Women over 40 know how painful and frustrating it can feel to pack on weight after entering perimenopause or menopause. The body you’ve known for so long is suddenly changing once again, and it can be challenging to accept the weight gain that so often occurs in women over a certain age.
If you’ve been trying to lose the weight you packed on during menopause and have been struggling, Darla Joy, a health and wellness coach, has some tips and tricks for getting you there. Not only does Darla provide helpful pieces of advice and wisdom for what you should be doing to lose weight on social media, but she also has pointed out what you shouldn’t be doing and the habits you need to stop in order to achieve success.
In one of her latest Instagram reels, Darla lists five things you should “stop” doing while trying to lose weight during menopause, and the things she said doing “less of” helped her. Read more about them below.
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1. Being Afraid Of Lifting Weights
Cardio is one of the easiest exercises to do at home or in the gym - let's face it! Many women only stick to cardio or other kinds of workouts because it's typically straightforward, and weight-lifting, especially in environments like a public gym, can be intimidating. However, Darla says you should stop "being afraid" to lift weights and incorporate some strength training into your workout routine.
"I stopped being afraid of lifting heavy weights!" she wrote on Instagram. "Muscle is the key to a healthy metabolism after 40. You are not going to 'bulk,' you are going to feel stronger, leaner, and more confident."
If strength training intimidates you, start by looking up some exercise videos on YouTube and using some smaller weights at home, or book a session with a personal trainer at your local gym to build muscle.
2. Only Doing Cardio
Again, as easy as cardio is, if you're not pairing it with strength-training workouts, you're not going to see the results you're aiming for. Darla notes that only sticking with cardio exercises like running, using an elliptical, walking, etc., will only get you so far and delay your fat loss.
"Endless cardio was actually stalling my fat loss," she admitted. "Now I focus on strength training 3-4 times a week and walking to support my hormones and metabolism."
Of course, cardio certainly has its benefits and is excellent for keeping up your stamina, making sure your joints are in good shape, and more, but it won't create lasting results if it's the only exercise you're sticking with. Make sure your weekly workouts allow for a nice balance between strength training and cardio for maximum results.
3. Trying Too Many Diets
Most of us know that when it comes to losing weight, one of the most critical components is keeping up a healthy diet. Why? Because the foods we eat can have a lasting impact that exercise can't always solve. However, does this mean that you should be following fad diets all the time and restricting yourself to the foods you love? No!
In her Instagram caption, Darla notes that constantly following diets that restricted her eating or took out certain food groups wrecked her chances of lasting weight loss.
"No more starving myself or cutting out food groups," she wrote. "I focus on eating enough, especially protein, and balancing my blood sugar. Women in perimenopause need fuel to thrive and lose fat."
4. Feeling Guilty
Losing weight is a mental challenge just as much as it is a physical one. In Darla's book, life is too short to spend your days feeling guilty about the choices you make. For instance, if you decide to eat some takeout instead of cooking at home one night, don't beat yourself up! While you don't want to make a habit out of letting detrimental habits slide, you also don't want to drive yourself nuts by making yourself feel guilty for indulging every now and then.
"Food is not 'good' or 'bad,'" explained Darla. "I stopped punishing myself for what I ate or trying to 'burn it off.' Now I eat in balance — and enjoy life, guilt-free!"
Eating is essential for our bodies at all ages, and we should never feel guilty about feeding and fueling ourselves when we're hungry.
5. Putting Pressure On Yourself
As Darla notes, fat loss is "not a race." Not only should you be aiming to lose some weight after menopause, but you should also focus on overall transforming your lifestyle into a healthy one, and that takes time. Sure, it's nice to have some goals on the calendar here and there, but reminding yourself that you don't have to rush to lose weight is key, as putting too much pressure on yourself can often backfire.
"Once I stopped obsessing over hitting some arbitrary timeline, I actually started loving the process and seeing real, lasting results," added Darla.
Enjoy your life and don't focus it entirely on losing weight. Follow wholesome, healthy, and balanced habits, and you will get there!
