probably get asked about on a daily basis, and that is belly fat. All right, so we’re going to have a look at why It becomes an issue in the first place.

We’re also going to have a look at , that metabolism shift that happens when we hit our forties and fifties. And of course, as always, I will give you some practical tips to deal with that belly fat. Okay. So first up, there is no doubt that our changing [00:01:00] hormones, it changes everything.

So as we navigate through perimenopause and menopause, our hormones, particularly estrogen, starts to play tricks on us. And it’s this hormonal imbalance tends to lead to an increased storage of fat, particularly around the middle. So there’s a few sort of hormones at play here. So we’ve definitely got oestrogen.

So we tend to have higher levels of oestrogen, lower levels of progesterone. And it’s that imbalance in the ratio that tends to signal our body to store more fat. Okay. Then we have, the stress. So stress is a constant companion in our busy lives. And this also triggers cortisol release. And when we have that sort of ongoing elevated of cortisol, it , signals our body to store weight around our middle.

And it’s almost like our body has decided that our midsection is the perfect [00:02:00] storage area. Now, it can feel that your metabolism has ground to a halt and there’s a number of reasons why it can feel this way. Now, first up, we’ve got our thyroid. So our thyroid is a tiny little gland that sits in between our collarbones and it is the master of our metabolism.

And it is 100%, regardless of what your doctor tells you, our thyroid is. Totally impacted by our perimenopause and menopause, , without doubt. And it’s this time of life together. Also with pregnancy and postpartum is the most likely time for women that our thyroid will start to play up. Now there’s a strong link between our thyroid and our adrenals.

So our thyroid is also directly affected by cortisol. So you can sort of see that relationship there. We’ve got estrogen and progesterone. We’ve got cortisol and, I’m now going to talk about insulin as well. And it’s this shift in metabolism that [00:03:00] can make it really challenging to maintain our weight, let alone, , actually shed those extra pounds, particularly around the body.

So what happens is, as we get closer to menopause, we become more sensitive to insulin. So when we eat, that glucose goes into our bloodstream, our body releases insulin, it brings the insulin and the glucose down. So that’s a healthy response. But what happens is, we lose that protective kind of coating of of estrogen.

So we eat our glucose goes high. Our insulin is released and then our insulin goes. What? I’ve been doing this all day. I’m tired. I’m just not going to bring it down. So then we’ve got higher levels of insulin and higher levels of glucose, and it’s this high kind of circulating level of insulin that again signals our body to store weight around the middle.

So, [00:04:00] yeah, that’s a very rudimentary explanation of insulin resistance there, but that’s kind of how it starts. So, yeah, so we need to pay attention to our thyroid. We need to pay attention to specifically our cortisol and insulin as well. Let’s keep it real. There is no doubt that we don’t want belly fat.

Okay. We just don’t, it doesn’t make anyone feel good. I know in some cultures it’s a sign of abundance and it’s a sign of wealth, but it’s, it’s really, I’ve yet to meet anyone who, who loves their belly fat. Now we want to absolutely keep it in a healthy range. Okay. And this is where our waist measurement is actually so much more important than our weight on the scales.

Okay. So a higher waist measurement means that we’ve got more fat packed in around our organs. Okay, so that means that A, our organs can’t work effectively, particularly [00:05:00] our liver. Our liver is our filter. And if our filter is full of fat, it’s going to be sluggish. It’s going to make us feel sluggish.

It also means that we’re at higher risk of heart disease. Okay. Now, heart attack and heart disease is the leading cause of death for women our age. I’ll say that again. More than breast cancer, more women die of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. Now I did a whole podcast episode on this and it was really interesting because it was also one of my least downloaded episodes.

So it kind of indicates that We don’t want to hear this, so I encourage you to get out the tape measure and just check in where you’re at. Okay. So it’s actually sort of from a health perspective, really important, , and of course we don’t feel good either. So a healthy waist measurement.

So get out those tape measures. A healthy waist measurement should be less than 80 centimeters or [00:06:00] less than 31 and a half inches. Okay, so that’s where it should be. Now we are at high risk of cardiovascular disease if our waist measurement is between 80 and 88 centimetres or between 31 and a half and 34 and a half inches.

Okay, so this is just giving you a benchmark and then a very high risk of heart attack, heart disease is more than 88 centimeters or more than 34 and a half inches. And it was so interesting, I did a post on this in our Facebook group, in our perimenopause menopause community. And, I shared my waist measurement.

