Hormonal Imbalance Stalling your Weight Loss?
Nearly every woman I know is either dealing with
or
has dealt with hormonal imbalance at some point, including me.
I’m certain you would give anything to easily figure out:
- Why you can’t lose the weight just as easily as you could in your 20’s.
- Why you have cravings at that time every month often incontrollable urge for carb heavy snacks such as, bread, chocolate, biscuits, crisps?
or
- Why you can’t pull yourself out of bed easily most mornings?
Life could be described as hectic, often with family or work or both getting first priority of your time and attention.
Leaving you little or no time for you, you go to bed exhausted at the end of a busy day (that’s practically every day).
Come bed time you find you can't sleep
fully through the night, often waking anywhere from 3 a.m. onwards for a couple of hours, only
stumble out of bed motivated at the thought of that strong caffeine kick to get
you going.
Constantly feel fatigued - surely this should pass, after all you no longer (if ever) have/had any small children in the house?
Or maybe you feel guilty because you KNOW you should feel happier than you do,
you have a very good life, nothing to complain
about but still you cannot seem to shake the low feeling.
If you are asking yourself what is wrong with you,
you are not alone.
It is frustrating even in 2020,
women feel foggier, hungrier, rounder, more forgetful, more anxious, and unhappier than ever before.
You don’t have to put on your happy mask and
pretend that everything is fine.
But let me guess the only option you feel available to you is the local slimming group but you know that is not the answer to your problem.
Almost every woman I meet tells me:
"I watch what I eat but why can’t I keep the weight off?”
"I’ve tried so many times before sure what’s the point?”
Or
"I’ll start again next week”
I hope you know that those feelings of
brain fog, anxiety, depression or memory loss are not just “in your head?”
There is something else going on.
It wasn’t long ago that I was slowly on the slippery slope of not knowing what to do, eating ‘healthy’, exercising and unable to shift any weight, especially around my middle.
The brain fog and unsual anxious feeling, constantly feeling like I'd forgotten something important was exhausting!
Here is a photo of me in Portugal, 2012, my first son was 9 months old, and I realised now I could not actually eat and drink whatever I wanted like I did before pregnancy! And I was unaware of the importance of the importance of relaxation and how that had a massive impact on my health in the coming years, not to mention the weight gain I was suddenly experiencing.
My Story
By 2013, I had two sons, 18 mths between them, and finding myself now a full time mother, following redundancy after 12 years in financial services in Dublin City Centre, I was both thrilled to have time with my young sons but found it equally exhausting, with more sleepless nights in those first 24 months of my boys earlier years than even just 6 hours continuous sleep!!
In 2014 my mother passed away after two years with a brain tumor.
My life had reached it’s peak of stress!
Getting out of bed every morning was such a struggle, late for every single early morning appointment, crèche drop off or play dates with other mothers at the local coffee shop or playground.
How did that really make me feel?
Burned out.
My adrenal glands could not keep up with the demand. I was a classic case of adrenal fatigue.
Having little or no time for what I now believe to be essential and non negotiable for good health:
Regular quality sleep;
A diet of mostly well balanced home cooked meals
Time to eat - unrushed – sitting – and warm when it's supposed to be!
Short time every day for me doing something I love, for just me
My husband worked long shifts with a 3 hours daily commute and my family were caring for my terminally ill mother at that time.
And time for movement – even just getting the two boys organised to leave the house was a struggle
My new life circumstance landed me in a massive health mess at age 36, 2015 onwards
Leaky gut causing digestive issues, including constant nauseus feeling,
Weight gain all around my middle,
Unstable blood sugars which simply added to peaks and crashes in my energy and mood but I told myself ‘I deserved this cake and cappuccino’ sure I had just endured yet another sleepless night.
Fortunately, my path to finding my way out of my mess became my message.
Pain became my biggest motivator, from my mother’s death at aged just 56 years old, I quickly realised the importance of the impact my food choices have on my wellbeing, this inspired me to study part time to become a Nutritional Advisor in 2016.
Combined with new digestive issues, which worsened in 2017 which I’d never experienced in my 20's before, I was determined to overcome them and not rely on medication as a band aid and never fully understanding the root of my problems, as In really wanted to resolve my troubles.
What was the root cause of my troubles?
