Losing weight healthily is one lengthy process all on its own, and trying to learn about balancing hormones after 40 can feel daunting and confusing. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way!
We spoke with Alisa Vitti, functional nutritionist and women’s hormone expert, for 4 helpful tips that when paired together can help you understand and care for your maturing body— whether with or without a menstrual cycle.
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1. Consume Enough Protein & Amp Up Your Micronutrients
Essential physiological functions like maintaining muscle mass and strength and bone health require protein, and as you age, your body processes protein less efficiently and needs more of it.
Vitti says that a protein shake in the morning is a great way to get a bunch in, but can't be loaded with sugar. "Find one that tastes great by mixing with water and adding a little fat," she advises. "Hormones are made from protein and require fats to function properly."
She also stresses the importance of ample mictronutrients in your diet. "Vitamins D3, Omega 3's, Magnesium, and B are all essential to help your hormones work properly so your metabolism can work properly," she explains.
2. Modulate Calories & Workout Intensity to Match Cycle Phases
If you don't have a menstrual cycle, it's important to still maintain a consistent diet and workout schedule, but if you do still have one, you can do more calorie restriction and extended intermittent fasting in the first half of your cycle.
Vitti says that if this is the case, you "must eat more calories" and "avoid HIIT [high-intensity interval training]" during the second half. "Getting this wrong will trigger fat storage and muscle wasting," Vitti adds. She recommends using a period tracking app like My Flo Tracker. Trackers like these are useful since they store all of your data and menstrual history (since the time of the first download) in one convenient place.
3. Help Your Body Break Estrogen Down Through Your Diet
In the form of broccoli sprouts (sulforaphane) or DIM (supplements appear to help adjust the hormone estrogen), and with probiotics to support the estrobolome in the gut, Vitti says that "estrogen dominance can absolutely tell your fat stores to stay put."
She says to "make sure you are helping your body break that estrogen down" with some targeted supplementation, and also copious dietary fiber each day with veggies. Broccoli is a high-fiber food that is immensely helpful for keeping you satiated and staying on track with your weight loss goals, as well.
4. Prioritize Strength Training
You're probably already aware of the importance of exercise when trying to lose weight. Getting your body moving is essential for your overall health, but strength training— like weight lifting specifically— has been shown to help regulate and rebalance estrogen.
If you don't know where to begin, Vitti says to gradually lift heavier and heavier weights without over-exerting yourself, and gradually increasing the weights over time. "Muscles burn fat, but we lose muscle tone as we age," she says, maintaining the importance of muscle-building exercise when trying to lose weight and balance hormones.
