I’m on a personal mission. I’m menopausal and my tummy is growing. I don’t like it and I don’t want it and I’d like to find a way to stop it.
My passion for nutrition started with a personal mission. I’ve changed my diet so many times over the years. To lose weight (crazy diets and diet pills in the late ’70 early, ’80s). To save the planet and the sea (vegetarian in the late ’80s).
The Zone diet in the mid 90′s marked a turning point, a plan that worked for me, and paleo choices in 2009 was the icing on the cake. Since then I’ve kept experimenting, the auto-immune paleo – best results ever – but so strict. (No alcohol – Is it worth cutting one of life’s small pleasures for a small gain?) I’ve tried 9 cups of vegetables a dayas per the Wahls’ diet, but being little different from a fairly strict paleo diet with 5 cups or so of vegetables / fruit a day – I just felt uncomfortably stuffed after meals. I’ve gone back to about 5 cups a day and feel just great. I have berries, kiwi, sometimes a banana and a range of vegetables – all types and colours.
Nicole Carroll with her crossfit abs
I’m following a paleo diet, strictly gluten-free because I have Hashimoto’s (auto-immune thyroid disease), a little alcohol, occasional dairy. I keep on top of portion size and don’t overeat, and have kept my body fat within a range that I feel comfortable with – although I’m jealous of those girls at CrossFit that have visible abs.
I exercise – I was introduced to CrossFit in 2009 by Alex at CrossFit Auckland, for which I am totally grateful. I love it – CrossFit works for me, and I still go at least 3 times a week. I may not be the fastest (Frequently I’m the last finishing a workout – due to my totally sucky aerobic system – but I don’t care, I’m strong, my butt does not sag, and I feel fresh and way younger than my years)
Which brings me to where I am now. Menopause. I can’t quite believe this is the point I am in life. I don’t feel this old, and I don’t look this old. (Not that years of periods have helped me any – fertility was an issue and my 2 children are adopted) But yes – it has hit me. Last year – the missed cycles, the occasional hot flush. I discovered that being strictly gluten-free helped a lot, those waves of nausea and heat in the night evaporated when I became strictly gluten-free.
It’s 8 months since I’ve menstruated, hot flushes hit me like a blast of hot air up to 6 times a day, but they are not so bad. I occasionally drip with sweat, a strange experience as I’ve never been a sweaty person. I’m sure my diet helps. (Sorry boys if this is TMI, but one day a woman in your life might be going through this.)
I seem to be relatively free of other menopausal symptoms so far:
Sleep – I sleep like a log, magnesium malate (my favourite form of magnesium)- 2 tabs a day seems to help both the flushes and my sleep.(Link: To buy in my NZ shop)
My mind is still intact, it’s a bit more foggy and I’m more forgetful – but nothing extreme, (I’ve got 50 + years of stuff in my brain, something has to fall out when new stuff goes in) it still works well enough to tackle post grad nutrition science assignments.
What I’m struggling to keep on top of is the belly fat. All of a sudden – I had an increase in hot flushes, an increase in appetite, a 2 kg (5 lb) weight gain, and 3cm waist increase. My skinny dress is tight, very tight.
Superficial? Maybe. But I think that as a nutritionist, it is important keep on top of my own issues – experiment, research and try out tactics that might help me, that then might help others.
I’ll be doing some research and self experiments and I’ll keep you posted – in the meantime – if you have found a strategy, a solution for yourself, please share. You might help me (I don’t know all the answers!), and others in my position.
More reading:
From Marks Daily apple: Dear Carrie: Hot Flashes
[...] paleo diet and weight gain Julianne's Paleo & Zone Nutrition Blog / Posted on: May 27, 2012Julianne’s Paleo & Zone Nutrition Blog – I’m on a personal mission. I’m menopausal and my tummy is growing. I [...]