So, I’m sitting at about 76 and, I’m determined I’m on a mission that it will not get higher than that. And yes, it’s way higher than it was in my twenties and thirties, but I’m not going to let it get any higher than that. But out of 42 comments on that post [00:07:00] last time I checked this morning, there were only two women who were in the healthy range.

And that’s pretty huge, so it’s really something that we should pay attention to. And, I would love to do, maybe we’ll do it next year, like a group challenge and we’ll do like the waist challenge. And it’s not about losing weight. It’s about reducing that, that measurement. Anyway, that is a place to start, regardless of how tall or short you are, regardless of your ethnicity, that’s kind of like a basic place to start.

All right, now that we’ve got that out of the road, okay, now we can’t spot reduce, all right, so we can’t just lose belly fat. But what we can do is we can stop our body signaling that storage around the middle. Okay, so what we want to do is, nutrition is key. So we want to focus on nutrient dense foods.

So, these are real foods. So it’s, proteins, plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, lots of fiber healthy [00:08:00] fats. It’s about nourishing your body for optimal balance, hormonal balance. Now, this is going to help manage that insulin response. And ultimately the way your body stores fat. So we want to avoid food that comes out of a packet.

So if you have got any kind of pre prepared food yeah, we just want to avoid that as much as we can. So yes, it might be convenient, but is it convenient in the long term? And really like, it doesn’t take long to, throw a stir fry together. It doesn’t take long to, . barbecue a steak and make a salad or some fish and salad.

Okay. So we’re talking real food which is what our body recognises and what our body knows how to process. And if you are serious about reducing belly fat, I want you to check in with how much alcohol you’re drinking each week. So if you, , and if you sort of think about alcohol spikes, our blood sugar.

Insulin loves it, [00:09:00] and , voila, we’ve got high blood glucose, high insulin. So you really need to pay attention. And on top of that, our liver needs to process that alcohol as well. So it’s taking away its job from doing other things. So check in with how much alcohol you’re eating. Are you eating real food?

And the other one is, no snacking after dinner. So once that those dishes are done, the kitchen is closed. So if we are having a couple of bickies or a couple of cookies after dinner or a piece of chocolate, then we’re going to bed with elevated blood sugar, which means insulin is running around our bloodstream.

And this means, yeah, those signaling our body to store fat. So, they’re the kind of things that are going to continually work against us. Now we also need to, at the same time, start to think about how we can manage stress. How can we incorporate some lifestyle changes? So definitely, lowering our cortisol response through practices like [00:10:00] meditation and yoga is definitely helpful.

Getting good quality sleep is your absolute ally. And of course, moving your body. So, , and I’m not talking, hit classes. I’m not talking, we need to burn a certain amount of calories or anything like that, but just find an activity that you enjoy. So whether that’s walking, it’s dancing, Pilates, whether it’s a workout app, it really doesn’t matter.

Just find something you enjoy and do it daily. Alright, so hopefully we are all kind of measured up, or at least you’re thinking about it, or just even bringing awareness of, where your waist measurement sits and, is it healthy? Is it, , does it need some work or does it need a lot of work?

Now, remember that, I have the hormone code and this is exactly what we tackle inside that 12 week program. So it’s not just about losing weight. It’s also about, getting [00:11:00] healthy. It’s about reclaiming your energy, finding balance and feeling more confident in your skin. Okay. And knowing how to navigate these hormones as they change.

So remember, ladies, you are not alone in this journey. Embrace the positive changes, make mindful choices and celebrate the incredible woman that you are. So thanks for listening into the Hormone Hub. I am Kylie Pinwill, your host, and until next time, be kind to yourself. Bye for now.

Kylie: Hello, I see you there, juggling work, family, life, all while navigating perimenopause and menopause. But guess what? Maybe it’s time to break up with the hustle and grind. Going on a retreat is more than just about a vacation. It’s an investment in your well being and a step towards a happier, healthier you.

So take a moment, consider the benefits of a retreat and give yourself the gift of rejuvenation and self care. [00:12:00] Self care is all about giving the best of you, not what’s left of you. I want you to save 500 now, jump in for the Reignite You Retreat. We’re running in Bali in April 2024 and October 2024. And yes, we sure do have payment plans available.

See you there. . ​Thank you for taking the time to listen today. You can head on over to the show notes at kyliepinwill.com/podcast where you’ll find all the links. Now, before we go, it would mean the world to me if you’d head on over to your favorite podcast channel, subscribe and leave a review. Don’t forget to share it with your friends.

Then stay tuned for next week’s episode and I can’t wait to see you then. [00:13:00]