In a world dominated by fad diets and quick fixes, it's time to shift our focus
from temporary weight loss to long-term health. Embracing a revolutionary approach, hormonal nutrition aims to empower us, women, by understanding and optimizing the role of sexual hormones in metabolism throughout various life stages.
I think is unfortunate how the word DIET has been used wrongly. A diet is, in general, the combination of foods typically eaten by a specific group of people or other organisms. But today, when we hear the word "diet", we hear: restrictions, anxiety, empty promises and frustration. Simply because fad diets have taken over the term and gave it a bad name. And this is exactly why you will always hear me talking and writing in every article I publish about "nutrition". If we want to change our relationship with food, we need new concepts to create a new healthy mindset.
That been said, let's see why diets don't work and how hormonal health can be the key to sustainable weight management.
The Fallacy of Diets Counting calories and restrictive diets may offer short-term results, but they often fail to address the underlying factors affecting women's metabolism.
A study published in the journal Obesity Reviews highlights the limitations of conventional diets, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach that considers hormonal balance. In my personal experience, I battled my entire life not understanding why it was so hard for me to stay in my healthy way. And learning how my body works, helped to eliminate the dumb idea that I was cursed, in some way, because apparently I used to gained weight just by breathing!
Some important things to consider in order to start regulating your weight, or better said excess fat storage, are:
your hormonal health
the existence of any diagnosed chronic disease
your gut health
your mental and emotional health (stress raises excessive levels of cortisol that affects your hormonal health)
and of course your current diet must be checked, since the quality of the foods you are eating may also be increasing chronic inflammation in your body.
I bet you have never been told to pay attention to that, right?
Hormonal Regulation and Metabolism
Our sexual hormones play a pivotal role in regulating metabolism throughout different life stages, including the fertile age, perimenopause, and menopause. There is a wonderful research published in the National Library of Medicine which underscores the intricate connection between hormones and metabolic processes, specifically the interaction between insulin and estrogen.
There are 2 authors I love and strongly recommend you to read: Dr. Mindy Pelz and Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. They teach us what is actually going on in our bodies and the importance to understand that women's metabolism is a horse of a different color, so we cannot follow a one-size-fits-all kind of nutrition.
Eating for Hormonal Harmony
To harness the power of hormonal nutrition, women need to become mindful of what they eat during each stage of their hormonal cycle. For instance, during the follicular phase, when estrogen levels are on the rise, incorporating nutrient-dense foods such as leafy greens, lean proteins, and whole grains can support metabolism.
The main reason why I loved the book Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Pelz, is because she created easy names to follow every hormonal phase along the menstrual cycle. I have been studying her protocols the entire year, been part of her resetters program and actually live my life Fasting like a Girl, in order to be able to apply her teaching into my Coaching Programs.
The results have been fantastic! I started perimenopause last year (2023). By the time, I realized that fasting actually had stop helping me regulate my metabolism, plus I was starting to experience horrible perimenopausal symptoms.
Before applying the new hormonal nutrition, my period went from 31 days cycle to a 17 days cycle. It was insane! After 4 months of fasting and feasting with hormonal focus, my period cycle started to self-regulate increasing its length: first, to 21 days, then 25 and today, January 2024, I got my menstrual cycle back to 31 days. It took me 8 months to regulate my hormones and I did it by eating the right foods at the right times and also going deep in fasting (up to 36 hours) also in the right times.
I'm a 43 year old perimenopausal woman who sleeps like an angel, have little to none perimenopausal symptoms and live with a healthy metabolism that allow me to stay in my healthy and happy weight.
So you have my word that this works. And it works because is not a fad diet, it's science based. It's just how our female biology works.
Fasting and Feasting Are Part of our Nutrition
Intermittent fasting, when done strategically, can also play a role in hormonal optimization. A study in Cell Metabolism suggests that intermittent fasting may positively influence hormone levels, contributing to improved metabolic health. Learning when to fast and feast in alignment with hormonal fluctuations can be a game-changer in weight management. Estrogen and Progesteron have a different reaction when interacting with hormones cortisol and insuline, and I have personally experienced how my metabolism has healed only by learning how to fast and feast correctly.
Exercise for Longevity
In addition to dietary adjustments, effective physical exercise is crucial to prevent skeletal muscle mass loss, especially during perimenopause and menopause. A comprehensive review in The Journals of Gerontology emphasizes the importance of resistance training to preserve muscle mass and promote longevity in women.
And this is crucial for women over 40. As we grow old, we easily lose muscle mass. And muscle loss makes us more insulin resistance (one of the many reasons why women over 40 start gaining weight "for no apparent reason").
The era of one-size-fits-all diets is fading, making room for a more personalized and sustainable approach to weight management through hormonal nutrition for women. And I don't want you to be left behind on the train that will take you to your unique and personalized healthy lifestyle.
By understanding the intricate dance between sexual hormones and metabolism, women can make informed choices about what to eat, when to fast, and how to exercise for optimal health at every stage of life.
Say "so long!" to the dieting roller coaster and embrace a journey towards lifelong well-being with the power of hormonal nutrition.
I hope you enjoyed this post.
Have a wonderful week, girl!