Well, another benefit of being a man, no menopause, but my sympathies for the process anyway
I probably had some sort of andropause, and in my 60s no longer easy keeping the weight where it should be despite 50k plus running each week, some of it pretty solid, so always interesting to read of such journeys.
Thanks for the blog, keep it up!
Thanks Rick!
Sorry, I don’t have any quick and easy solutions for the belly situation.
I’m 57 and notice that keeping my own belly in shape is harder now than when I was a young man. It’s not a women’s only deal, as you can see when you look around.
I suspect what’s needed is the same tricks that younger folks would use (the right exercises and low percentage body fat) – just more of it. It’s harder and less effective when you’re over 45, to the point that many people just give up the dream. But’s it’s not impossible.
Thanks for sharing this very common problem. How about some “before and after” photos?
-Steve
I’m a bit self concious – but might brave a belly shot for the sake of science!
Standing by for the answer on this one.
Thanks for your honesty about your journey which probably paralells so many of us – although certainly in my case not so successful. However I know I am much healthier on a somewhere near Paleo diet but still lots of unnecessary fat. Good luck with your belly fat – if there’s an answer I’m sure you will find it.
I am a 59-year-old postmenopausal woman. Through a combination of paleo, CrossFit, and bioidentical hormone replacement I’m fairly lean and have mostly lost the “menopot”: the pouchy belly and belly fat in my lower abdomen. What bugs me, though, is that none of the above have really helped with the waist thickening I experienced as part of menopause. It seems to be a different issue than the fat layer in the front of my belly. It’s very similar to what happened to me with each pregnancy: Both times, before I’d even had a pregnancy test my waist thickened, both at the sides of my body and across the back.
Any thoughts?
Great post. I’ll be following to see your suggestions on the menopausal tummy issue.
Julianne, whose picture is that? Is that Alex of Crossfit Auckland?
It is a picture of a crossfitter called Nicole Carroll in the USA
Perhaps it is time to get get help from a Naturopathic doctor or Chinese medicine practitioner. You don’t have to suffer through the hot flashes. Western or eastern herbs and acupuncture can help a lot.
Thanks,
I didn’t mention – that I have talked to my GP, he’s old school – just said “Yes other women complain about the increased belly size too – not much you can do about it”
I’ve also talked to a Holistic Doctor and have some recommendations for supplements for boosting metabolism and helping my brain keep on top of things. I’ll update when I have tried them.
The hot flushes are very minor really – and if I eat well and limit alcohol and take my magnesium, they hardly bother me – and don’t keep me awake.
I am 52 with 4 kids. I slide thru menopause without a hitch. I credit 30 years of HIIT High Intensity Interval Training for the aging gracefully thing. No chronic cardio. Paleo for the past 4 years has stopped inflammation, allergies, blood sugar issues. I have trained and counseled hundreds of menopausal women and this combination has worked. I truly believe it is HIIT combined with that is the magic menopause pill. My bodyfat range is 11-14 depending on the test used and I credit the HIIT cardio 2-3 times per week, HIIT weight training 3 times per week, and Paleo. I don’t take hormones and am on a mission to see how long I can hold onto this body. My own experiment is working on me and many other women. But you have to be tough. It is hard to eat and exercise with motivation all the time…especially when all the women around us just give up and blame menopause and aging, like they have no control over their bodies. Could it be that you need to up the quality/intensity of your training? I notice I have to remind myself to keep training with high intensity and not give in to the thoughts of ‘Oh we’ll, this is just what happens when you get old’ mentality. I try to block those thoughts and pretend like I am still 25…because I feel as if I am! Never Surrender girlfriend! Keep fighting like a girl! Train hard, win easy! Do your best and them some…that is all we can do.
