Intermittent Fasting and the Menopause Middle.
I spent the first 40 years of my life very fortunate. I could (and would) eat whatever I wanted and not gain a single pound. Then, like a tornado, the onset of menopause. Now I would love to not put all of the blame on menopause. I have not been the kindest to my body. It turns out I’ve let the Western Diet (fast food, artificial chemicals on or in nearly everything) take over my life. Have you taken a look at an ingredient list lately? Very likely there will be many ingredients that you cannot even pronounce. In 1958, the FDA introduced a program called GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). This is the program that these chemicals fall under. An example of one of these chemicals would be MSG. These chemicals will stay on this list until we discover they are dangerous. Partially hydrogenated oils were once on this list. In 2015, it was removed when they ruled they were no longer safe to eat. The FDA reduced the amount of trans fat allowed into our foods. By labeling food either low fat or fat free it led us to believe that we should feel good about picking up these foods. When in fact, we are all collectively gaining weight. This led to another problem by reducing the amount of fat they were left with another problem—flavor. So, began the creation of the litany of chemicals and artificial flavorings that then has gotten mixed in, sprayed on or any other means necessary to fix the zero fat/zero flavor issue on their hands. It also increased the amount of sugar in these foods.
If you want more information, you can read this consumer reports article.
I believe there are many factors at play here that have contributed to this unwanted middle section of my body. I have been researching in so many different places. And there are an unbelievable amount of information it’s overwhelming.
There are so many schemes out there to get you to get out your credit cards and be sucked into the “lose 20 lbs in 30 days” wormhole. Perhaps buy these gummies and you just need to chew 2 each morning and find the weight just falling off, like Oprah and Garth Brooks (heads up, they didn’t actually use this method) You name it. I’ve been sucked into all of them.
When I turned 40, symptoms weren’t drastic they snuck up on me like a secret shadow. Night sweats here and there, brain fog, exhaustion for no reason, and man was I crabby; like I couldn’t stand myself. Then I noticed that my clothes didn’t fit me like they used to. Turns out I didn’t accidentally shrink everything in my closet. I was blaming it on the stress of the Covid lockdown, the sudden start to my homeschooling career and complete lack of social interaction.
I fully believe that all of these things played a part and I didn’t realize it until I had gained 30 lbs and my body was stiff and inflexible. I couldn’t do things that used to be so simple, like bending down and standing back up. It sounds crazy. If I could have seen my future self and known what was coming maybe I would have taken steps to avoid this long road I am now beginning. I didn’t realize just how drastically that menopause would change my hormones. We all have survived the “time-of-the-month” hormones and mood swings. Well, menopause takes these to a whole new level. I have looked at many different approaches and talked to many people that have tried some of the more popular methods out there. Keto, Vegan, Mediterranean, powders, supplements, yada, yada.
I stumbled on this incredible book and countless videos of Dr. Mindy Pelz. She is the author of The Menopause Reset, The Reset factor and Fast Like a Girl.
All of her books are available here
All of these questions I have, it turns out may be answered with the process of Intermittent Fasting, or IF. The studies she has done and the science behind it is extremely fascinating. I am embarking on her 30-day reset to test her theories. I am praying that this is the answer I so desperately have been looking for.
As far as the menopause mystery goes, I feel like I may have come out the other side of the dark place that it became for me. It is no joke; it turned me into a person I did not recognize. The best way I can explain it is this—It’s like it took my brain and my body, put them in a blender, ran it on high for a minute and poured me back out and said “here you go, good luck!”
If you or someone you love is dealing with the same issues, if you have been through it and would like to share any advice, please do so. I believe it is something that needs to be talked about. We as women should not have to travel through it alone. You can check out Dr. Mindy’s website here. Or catch up on her YouTube channel here.
