Happy fall🍂!  My favorite season of all!  I love fall - the cool mornings, golden vibrant trees and because I have a fall birthday 🦃!  Just about 6 weeks until I turn 45!  

It's funny, I feel more healthy, fit and energetic in my 40s' than I did in my 20's or 30's!  Can you relate?

Did you experience a sudden change in your body around the time you turned 40?  You were still eating the same and exercising the same but noticed you started to feel a little thicker around your waistline, maybe also in your legs and booty?  I certainly did and it took me a while to determine why!

You see, once we're in peri-menopause (which can start in your mid - late 30's), the things we used to do in our younger years like restricting calories, skimping on sleep, working out harder, drinking in excess, and living a high stress life seem to backfire on us.  The constant state of  “fight or flight” our body is experiencing along with hormonal fluctuations cause our body to hold on to everything for fear of shutting down.

When I started noticing changes in my body, and all the things that worked in the past no longer resulted in positive changes, I started researching why?  I signed up for more courses in nutrition and peri + post menopause, then made some changes that helped improve my body composition and feel so much better!

1. Tracking macros more closely:  I started really looking at how much protein, carbs and fats I was eating on a daily basis.  Turns out, I was way low on protein and too high in fat.  Once I upped my protein and decreased fat a bit, I started to see big changes in lean body mass.
2. Changed up my workout routine:  I started prioritizing strength training, specifically heavier weight training.  As our hormones begin to decline, so does our muscle mass.  And, muscle is our metabolic fuel!  So, the more lean muscle mass we have, the higher our metabolism which means we burn more calories, even at rest!  Yes, I still run long distance and love it! However, I make sure I'm lifting weights at least 4 x week in order to preserve muscle and do Pilates regularly to strengthen my stabilizing muscles + work on balance!
3. Made sleep top priority:  Sleep is essential for muscle recovery, hormonal regulation, stress management, etc.  It's so easy to get stuck in the trap of staying up late to get things done!  I committed to being in bed by 9:30 - 10pm each night in order to get 7-8 hours of quality sleep!
4. Addressed hormonal imbalances with a functional doctor.  I have a comprehensive set of labs done at least every year to see where my hormone levels are, if I'm deficient in specific vitamins and minerals, and to see how my gut health is.  Then, I can work with my functional doctor to add specific supplements to help my body come back into balance.

I also make time to prioritize self care and surround myself with positive people!

The best part of all of this - it wasn't hard!  All of these changes made me feel good, strong, energetic and without feeling restricted or stressed!  Yes, it required lifestyle changes, implementing new habits and being consistent, but the results were positive!

Are you looking to make changes in your diet and lifestyle to help you through this phase of life?  I'd love to chat with you and help you reach your goals!

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