Hi Penny,
Up until this year – my weight has been around 51 (50 – 51.5kg) and my waist a consistant 27.5 – 28″ at navel. Unlike you – I have never been able to maintain a very low body fat, but have maintained it at a healthy level. I’ve been crossfitting for 3 years, 3 – 4 times a week. And paleo for 3, very strictly gluten free. I don’t weight or measure food, just eat what feels right, although I have a good sense of portion control that works for me. Then all of a sudden this year – Wammo – waist 29″. I’m almost 53, and up until this year – like you thought I was sailing through. Like I said -hot flushes are really minimal. Sleep well. Feel great in all respects. My Hashimotos is still symptom free, although my TSH has gone up a bit. It started the minute my periods stopped completely.
I’ll play around with tightening up my diet, cutting alcohol, which I’m not really enjoying anyway, (another side effect of menopause?) supplements for the hashis and maybe herbs for the menopause symptoms. I’ve also started a pro-bioitic that has good clinical results for auto-immune / gut issues to see if that helps. More fermented foods.
More exercise? Might have to look at a bit more. I feel I need to do more to keep my fitness up, which seems to be dropping in the last year.
So thanks – I’ll keep up the fight! I dont want to succumb to aging. I’m inspired by all those others that keep physically fit and strong and keep eating smart (including my 80 year old parents)
Any other tips gladly accepted.
Which probiotic is that, Julianne?
Thanks!
Natren lifestar 2 with Bifidobacterium infantis
I do not think HIT is the best for everyone, like I can not do it more than 1 in 7-10 days. When I was doing 3 times week my period had stopped, it just stressed my hormones too much. I go better with walking and some yoga and only once in while some hit training
Paleo for Women has some excellent articles on this subject http://www.paleoforwomen.com/category/hypothalamic-amenorrhea/
I’m looking forward to what you find. I’m in my 50s, and am fighting fat that’s distributed very differently than it was 10 years ago. I have to stay very low calorie to avoid gaining, no matter what I eat. To read what others (male) have written, one would think eating paleo/low carb/high fat is the perfect solution for everyone. Thank you for bringing up the topic of aging while female!
I was feeling kind of invisible.
So far, in terms of effects of food on hot flushes, I notice the more I eat – the more the flushes, also alcohol has an effect.
Last night I had a bigger than usual meal and about 2 glasses of wine (maybe 3) and was woken by sweats about 3 times.
Eating less food keeps me cooler. Especially sticking to vegetables/ fruit and protein.
I’m analysing my intake this week to see what I actually eat, and restricting calories a little.
Hi Julianna,
I’m more of a reader then a poster on blogs, but this time I want to share what I found out for myself.
I am 48 years old. I’ve never been overweight but started eating low-carb in January 2004 to support my husbands struggle to loose some weight. Since then I’ve never stopped eating like that: no more headaches or migraines, never had a cold or the flu anymore. Besides that I eat much tastier like this, I love the fat! Sometimes I cheat in holidays but no more than two or three days in a row.
My point is that since two years the weight kept creeping up, nothing helped: extreme low carb, calorie restriction, increasec exercise, no alcohol. But I’m the person that never gives up, since a while I adapted my diet a bit to Paleo and started reading about IF (intermittent fasting). I play a little with it, sometimes 16/8 ours (leangains), sometimes 24 hour fast (from dinner to dinner), but mostly I just stop eating at 10 pm and skip breakfast then at around 2 or 3 pm a good lunch and dinner in the evening.
To me that is THE SOLUTION, after two years of struggling I’ve started losing weight again, a few grams every day, sometimes even a pound. Even though I drink a glass of wine or two in the weekends. At first it was difficult not to eat but after a few weeks it has become natural to me, I even work out in a fasted state every morning without feeling weak. I hope this could work for you -and other women- too.
B.t.w. I live in The Netherlands and paleo is more and more moving in the underground but is unstoppable I hope!
Kind regards, Ilse
Thanks for sharing what worked for you. I’ll definitely look at IF as a something to try.
Thank you for your post. I have been paleo for some time (absolutely no gluten, grains, dairy, etc) and I have not seen a budge in my weight or measurements (hovering at 127 lb/57.7 kg) and I don’t know what else to try. I have been weight lifting and started walking 3 miles a day. Nothing. I have been reading more on IF and with your high recommendation am going to try it.
