Intermittent Fasting For Menopause Belly Fat And Bloating

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Intermittent fasting is a trend on the rise. The main benefit of intermittent fasting for menopausal women is that it is easy and no-fuss. It is no secret that bloating and menopause weight gain go hand in hand. Fasting to stop bloating, and lose menopause weight works extremely well. It is similar to being on a keto or low carb diet only with much less input and energy from you.

Most women in perimenopause and menopause are likely to find intermittent fasting a far easier way for losing weight during menopause and menopausal bloating as well as other menopause symptoms that they may be suffering from at this time of their lives. Imagine how good it will feel to finally reduce that bloated menopause belly.

Of all the ways to reduce menopause related weight gain and bloating I have written about this as my all-time favourite and I consider it to be the best diet for menopausal and perimenopausal weight gain.

Back in the “olden days”, as my two verbal terrorist teenagers put it, I used to do the 40 Hour Famine to raise awareness and donations for refugees and displaced people around the world.  Intermittent fasting is nothing that extreme so if I can do 40 I can do 14 or even 16 hours and I am sure, with a little practice, so can you.

What Causes Menopause Bloating and Weight Gain?

The hormonal changes especially progesterone and estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause is the cause of many of the symptoms you will experience.

These two hormones  play an important role in maintaining the correct amount of water and bile in the body. As progesterone and estrogen levels lower the body can store more water leading to that bloated feeling. Bile affects the way you digest fats, as the levels in your body go up and down so does your ability to digest fat. This can open the way for wind or gas in the digestive system.

Menopause related weight gain and bloating can also be due to poor dietary habits. If nothing is done to improve your diet you are at risk of serious health issues.

These are some of the foods that can contribute to bloating and gaining weight:

• Fizzy drinks.
• Onions, broccoli, beans, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
• Soy.
• Foods high in fructose such as apples, cherries, watermelon, and pears. Check the label on processed foods.
• Sugar substitutes, such as sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol.
• High fiber foods. Of course fiber is good for you but having too much or jumping from none to a lot can cause changes in you digestion.

Muscle mass decreases with age, while fat and especially belly fat increases.

The loss in muscle mass slows down your metabolism making it difficult to not gain weight.

Continuing to eat as you always have and not changing up your exercise routine to include muscle building routines may mean you put on weight more easily around your belly.

What Is Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting allows the body to burn off energy by using excess body weight and belly fat.

When we eat we don’t immediately use all the energy that food gives us so it is stored in the body for later use. Insulin is the hormone that manages how that energy is stored.

The first bit of energy is stored for immediate use in your liver and muscle. There is limited storage though and once the limit is maxed out insulin turns the excess into fat.

When we fast though this time line works differently

To lose menopausal weight or restore balance in your body you need to increase the amount of time your body gets to use stored energy or fat.

The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting In Menopause for Women

Of course, easy loss of excess weight in menopause and a reduction in painful bloating are two good reasons why it’s popular. There are other potential benefits:

Key benefits of intermittent fasting you may see in perimenopause right through to post menopause are:

• More energy
• Weight loss
• Increase in lean muscle mass and a decrease in fat mass
• Reduction in stress and inflammation
• Improving blood sugar levels
• Improvement of insulin sensitivity leading to a reversal of type 2 Diabetes
• Better brain power
• Managing menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats
• Balancing hormones
• Improving mental health – fasting may reduce anxiety, depression, and the emotional ups and downs of menopause. It has been proven to improve self-esteem and reduce stress.

There is one other benefit which is huge as women age. It certainly is for me. It is the time factor. You can continue to eat a normal healthy diet. All you are doing is not eating for a specified period. No special foods, tools or anything else which clutters up some of the other diets out there.

I did keto for a while and I found it to be fairly time-consuming. Intermittent fasting for menopause weight loss is just easy.

In contradiction to these benefits menopause often sees us suffer the exact opposite as women suffer with:

• Lack of energy
• Weight gain
• Loss of lean muscle mass
• Increased stress and inflammation
• Insulin resistance possibly leading to Type 2 Diabetes
• Brain fog
• imbalanced hormones

Menopausal weight generally pools around your middle enveloping important organs. This makes it dangerous to your health, with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure among other things.

This way of fasting could easily improve your health as you move into midlife.

Two fabulous books specific to women nearing middle age that can further explaining the process of fasting are:

Click image to see details.

Intermittent fasting gives your body

a break from digesting food. Allowing it to do other things such as repair and regeneration. After your last meal is digested (usually about 8 hours after eating) your body uses fat as energy, leading to loss of excess weight.

The success of intermittent fasting for bloating and perimenopausal and menopausal loss of weight as well as bloating possibly lies in the fact that aside from eating between your chosen times there’s not much else you need to change. That assumes of course that what you eat now is healthy wholefoods that are low in sugar, refined carbohydrates and saturated fats

This way of eating is not a green light for binge eating rubbish in your chosen eating timeslot.

Losing weight in menopause with intermittent fasting is not deprivation. You aren’t depriving your body of the nutrition it needs. In fact fasting is more likely to increase your metabolic rate.

