The Best 3 Weight Loss Tips For Women Over 40!

Everyone agrees women over 40 or “menopausal” women are the hardest group to help when it comes to weight loss. I’ve heard this from doctors, personal trainers, and nutritionists. It's one thing to hear professionals echo this “fact” but it's another to sit in front of one of these frustrated women and hear about the struggles and how their whole life has been impacted. I hear about the loss of self-esteem, the depression, and how it has affected their relationships. The diets or strategies that once worked don’t anymore. Gone are the days when you can watch your calories and add in a little exercise. Ladies, I get it! These are the incredible women I am honored to help finally find victory over the bulge. Here are my top 3 tips just for you:

1. Carbs are not your friend!

Now before you write me off or put me in the low carb or keto camp, know that I don’t believe carbs are evil. It’s not the carbs, it's that something in your body has broken over time and we just need to fix it. I’m proud to tell you that my patients enjoy healthy carbs in their diet, they just have fixed what was broken and have a strategy to keep their metabolism working for them rather than against them. So what is broken you may be asking. The obvious answer is to talk about shifting hormones. Yes, it is a fact that hormones change as we age and imbalances can be awful for some… but I’ve helped thousands of women over 40 lose weight without directly targeting hormones. The answer is a decline in insulin sensitivity or insulin resistance. To heal this condition we have to give the insulin receptors a break which means we have to consistently cut out carbohydrates and switch metabolic pathways.

2. You have to track calories!

Once again, don’t write me off. I hate tracking calories too, but you don’t have to do it forever. The reality is that most people need fewer calories than they think they do. We are truly overfed and undernourished in our modern western world. This being said, I absolutely favor the quality of food over calories, but we do have to consider that everyone has a different calorie threshold and how do you know what that is without testing what it takes for you to lose weight. This is best done with the guidance of a clinician.

3. Consider skipping breakfast!

This strategy is so simple, yet so powerful and I’ve seen it work exceptionally especially for my menopausal women. I believe the success of this strategy is due to the healing of insulin sensitivity referenced above. I’m sure you’ve heard somewhere that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. I’m calling BS. What if breakfast is the culprit? Think about it. Breakfast foods are the worst foods for us metabolically speaking. Cereal, bagels, oatmeal, yogurt, prepackaged shakes, and bars are NOT serving you well. Get these items out of your house and out of your life. My patients start their day with a cup of organic coffee or hot water with Apple Cider Vinegar and lemon. They all report better energy, better mental clarity, less hunger, and fewer cravings!

Ladies, if I leave you with one thing, it is this- there is HOPE! Your body is amazing, it just has to heal. You can achieve your weight loss goal, you just need the right game plan and support! You, my friend, can do anything. I believe in you!