Mark Sisson of Primal Blueprint wrote an excellent series of 7 articles on IF.
First one: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fasting-weight-loss/#axzz1wu4L0QwE
This series convinced me to just try it, for more reasons than just weightloss, like a better overall health and clearer thinking.
I’m new to low carb high fat eating; it’s not strictly paleo as I do eat Greek yogurt and some cheese. I found your blog searching for info on menopause and paleo because I’m struggling with menopause, hot flashes and weight gain. I changed my diet about two months ago to LCHF to lose weight, I’m about 30 pounds (15 kilos) overweight. I’ve lost about 10 pounds in the last couple of months but my weight loss appears stalled. I noticed that I stopped losing weight two weeks ago when I started taking Estroven, a black cohosh supplement, for hot flashes and night sweats. Then I read that black cohosh can cause weight gain so I’ve stopped taking it.
Still, even with my 10-pound weight loss none of it has been in my stomach. I’ve been exercising, cardo and weights, about 5 days a week. Workouts have been a struggle because of the hot flashes but I’m being pretty consistent.
Anyway, I found your site looking for info on eating paleo and menopause. I’m wondering if I should be doing something more, different?
So far I seem to be doing better with calorie restriction. Little or no alcohol and no dairy + paleo. No snacking
Hi Julianne,
I am 49, started 2 years ago with mysterious joint aches and pains, then about 2 years ago came night sweats…rivers of water. I finally went on bioidentical hormones which totally cured the joint pain but the night sweats are a huge problem we are struggling to sort with progesterone dosage and adding DIM. I am not strictly paleo or primal yet (have been reading about it for the last few months) and working towards it, but have probably been fairly close anyway – more fresh food than processed, very little takeaway. It was low fat though, so I have flipped that around and lost the rest of the grains too (mostly rice, a little bread not much else). I feel better for that straight away, no more tired in the afternoons!
I believe alcohol is an issue so it has gone as of last night (finished the red, so sad!). I am 163cm and have been 55kg for ?25 years? 4 kids, lots of exercise, on and off depending – martial arts, weights, mild cardio (I hate running!). I have also been reading “The Wisdom of Menopause” by Christine Northrup, and coffee has to go as well so I can see if thats a problem (its been decaf for months with not much difference!). All I want to do is SLEEP!!! The night sweats gives me freaky dreams (like a technicolor movie that won’t quit) and I wake up feeling like a wrung out dishrag. Hard to get to the gym at 6am feeling like that!!!
I’ll update how it all goes….please that it GOES!!!!
Michelle
I’ve been back on a 30 day strict paleo, without alcohol. I feel better, barely any sweats or hot flushes. I had a glass of wine last night. First for a while – not a smart idea, woke up at 4 am for a couple of hours.
I’ve been taking green tea extract and maca, both seem to help.
Thanks so much for the post. I am having a similar experience with the belly fat, but I has a different experience with the hot flashes. I am 49 and have been paleo for a couple of years. I started following the Leptin Reset and Cold thermogenesis protocol this Jan/Feb. All was going great when suddenly I started having non-stop hot flashes all day and night in late March. I was so sleep deprived I was walking around like a zombie and not eating well at all. I put on about 5-6 pounds in my belly. I tried manipulating diet, room temperature, fans etc to no avail. Nothing abated the night sweats. Then suddenly they stopped after 6 weeks. I am left with the extra weight in the tummy, and have had no period since March. I keep wondering if I stirred something up with the cold thermogenesis protocol from Jack Kruse, or that was my menopause and I am done? Who knows?!
Interesting experience. Did the high protein low carb trigger some hormonal changes I wonder?
I am wondering whether hunter gatherer females beyond menopause have a ‘tummy’?
