If you’re unhappy about piling on the pounds during perimenopause, try intermittent fasting, says Dr Clare Bailey. Here’s everything you need to know.
Menopause weight gain is a common complaint among midlife women – indeed TV presenter and menopause campaigner Lisa Snowdon opened up to GTG recently about how she tackled putting on three stone during this phase of her life. One tool that really helped, says Snowdon, was intermittent fasting. So we caught up with GP Dr Clare Bailey - the co-creator of the Fast 800 diet, along with her husband, TV doctor Michael Mosley – to get the lowdown on why intermittent fasting can be especially useful for women in their 40s and 50s – and why the so-called menopause belly can appear in the first place. Here’s what she told us.
Why are women prone to menopause weight gain?
"When it comes to menopause, most people put on a little bit of weight despite not changing their lifestyle. They’ll find that they’re eating the same food, doing the same amount of exercise, and suddenly they find that they're not in control of their weight in the way they used to be. And that can be incredibly frustrating because nothing else in their life has changed. However, there are lots of elements to consider when it comes to menopause and weight gain.
- Mood-related snacking. "It’s likely that your oestrogen levels will have dropped and as a result, your mood may have changed. You might not be sleeping well, you might be getting a bit of brain fog, and what do people do if they’re not feeling their best? They reach for the sugary, starchy foods that provide comfort and give you a bit of a lift.
- Not enough protein makes you hungry. "Also, when oestrogen levels start to drop, it affects the way your body manages protein. Your body is less able to process protein than it would have done pre-menopause, so you need to eat extra protein to compensate. Having enough protein is a big factor when it comes to hunger, so if you're not getting enough protein, you will remain hungry."
- Sweet snacks go straight to your middle ."Generally, we see that women put weight on around the middle of their body during menopause. If you're eating particularly sweet, sugary, starchy foods, you're more likely to have blood sugar spikes. The sugar gets stored as fat and that tends to be around the middle of your body and also around the neck. This is where intermittent fasting can be incredibly effective, as it can help you shed weight from the waist and the neck, and improve your metabolic health.
Does intermittent fasting help tackle menopause weight gain?
"If you find that you put on weight during menopause, intermittent fasting is an effective way of helping shed the weight that has gradually crept up on you. It’s quite simple to introduce a few fasting days per week where your body starts burning fat and you may find this is enough to get you back to your previous weight. Intermittent fasting has been shown to be highly effective at getting sugar spikes down and reducing chronic inflammation, as well as reducing the risks of diabetes."
"In my experience, using intermittent fasting to help menopausal weight loss helps people feel more in control of their eating and they often feel more energetic. We find that on non-fasting days, people become aware of better ways of eating so they don't want to undo the benefit of the fasting days. With that in mind, they tend to eat really sensibly and healthily and experience better weight loss results."
Why might intermittent fasting help if menopause is disrupting your sleep?
"A classic symptom of perimenopause iand manopause finding that you can't sleep and that leaves you feeling exhausted. Sleep apnoea is a common symptom of menopause, particularly if you’re a little heavier and have excess weight around your neck. Sleep apnoea is when you experience an extended gap between the next breath and that can often wake you up with a snort. Losing weight, particularly around the neck, will help improve sleep apnoea and snoring in general. Many people find that their sleep improves immeasurably after weight loss and they feel much better because they’re getting better quality sleep."
Can HRT make you gain weight?
"For me, taking HRT was transformative in many ways, including the improvement in my sleep and that can often have a positive knock-on effect with brain fog too. If you’re well rested, you can focus better. There is no evidence to suggest that HRT can make you put on weight. There is a tendency for women to put on weight during the menopause, but that's not related to HRT. In fact, I think HRT is more likely to help your weight loss because it often makes you feel better in yourself. And, if you feel better, your energy levels improve and you might find that you’re able to exercise and make better food choices."
Can you do intermittent fasting if you take HRT?
"Intermittent fasting isn't suitable for everybody, particularly if you’re taking certain medications; it's worth checking with your GP first. However, there's no reason not to use intermittent fasting at the same time as HRT".
How to get started with intermittent fasting?
"Use a programme that provides some support and structure like the one offered by The Fast 800. There is some preparation involved but The Fast 800 Online Programme has been designed to be flexible and to fit into your life easily. Preparation is key in terms of planning your meals, so that you have something ready for when you’re tired and hungry, and more willing to grab the nearest snack available.
"Some people are daunted by the idea of intermittent fasting, as they dread the idea of restricting their calorie intake to around 800-900 calories a day. However, report that it’s not as hard as they thought it would be. The first few days can be a little more challenging and we recommend you drink plenty of fluid to keep yourself well hydrated, but most people find that sticking to an 800 calorie diet is manageable, and this is because they have switched to burning their own body fat as fuel.
"In my experience, using intermittent fasting to help menopausal weight loss helps people feel more in control of their eating and they often feel more energetic. We find that on non-fasting days, people become aware of better ways of eating so they don't want to undo the benefit of the fasting days. With that in mind, they tend to eat really sensibly and healthily and experience better weight loss results."
Will I get hungry when intermittent fasting?
"A lot of people worry about being hungry while on a calorie-restricted diet and it can sound daunting, particularly if you’re menopausal. Surprisingly, when your body goes into ketosis, you find you don't feel hungry all the time and you have more energy; this is when they have started burning their own fat.
"The other way to help you avoid feeling hungry is to make absolutely sure you're getting enough protein in your diet - and more than you normally would. Protein is not processed as efficiently when you are menopausal and having adequate protein in your diet is what helps you feel full and satisfied."
The Fast 800 app is available now