As women, no one must tell us we lose weight at slower rates than men. If you’ve ever attempted weight loss with your male partner, you know how frustrating this is. Men and women store and burn fat differently. It is a known fact that women store more fat and burn it off at much slower rates than men. This is not only true of human females, but all female animals are the same! Female animals carry more weight than their male counterparts. This is a true disadvantage for women eating the Standard American Diet today. It is almost impossible to keep weight off eating what most people regularly consume.
This is not a new phenomenon, look at portraits as far back as the 17th century. Women depicted in these portraits were often chunky, overweight. Being slightly overweight in those days was considered attractive and these women were respected and considered prosperous. Women’s bodies were designed to carry this extra weight to meet the demands of pregnancy and childrearing. Our bodies were created to store fat and to hold on to it! This is useful in pregnancy when calorie demand is higher (about 300 calories/day). Women who breastfeed their babies also need additional calories.
The weight gained during pregnancy (an average of 28 to 40 lbs.) is often not lost before the next pregnancy occurs. Unfortunately, the weight does not magically dissolve once the extra fat stores are no longer needed. Again, our bodies are biologically designed to store fat and to keep it safely tucked away. Women tend to store fat in their buttocks/hips and upper legs. Weight in these areas is easy to carry. Men, on the other hand, tend to accumulate excess weight in their abdominal cavity. This offers more risk of illness to men including fatty liver, heart disease and more.
As women age and menopause ensues, estrogen levels drop, and women’s fat cells start to look more like men’s. New fat storage is seen in the abdomen. This may account for the chubbier bellies we often see in women as they age. Many women find this disturbing as it is new to them, and they don’t understand why it’s happening. They may be eating the exact way they always have but their weight is increasing in places it never had before.
Women will store fat no matter what they eat. Remember, we are biologically designed to do so. Attempting to reduce our weight is fighting biology and many women simply give up. The thing is eating the Standard American Diet that is higher in fat will lead to more fat storage. Changing the composition of your diet offers to best option for successful reduction in fat storage and weight loss for women. Dr. John McDougall says, “The fat you eat is the fat you wear”. Sad but true, especially for women.
Shifting to a whole food, plant-based, no oil and no overt fats allows our bodies to stop storing fat and to let go of stored fat that we have carried long past needing it. Adding more whole foods into your routine isn’t as hard as your brain may be telling you. Fresh veggies are available to most of us and, if not, go to the frozen food section and pick up some veggies there. Fill half your plate with vegetables, add some whole grains like brown rice or quinoa and have fruit for dessert. Adding these foods reduces the fat content while boosting the overall nutrition of the foods you allow in. Interested in leaning in to how this might work for you? Reach out to me. Transitioning to this way of eating will bring you the body and the health that feels unattainable. It can be yours.
“A habit cannot be tossed out the window, It must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time” – Mark Twain.
It’s probably safe to say that most, if not all, people who become ill did not intend for it to happen. We believe we are making mostly healthy choices when it comes to our lifestyle. When we smoke or drink excessive alcohol, we pretty much know we are doing it. We know the risk, but since these habits often do not create illness immediately, we continue our habit until something happens to get our attention. It could be a loved one being diagnosed with cancer, a car accident with a drunk driver, a former classmate having a heart attack at age 34 years, or worse yet, having a heart attack ourselves.
Many of my clients tell me that they know what they should be doing; they just can’t seem to stick with healthier lifestyle behaviors for more than a couple of weeks. Often, they start strong, determined that this time will be different. They tell themselves, “This time, I will make it!” Then they twist their ankle, go on vacation or something else gets in the way, and all their efforts derail. It is far too easy to revert to old habits that have not served us well over the years. So how do we achieve sustainable change? What is the secret? How are some people successful, and so many of us not so much? There are several factors, and not all apply to each of us as individuals. What we know is that habits are formed by doing the same behavior routinely. We are creatures of habit, and when we eat the same foods, drink the same beverages, or move our bodies in a certain way, we learn to love the way we are doing these things When we consistently behave in a particular way, it can subconsciously become our habit.
Think about brushing your teeth. When you were a kid, your parents likely had to remind you to brush your teeth. Now, this healthy habit is deeply ingrained, and if you were to leave the house without brushing your teeth, you would not feel normal. You would likely be bothered by this occurrence for the remainder of your day until you brushed your teeth. The same is true of good habits. Eat an apple after work every day for a month or two and then leave the apple at home. You will feel like something is missing like you forgot something at work or left without finishing an important task.
More often we think of our “bad” habits such as overeating, smoking, or staying up too late. We don’t consider all the “good” habits we have created or the possibility of what we might create. Let’s shift our thought process to consider creating habits that serve us in a way that will bring us better health and well-being. Ask yourself, what is one thing I can do daily for the next several weeks as an experiment? It might be eating an apple a day or a 5-minute meditation session before bed. You decide. Do it every single day and see how a healthy habit will form that will start you on a path to better health and energy.
This is a fascinating topic…interested in knowing more? Take a look at the book I have pictured, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It's excellent. Another book that I found useful in my journey is, Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Not just for women over 50! A lot of us have loose skin on our arms. This short but intense workout can create big changes in as little as a few weeks (if done routinely)! No weights required but find a sturdy chair to use.
This “no-tuna” salad gets extra tang and flavor from pickles and capers. Serve between two slices of your favorite hearty bread for a simple yet satisfying meal.
Note: Mixture will keep covered in refrigerator for 4-5 days, making it great for quick, weekday lunches. Makes 4 sandwiches Ready In: 10 minutes By Dana Shultz
Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork, leaving only a few beans whole.
Add tahini, mustard, maple syrup, red onion, celery, pickle, capers, salt and pepper, and sunflower seeds(if using) to mixing bowl. Mix to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Toast bread if desired, and prepare any other desired sandwich toppings (such as lettuce, tomato, and onion).
Scoop a healthy amount of the chickpea mixture (about ½ cup) onto one slice of bread,add desired toppings and top with second slice of bread. Repeat for additional sandwiches.
This weekend! Come learn with us and enjoy a plant-based lunch.
Food for Thought
Not long ago I added a new feature that I think may be useful for you all. Dr. Michael Greger released his “How Not to Age” book last December and it is jam-packed (like all of his books!) with facts that can help us to slow the aging process and feel great until our last breath. For the next several weeks, I will share little tidbits that I am reading. I strongly encourage all my readers to look for Dr. Greger's books. They are based on scientific evidence and worth their weight in gold (in my humble opinion). :)
Excerpt from “Preserving Your Immune System”:
In a review updating the evidence of the implications of pesticides on human health, the body of evidence linking pesticides exposure and cancer is said to be “so huge that the role of pesticides in cancer development can no longer be doubted”. However, most of the data showing DNA damage from pesticides are limited to occupational exposure: among farmers and workers in fields, within the pesticide industry itself, or among those living in high-spray areas. What about the residues left on conventional produce? I explore that body of literature in my video see.nf/pesticides. In short, those who choose organic produce seem to have lower cancer rates after controlling for confounding factors, but even if it is cause and effect, the benefits of consuming conventionally grown produce are likely to outweigh any possible risks from pesticide exposure. The potential lifelong damage of any pesticides on produce is estimated to cut only a few minutes off a person's life on average, which is nothing compared to benefits we get from eating fruits and veggies. Dr. Michael Greger
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