If it is true that we are eating and exercising appropriately for our species, then we must trust that our bodies know what they are doing, right? Just like with your cat – you eat right, your body heals itself.
I’m still definitely pre-menopause, but I’m curious about the basic assumption being made here, that all women of all ages will be lean, tight and young-looking when on a paleo diet. Perhaps this isn’t the case.
I know that in all the National Geographic pictures I’ve seen of older tribal women, they look a bit saggy and have breasts to their knees. I don’t know if they were strictly hunter-gatherers, but maybe we should be just thankful we have access to good lingerie
Yes – I’ve wondered that too. I’m also interested in whether women in other cultures who dont overeat like Okinawans get extra padding as they age. I’ll be looking into it.
Indeed good lingerie is a plus!
I dont want to be bigger even if that is the case!
Julianne,
check this out: The sussess story of a menopausal crossfit trainer on Mark Sisson’s website. Paula Jager from crossfit Jaguar.
She lost her “menopausal fat”.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/a-primal-woman-looks-at-50/#axzz1xwDx2fYG
Yes – I saw that. She was able to get down with calorie control. She has previously been very lean. I wonder how much ones set point affects the potential to be lean. Still it’s a positive story. I am taking some tips from it.
I’m a 54-year old perimenopausal, athletic woman (still occasional periods; I’ve been perimenopausal for 3 or 4 years). I’ve had “healthy habits” for many years, but gained weight during this time (10 lbs). What seems to work for me (amazing success in just 3 weeks, all my clothes fit now and tummy is way down) is Terry Wahls’ protocol for nutrition (especially with lean grass-fed meat, etc., and for now eliminate dairy and grain, though I do drink alcohol) AND substituting HIIT (high-intensity interval training) for a couple of my work-outs during the week. The HIIT actually saves a bit of time–it’s not about adding something else. I’m feeling great too, and nails are stronger. I’ve noticed I see the most improvement on days after HIIT, but I just don’t want to do that every workout. I mix things up a lot, but I do work out pretty intensely even when it’s not HIIT. I also do yoga to stretch out, along with different sorts of cardio and weights.
Thanks, that is interesting. What was your diet before Dr Wahls protocol?
I do health research for a living and I have found, so far, no good research on menopause and weight gain. Based on my own experience and that of others, you can think you are sailing through and then … wham!… literally within a week or two you gain 10-15 pounds and several inches. No change in diet or exercise. Although I had menopause at 51 the weight gain did not hit until 56. I did not diet, kept doing what I was doing, and then a couple of years later, it seemed to fall off as fast as it arrived. Waist is about 2 inches thicker (though I do have one) and I”m maybe 5 pounds heavier at 64 — but I haven’t worked at keeping my weight down or done intense exercise.
Bottom line: I have not seen any diet or exercise program work to lose this rapid weight gain.
Second Bottom line:
However, I have been researching berberine which activates AMPK, the master “energy” sensor. There has been one small human trial with modest (about 5 lbs) weight loss. Berberine (1 – 1.5 g daily ) also lowers blood sugar equal to metformin (it works similarly without the side effects), also lowers cholesterol, triglycerides, and increases insulin sensitivity.
Side effects of berberine are that about 5% of people get constipated. To get back to the topic, I’m trying berberine on some menopausal women friends who have just had the rapid weight gain experience and who are also on some type of low carb eating program. I’m curious if berberine will help lose this particular type of weight through its ability to affect the weight chemistry via AMPK. There is the possibility, of course, that this weight gain is the body’s way of transitioning through this hormonal change and there’s little we can do about it.
You can go to pub med and search berberine for studies.
Thanks – I will have a look at that. My own experience is that weight gain is also linked to less tolerance of hunger. I used to be able to skip meals, (not intentionally – I just used to forget about eating at times, or hunger would not bother me) now hunger does bother me. I get irritable, like when I used to get low blood sugar.
