Ask the nutritionist: Menopause, Hypothyroidism and Weight Gain

Do you have advice for menopause and hypothyroidism? I find it hard to get the weight off.

So, of course, this is a challenging time. You might be worried or find yourself in lost territory due to the changes you might be experiencing. It’s OK, do not worry! You can definitely take your weight off!

Why is it hard to lose weight during menopause?

Firstly, let’s understand what menopause means and why it might be harder to lose fat. Menopause occurs when ovulation ceases, and the production of oestrogen decreases. A decline in oestrogen is associated with declining metabolic rate levels (your body gets slightly lazier), muscle mass and strength. Therefore, this means you may need to eat fewer calories than you used to.

Decrease calorie intake

For example, suppose you were used to eating 1,600 calories to lose weight. In this case, you might need to consume 1,400 calories this time around. In fact, menopause is associated with an average weight gain of 2–2.5 kg over 3 years.

It is also important to remember that fat is more likely to be deposited in your abdominal area this time around, which increases the risks of insulin resistance.

Furthermore, we cannot forget how important it is to protect your cardiovascular health, and to prevent osteoporosis in order to ensure proper bone health.

Focus on fat loss not weight loss

Keeping in mind to focus on FAT loss and not weight loss. Weight is not an accurate predictor of successful weight loss. Ideally, you should first try to increase your physical activity levels, and not decrease food intake. However, do not go overboard with training. If you’re training already, just add an extra 15 minutes per day of training or an additional session per week.

Increasing your volume of activity suddenly is counterproductive, especially with hypothyroidism.

Understanding hypothyroidism

It is essential to understand that there are different reasons why you may have hypothyroidism. Besides keeping an active lifestyle, you want to ensure that your Iodine intake is sufficient; this depends on the medication you’re taking. Iodine might interfere with your medication absorption.

Keep an eye on excessive consumption of goitrogen vegetables that interfere with Iodine metabolism, and ensure adequate intake of selenium, zinc, and vitamin B12, which is typically found to be low in hypothyroid cases.

In summary, you should:

• Consume two to three dairy products, such as milk, yoghurt or cheese (go for the lower fat options). However, too many calcium products can interfere with the thyroid medications you’re taking! Speak with your doctor.
• Include at least five portions of different coloured fruit and vegetables, plenty of fibre- rich cereal foods, and more fish (two portions oily per week), nuts (unsalted), peas and beans.
• Watch out for natural goitrogens in cabbage, turnips, rapeseeds, peanuts, cassava, cauliflower, broccoli, and soybeans, blocking iodine uptake by body cells. There is a trick though: they are inactivated by heating and cooking.
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts.
• Reduce caffeine and alcohol intakes to help manage hot flushes.
• Include strength training at least twice per week and weight-bearing exercises such as walking/jogging or low impact aerobics to start.
• Take supplemental Vitamin D (ideally with a meal which includes some healthy fats, as this enhances absorption).

There is no doubt that if you eat a well-balanced diet with a sensible energy deficit (burning more calories than you’re consuming), increasing your activity levels sensibly with a minimum of two strength-training sessions per week, you’re going to be a step closer to your goals. This does not mean you should take all of the above as commandments, nor should they be taken as a replacement for medical advice!

Always consult with your GP in such instances.

Vitamins & Supplements for Menopause Support

If you would like to reach out to Roderick Schembri – Registered Sports Nutritionist kindly contact him on thesportsnutritionist@rstraining.fitness