Like most women, especially those going through “the change,” I feel as though I’m constantly battling my weight. Not that I’m over weight mind you, and I don’t think I have an issue with body image, but I know I can put on 5-10 pounds in a heartbeat if I’m not careful. I know the non-runners out there are wondering what the big deal is, but the runners know that even just a couple extra pounds adds time to every race. The impact is greater on longer races, but even the 5-10K’s are affected by extra weight.
I know what makes a difference and I know how to take it off if I really need to. Sugar is a big trigger and I know it’s so bad for you in so many ways, but it tastes soooo good! I love cake and chocolate and ice cream. I don’t eat them every day but I do like to have my treats. I also know that reducing my bread and pasta intake helps me drop pounds. By eliminating sugar, greatly reducing bread and pasta and cutting out all alcohol I can drop 5 pounds in about a week.
But for me that’s not sustainable. I can go a week or two like that but I also get very cranky…. And believe me, a menopausal woman does NOT need any extra reasons to be cranky! So I do it the week before big races and anytime I think my weight is heading too far from where it usually is. That seems to work but I’m hoping there are other ways to help in this area. Naturally more exercise could help but honestly, I exercise 5-6 days a week including running, cross training and strength training so I’m not sure just how much I could do in that department.
I’m exploring some natural supplements to combat my peri-menopause symptoms and many of them claim to help with all symptoms including weight gain so we’ll see how it goes. If any of you readers are on any natural supplements (not hormone replacement, I’m not a candidate) that work for you, please let me know what you’re using. The one I’ve been taking that was recommended by my doctor has only one extract, rhubarb root, but I’ve found others with a combination of ingredients that have gotten good reviews. Logically I would think that trying something with several different extracts might work better than just one because you have a better chance of reacting positively to at least one of the ingredients. The thing is there are so many options out there it’s hard to know where to start! So any input you all might have would be welcome…