I’ve always said after I had kids that items may have “shifted in flight.” My body may have bounced back, but things went to different places. For example, I am fairly the same size that I was before having Lola and Penn Charles, but if I tried to put on pre-baby jeans, I don’t think I could get them past my thighs. Don’t get me wrong, I love this body that has served me well and I wouldn’t change a thing… it’s just different.
I’ve gotten older, I’m not doing anything different in terms of my diet or exercise, but I’ve noticed the scale wants to creep up. It made me say (for lack of a better phrase) WTF is up with that?
Track Your Nutrition
We decided to chat with Dr. Mary Claire Haver on our podcast, and ask her that very scientific question… WTF. Dr. Haver has over 2 million followers on TikTok, where she talks about the struggle women have with their health during perimenopause and menopause. As a doctor, she would treat thousands of women who would come into her office with the same concern: I’m doing everything right, but my weight is going up. Why? Before being in this boat herself, Dr. Haver would just remind them to workout more and eat less. She was horrified to learn later (when she herself faced this same conundrum) that she had been wrong all along.
The message to workout more and eat less isn’t serving anyone. In fact, it can be dangerous.
Dr. Haver explained all the things that help support us to feel good as we age. For both men and women, tracking nutrition is more powerful than tracking calories. For example, having enough fiber in our diet can decrease blood glucose and keep your gut biome happy. If we aren’t eating the right things, our body becomes inflamed and it increases weight gain, even if we aren’t doing anything different.
You’re Not Crazy
If you’re nodding your head while reading this, know that you are not crazy. There are a lot of factors that go into feeling good. Dr. Haver points out that nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction are all in play. Her outlook is that weight loss is a pleasant side effect of better health. Dr. Haver is the author of the book, The Galveston Diet, which is an anti-inflammatory nutrition program. You can hear more about her specific suggestions for nutrition and exercise on our podcast. Tell us if you’re struggling with this too!
