We have just completed the Sugar-Free Challenge in our FB community, “Weightloss, great energy and more focus”, and I have received so many great emails with fab feedback. Thank you!
Whether you have taken part or not, cutting out sugar or at least reducing it considerably is a crucial first step to improving your weight and, most importantly, your health.
But getting to your ideal weight whilst having great energy it’s not just about the sugar!
In fact, despite cutting out sugar sometimes, your favourite jeans and smart clothes are still too tight. You find yourself sucking it in whenever you pass a mirror. And you feel discouraged … Shouldn’t say no to the dessert, the after-dinner chocolate, and the prosecco paying off by now???
So let’s troubleshoot what might still be happening in your lifestyle that is sabotaging your best effort for weightloss.
I will ask you six questions; take the time to answer them and reflect on what might be your hurdle.
#1 QUESTION: ARE YOU ACTUALLY NOT EATING SUGAR?
If you have done the sugar-free challenge with me, you know that it is hard to avoid sugar … just check any package item at the supermarket, and it’s pretty much guaranteed that sugar is in there!
Even if you don’t see “sugar” on the ingredient list when scanning a nutrition label does not guarantee the item is sugar-free or even sweetener-free.
While some of these names are more obvious, like brown and cane sugar, others are trickier to spot (e.g., Maltodextrin and dextrose).
Even products labelled as “natural” or “healthy” might contain added sugar!
Also, natural sugars are found in many foods that we consume regularly, and these could be causing an imbalance in your blood glucose levels without you even realising it. Foods like coffee, some yoghurt, and some vegetables are all “healthy”, but depending on your body, they could be spiking your insulin levels and contributing to your stubborn weight.
#2: ARE YOU GOING THROUGH A “THYROPAUSE”?
Many women in their 40s and 50s struggle with low thyroid function (and a majority may not even know it). I have talked about how many perimenopausal and menopausal women get into “Thyropause”.
And, for sure, sluggish thyroid can cause weight gain whether or not you are eating sugar.
Unfortunately, because an underactive thyroid problem arises when a woman turns 40 and it coincides with the onset of perimenopause, thyroid issues often go undiagnosed. Your thyroid is the master gland for your metabolism, and when underperforming, everything slows down: your digestion, metabolism, energy levels, focus, your moods.
#3: HOW STRESSED ARE YOU?
The question is not if you are stressed but how stressed are you. It is inevitable to have some stress in our busy world. And for sure, I know that the ladies in my community are ambitious women who strive for a great life. But too much stress, when unchecked and unresolved, can lead to all sorts of health troubles, including stubborn weight gain.
Stress might affect our behaviours by driving us to binge on ice cream or late-night chocolate or to reach for a drink or two at the end of a demanding working day.
If your lifestyle is constantly being in 5th gear, this creates a hormone cascade that causes fat to cling around the midsection instead of using it as fuel for energy.
Even when you diet and exercise and do everything right, the weight will continue to cling to your middle if your stress is still out of control.
Unfortunately, other factors occur during perimenopause and menopause when other hormones fluctuate and when insulin resistance is common. These years present the perfect storm for stubborn weight.
#4: HOW LONG AND HOW WELL ARE YOU SLEEPING?
How is your sleep these days? Back in my 40s, I suffered years of debilitating insomnia, and I know that many of my clients did as well. So many of the women who join my programme go through sleepless, frustrating nights followed by days of feeling dazed, confused, exhausted and HUNGRY!
Good sleep is crucial for our health and our weight! Insufficient or disturbed sleep plays a big part in disrupting the balance between hunger hormones leading us to eat more calories than we need.
And of course contribute to tiredness, fatigue and feeling “behind” and as a result, we get more stressed… it’s the worst self-perpetuating circle of problems.
#5: ARE YOUR CELLS STARVED OF THE NUTRIENTS NEEDED FOR A HEALTHY METABOLISM?
Not eating sugar isn’t enough—you NEED to supply your cells with the essential nutrients they need to produce energy and all the hormones necessary for proper metabolic functions.
It is easier than you think to be undernourished with our modern eating style. In fact, I often see people who are overfed but undernourished in my clinic. They have too much food that is poor in nutrients.
When your cells are starved of nutrition, burdened by chronic inflammation and toxicity, they cannot perform optimally. Metabolic function is one of the first aspects of our biology that can take a setback, leading us to increase our weight or stopping us from losing excess weight
#6: ARE YOU EATING TOO OFTEN?
One of the biggest “nutrition” myths that are still so common is that eating multiple smaller, frequent meals throughout the day boosts your metabolism or reduces your hunger, thereby controlling your weight.
But, especially for women over 40, this is not true and causes more harm than good.
Frequent snacking consistently raise your insulin levels and can be a major contributor to insulin resistance—a major issue for women dealing with weight struggles and leads to a metabolic rate decrease rather than an increase.
Constantly grazing also stresses our digestive system and can lead to an involuntary intake of calories higher than our daily requirements.
In my future blogs I will discuss each individual question and offer you some solutions so that you can start losing the excess weight that is stopping you from feeling optimally healthy, energetic and confident in your look.
And if you wish to know more about how I can help you and to learn about my programme The Fit and Focused Formula, reach out by email at monica@everydaynutrition.co.uk
I am looking forward to connecting with you.
With love, energy and care
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