Do Not Fast If…

• you’re pregnant
• you’re underweight
• you’re are under 18
• you’re breastfeeding
• you have an eating disorder

If you’re not sure speak to your doctor about how this type of diet would work with your specific health conditions.

Exercising While Fasting

This is perfectly okay and in fact may increase the ability to burn belly fat. You don’t need to eat to give yourself energy before you exercise but you may find that it will improve aerobic performance if you are doing a particularly sustained period of exercise like running long distances.

Exercise should be a part of any health regime

Including intermittent fasting.

Aerobic exercises part of your weekly routine to help burn fat. Also include weight training which will build muscle. More muscle means more fat burning.

I exercise every morning and don’t eat beforehand. I find I have all the energy that I need.

Related: The most Important Exercise For Women Over 50

Possible Side Effects

Of course when you are just starting out you may feel hungry but as you get more used to it this reduces.

I found a glass of water or a cup of tea helps with this and allows me to go a little longer.

You might find you get a little constipated although I haven’t found that. In fact I am more regular than I have ever been. To help this make sure you are eating plenty of soluble fiber such as chia, nuts, linseeds and lentils.

Related:  5 Tips For Reducing Bloat In Menopause

How To Do Intermittent Fasting In Menopause

While praciticing intermittent fasting you don’t change WHAT you eat. Not unless your regular diet includes a barrow load of sugar and empty carbohydrates. Then it would be prudent to cut out most of the sugar and useless carbs too enable you to better lose weight and have improved health.

What does change is WHEN you eat or rather how long you wait since your last meal before you eat again.

The premise is that you stop eating for a length of time that is longer than the time it would take to digest your last meal which is 6 to 8 hours depending on your metabolism.

The length of time you wait or fast before you eat again can vary, it depends on you and the type of intermittent fasting you have chosen.

There are various methods you can use to try intermittent fasting:

• 12 or more hours without eating every day
• 12-20 hours of fasting a couple of days a week.
• Not eating for a full 24 hours one or two times each week
• Eating every other day

There are other variations that require more input and longer lengths of time without food.

It is important to find what works for you to better your chances of sticking to it.

When I started this journey I could only really manage 12 hours from my last meal at night to when I ate again in the morning. At that point I was doubtful that I could stretch it much beyond that.

If I eat my last meal at 7.00pm then I can eat again at 7.00am.  These times are good for me  as I don’t really eat in between those times anyway.

Generally, I only fast during the week as it fits into my schedule well.

I am now stretching breakfast out to 9.30 to 10.30am and sometimes beyond that.

It seems to have been a natural progression to these longer fasting time and I’ve found it easy.

For more fasting help check out this infographic. Print it out and put it on your fridge.

What else?

It is important, as with any way of eating, to combine intermittent fasting with exercise, good sleep, and a healthy eating regime.

Fasting is often seen as controversial due to the impact it can have on hormone levels and regular eating patterns.

This is a “restrictive diet” in that you o and so can exacerbate unhealthy eating patterns. I don’t recommend you try this way of eating if you have a history of disordered eating such as emotional eating, binge eating, and eating disorders.

It is also important when you are eating not to see this time as an opportunity to binge on unhealthy foods. Although this way of eating is not about calorie intake you still need to consider where your calories are coming from and that your not eating more than you should during your eating window. Eat healthy whole foods in normal size portions.

Due to hormonal changes that can take place during intermittent fasting I would suggest if you are trying to conceive or have a history of metabolic disorders you should consult a doctor before undertaking an eating pattern such as this.

Menopausal hormone therapy is also an option for helping to reduce menopause symptoms. This is something you would also need to consult with your physician about due to possible side affects.

How stop menopause bloating and weight gain with intermittent fasting

• Setting a routine by first trying 12 hours daily
•  Gradually build to 14 or 16 hours depending on what suits you.
• Drink plenty of clear fluids such as water, herbal tea, clear soup. I allow myself coffee if I want it but beware the effects of coffee on a fasting body are much greater.
• Ease into exercise – maybe a walk and some yoga until you are used to how your body feels during the fasting period. Then practice exercising regularly.

Listen to your body.

If you can’t sleep, or you feel anxious or nauseous, stop.

My last point is something that I live by and you may choose to also.

I aim to live with healthy habits for at least 90% of the time. For the other 10% I allow myself to relax. If we go out for dinner and it’s outside my 12-hour window of eating I don’t stress. I certainly don’t stress about the delicious dessert we share either.

This philosophy, for me, is healthy.

There is less stressing over what to eat and more living and in my mind that is only a good thing.

Related: Best Strategies For Losing Weight Without Dieting In Midlife

My Top Tips For Successful Intermittent Fasting In Menopause

• Drink plenty of water –  this will help with any hunger and possible constipation
• Drink coffee or tea – there is nothing like a warm drink to tell your body it’s not hungry anymore. I find a black coffee works well for me.
• Stick to low-carb whole foods during your eating period. Remember to be mindful of your calorie intake.
• Don’t let intermittent fasting be your excuse to go crazy and binge inbetween your fasting periods

Have you tried intermittent fasting for menopause weight loss? How did it work for you?

If you are struggling with bloat, menopause weight gain or other symptoms I would certainly recommend you try intermittent fasting.