Losing the Menopause Weight: The Truth About Diet and Exercise

If you've read my previous blog posts, you already know my story: I was 49 years old and suddenly gaining weight very rapidly. To try and combat the weight gain, I ramped up my workouts to two times a day. I ate as clean as possible– or at least I thought I was eating well. but the scale continued to creep up and up. My clothes were literally bursting at the seams. My concern was rooted less in vanity and more in protecting my health. I knew uncontrolled weight gain may lead to joint damage, heart issues, diabetes, and other conditions. The most discouraging part of all of this is that I just didn't feel like ME anymore.

After a few years of this frustration, I found intermittent fasting. I begin fasting for 20 hours daily with a 4-hour eating window. Within a week of this new pattern, my hot flashes began to subside, my puffiness and bloating went away, and I started sleeping well at night (finally!). And I lost the extra menopause weight!

To be honest, I wasn't even paying much attention to what I was eating within the 4-hour  window. I just reached for whatever was available and ate as much as I wanted during that 4-hour window. And I still lost weight. I later learned that the TIMING of my eating was everything, and my menopause weight gain (along with other menopause symptoms) was connected to hormone balance, namely insulin.

Timing of Meals and Insulin Levels

For most of my life, I unknowingly used the traditional 12-hour fast–  eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner within a 12-hour window and fasting overnight for 12 hours. For some people, this schedule works great in keeping insulin levels low, resulting in a status quo for weight. This fasting schedule may not help a person lose weight, but it could keep them from gaining. As I entered menopause and my hormones began to change, my body needed a longer fasting window. With a 20-hour fasting window, insulin levels are able to dip very low and the body burns fat at a higher rate. The longer the fast, the higher the fat burn rate. This is where the timing of meals is important: to get the highest fat burn possible, eat all of your meals within the smallest window. Thus, the 20:4 intermittent fasting schedule is optimum for me.

Exercise and Eating

I've always been active, and I enjoy working out. Lifting weights, cardio, stretching, TRX, and Pilates are fun and make me feel great. But I had fallen victim to the mentality that if I am working out daily, then I need to eat often throughout the day. While it's important to get enough to eat and not starve your body, especially if you are working out, the TIMING of meals is more important than anything else for weight loss. Eat the appropriate amount of calories for you, but eat them in the smallest window possible. When you prolong your fasting window— that is, do not eat, snack, or drink anything other than water, plain coffee, or plain tea— your body has more time to burn fat at the highest rate possible. I used to focus more on exercise to ramp up my metabolism, but the longer fasting windows are actually more effective for weight loss. 

How to Fast if You Have No Willpower

Willpower is a lie. Most people I talk to about fasting immediately reply, “Oh, I could never do that!”  Or they tell me I am so “good” for being able to skip breakfast and lunch. The truth is, they've never tried it. Period. If this sounds like you, hear me out… I’d like to challenge you to think about fasting in a new way…

Imagine being shipwrecked on a desert island (the Tom Hanks movie Castaway comes to mind). When you first realize you are stuck on the island, it will take you some time to forage and hunt for food. It might take several days to locate a few measly berries. So… will you die from hunger on the first day? No. The second day? Again, no. The body can go for weeks without food. Here's where the mindset piece comes in: put yourself on a desert island! Imagine no food available to you until 4:00 p.m. Have that snack ready to go, but hide it in the refrigerator or cabinet, then go to work without packing a lunch. Don’t have any food available to you. Let your co-workers know that you won't be joining them at the Golden Corral buffet— you've got some business to attend to. You don't need to explain… your co-workers will assume that you are meeting with your accountant, doing some last minute shopping on Amazon or scheduling that colonoscopy you've been avoiding. In fact, do not tell them you are fasting. Do not tell anyone until you have a few weeks of consistent fasting under your belt. Do not keep snacks in your purse, desk drawer, or car. Get comfortable on that desert island. Focus on work, projects, and time with family and friends that does not include eating. Plan a hike, a bike ride, a book reading session at the park, game night, etc. You cannot rely on willpower. This is an ugly, terrible lie. You must set yourself up for success. This is why recovering alcoholics would never go hang out in a bar;  there's too much temptation there. Recovering alcoholics go to Starbucks to socialize and get out in public. They know they will never be served alcohol,  and no one will question them why they're not drinking, or try to get them to take” just a small sip.” Like a recovering alcoholic, we must get real with ourselves and understand that we are all weak. It's not a matter of willpower or being strong or “good.” We must plan ahead and design our lives for success.

Find a Tribe of Encouraging Folks

Once you have this mental piece down, place some guardrails in your life to encourage your healthy habits. Lean on mentors and peers that have already embraced the intermittent fasting lifestyle. Seek encouragement from those that are living the life you want. Who in your social circle consistently works out, eats well, and feels great about themselves? Who in your social circle is consistently healthy and takes care of themselves as a priority? These are the people that will be happy to share what works for them. Most of them will gladly provide accountability and opportunities to check in during the day when you are feeling like you can't do it. And you will have times of weakness. Just like the recovering alcoholic, you need an “out” and someone to talk you through the moment. It's okay to feel like you can't do it—  just don't give in to the feeling.

Dear Reader, if you have considered intermittent fasting to lose the menopause weight or other menopause symptoms, why not give it a try? You have nothing to lose. It costs no money. There's no fancy program or special meals to buy. No counting calories or points here. It's probably the simplest way to level up your health and ditch those menopause symptoms for good. Ever since I found intermittent fasting, my health and life have continued to improve exponentially. I feel younger. I'm maintaining a healthy weight. My clothes fit. I feel like me again! Dear reader, I wish you all the success in the world in finding ways to get healthier and happier.

To your health, 

Jennifer Kaye