I'm not waiting for the stars to align, just my hormones!

7^th April 2014

Expect Nothing – Appreciate Everything!

Another Monday morning – don’t they roll around quickly, it’s actually the 14^th Monday morning of 2014 - how does that make you feel?  Has 2014 been good for you so far, have you been pleased with where you are?  I’m not, I really do need to get a handle on my healthy & happy balance, I’ve had a fantastic weekend but there was too much happy and not enough healthy!  At least I’ve got the happy back because that wasn’t there at the beginning of the year with mom being poorly, my happy wasn’t happening either, so at least we’re halfway there! 

Now to get the healthy back into balance, and what better day to do that than a Monday, it’s food shopping day too, so I will got armed with my F&H shopping list, moms got to follow a special diet for 2 days because she’s having a CT scan on Wednesday so I’ve got to buy a little white rice and white bread – we haven’t had that for ages in our house!

I’ve realised that my hormones are massively affecting my eating behaviour, for two weeks I’m great then for two weeks when I get all hormonal I’m not so great and it’s leading to a maintenance lifestyle, however I want to lose some weight so I need to get a grip of those hormones – easier said than done I know!  But it can be done I’m sure, there are hundreds of females in my meetings in their 40s and they’re losing weight so I need to take a leaf out of their books and get a grip of my hormones!  I can makes excuses and accept my weight or I can find solutions and do something about it, I prefer the latter.

I’ve just been looking on the Weight Watcher website for information about the menopause, and it’s interesting;

“Menopausal women tend to gain weight around their waist, which is a health concern because both weight gain in general and increased abdominal fat in particular are linked to increased cardiovascular health risks.

The years surrounding menopause are a vulnerable time for weight gain for women. While individuals vary, the average woman gains about 5-7lb. As part of the hormonal changes that come with this period in the life cycle, women also tend to experience a change in body shape, with weight accumulating around the waist, rather than at the hips and thighs. This is a health concern because both weight gain in general and abdominal fat in particular are linked to increased cardiovascular health risks.

Why is Weight Gained?
Research has shown that the weight gained in women of menopausal age is more related to the aging process than to the hormonal changes that occur with menopause. As women age, they experience a gradual decrease in muscle mass (which burns more calories) and an increase in body fat (which burns fewer calories), resulting in a gradual reduction in metabolism. Consequently, the number of calories needed to maintain body weight is reduced.

Most women also become more sedentary as the years go by, which further reduces the number of calories needed for weight maintenance. In fact, many studies have found that lack of physical activity is one of the most important factors contributing to weight gain during menopause.

Negative thought patterns and moods that are common during the menopausal years may also contribute to weight gain. A study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that middle-aged women who reported high levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety, were more likely to experience greater amounts of weight gain.”

It goes on, there’s more to read, I believe for me it’s not that it’s harder for me to lose weight now I’ve hit my 40s from a physical factor, I believe it’s more an emotional factor, I get hormonal and moody and I just don’t care what I weigh, I steer off into “Sod it” syndrome and forget that the week before losing weight was important to me!  Important from a health point of view more so than image, so I need to remember that and find a way of reminding myself when I am hormonal.  It’s no use someone else trying to remind me when I’m in “Hormone Hell” because I’m likely to tell them to get stuffed and mind their own business – is anyone relating to this thought pattern or am I just a crazy bird!  

Whatever I am, today I want to lose weight for my health, I was woken in the night by acid reflux, that’s never happened to me before and that’s one of moms problems, I know how much pain she suffers – you’d think I’d learn from that wouldn’t you!

So here’s to a good month, not just a good week because one week is easy, one month is much more of a challenge – wish me luck & you’re more than welcome to give it a go with me if you’re in the same situation.

BeYOUtiful. xx