I came accross this today http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200404/menopause-and-the-munchies
On a more positive note. My weight gain has stopped, but it’s hard to shift back down. But I’m being pretty strict eating wise (did another Whole30to get back on track), and doing CrossFit 4 – 5 times a week.
Thanks for all the info here. I found this site through a google search of “menopause and paleo”
I have been dabbling for the last year but have been inconsistent. But my symptoms are driving me nuts. I have hot flushes but they are the least of it…just inconvenient really. The real issues are the stupid un controlled weight gain and my very predictable monthly body aches and flulike symptoms..all which resolve completely after about a week. But that week…sheesh..I live on the couch and do google searches..hehe.
I just started with the Maca and Remifemin and regular Magnesium.
Thinking the Remifemin might be gone..more googling for me…
Next..Strict Whole30-and maybe some HIIT.
I will continue to follow here. There is not a lot out in google land so experiment of n=1.
Thanks again
Let me know how you get on with a strict whole 30 and exercise. It is the best solution for me so far.
Alcohol and overeating are definitely not great. The only thing I haven’t tried yet is no coffee, some women say this makes a big difference. My hot flushes are minimal now, and I’ve stopped gaining weight. Wouldn’t mind losing a little though.Some favourite clothes are a little too tight.
Like the earlier commenter questioned, I wonder if the assumption that paleo women aged without weight gain or physical decline is reasonable or logical. I’m visiting my 83 yo father and he has dementia and is winding down. He used to be a solid, robust man but now is very thin and frail. Perhaps extra weight gain during menopause is actually protective and allows us a few more decades of active life. To be sure, we won’t be hot babes anymore but maybe that is rather freeing as well.
My question: I am 49 yo and in the past year or so have developed uterine fibroids that I believe are due to hormonal changes. Do you know anything about that and what nutritional strategies would help reduce them? They cause me no pain but feel heavy when I lie down.
Extra weight is useful – but only if it is muscle as far as I can see. Most people lose muscle and gain fat. As we age and growth hormone and testosterone drop we can lose significant muscle mass. Weight resistant exercise as we age in imperative in my opinion.
Not sure about the fibroids – you could google paleo and fibroids to see if anyone has had success. My clients with these have usually had surgery, than gone onto a paleo diet.
Hi Julianne,
It was inspiring reading your story and seeing your picture. I too suffer from Hashimoto’s, endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroid and sjogren’s. Losing weight is a constant battle for me so it helps to know Paleo does work. I tried it and lost 5 lbs so far. The minute I added caffeine back into my diet was the day I stopped losing weight, sigh, I dearly love my one cup of coffee a day:-( anyhow, I do feel less bloated when I stop drinking it. I’ve read tons on Paleo, menopause, bioidentical hormones and hysterectomy. Some women say they have to be brutal with the Paleo and only do meat, fat and vegetables or just meat and fat. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to go that far but after just a week with Paleo, doing only vegetables, protien and apples I started adding back other fruits. Big Mistake! I noticed immediately that my stomach was not pleased. I can’t even tolerate apples anymore. I guess I’ll be one of those nut jobs that exists on protien, fat and vegetables.
Good Luck and glad to hear that it’s not hopeless!
Blessings,
Jeanine
Your metabolism is slowed from years of low calorie dieting. Also, you probably have severe estrogen dominance (which also affects the thyroid) from using so much omega 3. Fish oil is a source of polyunsaturated fat and is not good, according to a biologist named Ray Peat. You might want to check his articles out: http://www.raypeat.com
I did the Zone from ’96- last year. I also used Paleo nutrition for years. Both aged me and wore me down physically. Dr. Sears is right, starches are bad. The rest of his advice is generally wrong.
What have been your results since following Peats ideas. Zone and paleo have not aged me one bit. I have never felt better. since taking a small done of thyroxine, my weight is back down. I dont agree with eating dairy, it has a lot of potential health problems, and Peat promotes that.
I think we each need to find what works best for us.