I burned out my adrenal glands, that sit on top of the kidneys, and
produce the main hormones of stress.
I produced too much of these hormones, especially over the years 2010 onwards and together with my unstable blood sugars left me feeling like I had a constant hangover minus the party!
What does adrenal fatigue feel like?
You feel tired but wired.
You crave sugar, or carb heavy snacks and rely on either high carbs or caffeine or both to get you through the day.
You also gain a 'spare tyre' around your middle.
List of adrenal fatigue symptoms
Anxiety, especially in stressful situations
Moodiness
Emotional instability
Frequent screaming or shouting
Confusion, difficulty with focus, under stress
Poor resilience to stress – stress feels too much or unfair
Irritability
Negative outlook on life
Feeling of victimhood
Energy: fatigue, especially under stress
Skin: inflamed such as with rashes, eczema or psoriasis
Autoimmune: often starting in the gut
Food: sugar cravings, intense hunger, salty food cravings
Back in 2013 onwards, most night of the week I'd pour myself a glass of wine and dread the boy’s bedtime routine, when they would start to come alive! But when would I get even 30 mins peace and quiet in my day?
Sure wine was the only thing I had to look forward to! So I told myself, when the truth was this habit was actually worsening my problem, adding to my blood sugar and stress hormonal imbalance.
I’d eat late and often stay up late, because as soon as my head hit the pillow, someone would be awake and crying. And the wave of panic and anxiety would wash over me!
I’d be woken early, as young children love to rise early, but I’d feel frustrated, due the constant interruptions during the night, every night, and a combination of drinking that 3rd glass of wine, I'd face most days not looking forward to a day of keeping two little people busy.
From 2017 onwards, determined to feel better:
I attended at different times for support:
a nutritional therapist, naturopath, a kinesiologist, a reflexologist, a colonic therapist, an amatsu therapy practitioner, and a couple of reiki practitioners.
I was desperate to get myself feeling more like me, both physically and emotionally.
And I know all of the things I learned from all of the above people, really added valuable information and ultimately helped me feel even better than I did pre pregnancies!
And of course putting into practice what I knew as a nutritional advisor and health coach.
But mostly minding myself, and prioritising me even just 10 mins out of my day, was probably the hardest but also most beneficial thing I could have done for myself.
As well as the biggest factor in really making a difference to helping me feel better was helping to balance my blood sugars through my diet, and learning that my blood sugars were actually triggered by everyday stress, even when my food is very low sugar/carbohydrates!
Now I easily jump out of bed before my alarm, just before 7.00 am, aim to get some ‘me time’ in before my two boys now 7 years and 8 years are fully awake!!
Along with knowing exactly the most beneficial type foods that I need to have to boost my energy (and a little hint, surprisingly those foods are not all the fruits and vegetables that I placed a big emphasis on for the last 5 years!)
Along with a few key supplements I have added to my day, that are key to managing my individual symptoms.
My waist size has never been this small, even pre children!!
So What I've learned Women typically make 3 mistakes when it comes to weight loss
Putting everyone else first, minimising any symptoms of approaching burnout, until they drop from overgiving to family or work.
Relying on fake energy often in the form of caffeine, sugar/High Carbs and alcohol
Feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to turn to help the situation going along with friends to slimming groups but deep down know fat free calorie free yogurts are not the answer to their problems.
I hope you can see by now that those feelings of brain fog, anxiety, depression or memory loss are not just “in your head?” There is something else going on.
Women like you are aware that the quick fixes of antidepressants, sleeping pills offered to you for your symptoms are not really the answer.
I want to show women over 40 that they can FEEL amazing I want to share with them:
how you can lose weight and keep it off
how you can regain control of their own health
How you can protect your body and mind long into the future
If this sounds exactly like a problem you are currently experiencing
Book your Ideal Weight Solution Call Now to help you to...
1. Discover the No 1 reason You are currently not losing weight successfully
2. Identify the no. 1 action to help reduce your waistline now
3. Know EXACTLY why you are in this current situation so you can change it
4. Easily start to take action straight away post call
I have 3 spots available in my diary this week.
My gift to you, all you have to do is book HERE
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Elaine
ReBalance
Elaine helps busy women, learn to relax, ReBalance their hormones naturally and reduce their waistline.