Whenever I reach for food and am not hungry, I know there is something behind that impulse.
What am I looking for?
Is it comfort? A moment of happiness/pleasure?
What makes me reach for it?
Boredom? Sadness? Emptiness?
What makes me think of it? What was the thought before I reached it?
Is it peace, relaxation, or numbness?
Once I find my real need, I think how could I answer this need differently.
For example, if I need peace, relaxation, and “me time,” I can swap the wine for a warm shower, a book, and a cup of tea.
If I am bored and need distraction, I can walk and call a friend.
If I feel lonely and need nourishment, I can ask for a hug, play with pets, and organise events with groups of friends.
If I am anxious I could go into nature, listen a podcast, do a yoga class, call a friend.
If this resonates with you, let's get those steps down:
Find your need.
Make a list of four or more things that could replace the food or booze to contemplate your need.
Act- Next time you start to crave something, ask what you need, look for your list, and respond with one of the options.
Here is the thing: You must answer the need. If you suppress and ignore it without putting anything in place, you will most likely reach out for food or booze as soon as you get tired or frustrated. You must respond to the need; you need to give what your body is asking for.
Can you think of other ways to achieve the “me time,” relaxation, or peace that a glass of wine or chocolate gives you?
If you are a woman over 40 and would like to make some changes towards your health.
If you want more energy, to feel stronger, leaner, and fitter.
If what you were doing before is not working anymore, it is time to change your approach to food, exercise, sleep, and stress management.
I created the Women’s Wellness & Fitness program. It is an online program with human support, where you will be supported and guided by a fitness program, nutrition education, and stress management, all tailored to your needs, in a unique approach to this new stage of life.
How do I work? Once you say yes, you will fill some forms and food diary to give me some information about how you eat, exercise, sleep, stress, work, and life. With this, we will have our health coaching session , face to face or via video or call to map out your goals, where you want to be, the areas that need to be addressed and how we will get there. Then, you will receive your exercise program, nutritional education, and accountability steps.
I will be with you on the way towards your goals.
You can access me, and we will have weekly check-ins via text messages, videos and calls if needed.
All using a platform, I call, is like having a personal trainer and health coach in your pocket.
2 am, staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open, thoughts racing.
By 4:30 am, you finally surrender to the best deep sleep, like a warm bath.
Finally, at 5 am, the alarm goes off, and you want to cry.
Wake up and drive without knowing if you will pass through a red signal. The day goes by, and you are on autopilot in a Zumbi mood; one more coffee will get you through the day.
This was my story for a while;
During this phase of a woman's life, hormones are rewiring and resetting, and hormone imbalances can affect sleep.
That's when sleep hygiene plays a significant role in helping to have a whole night of sleep.
I use a few strategies with my clients in my Fitness & Wellness program for women over 45:
Wake up and have sunlight on your face first thing. This will reset your circadian rhythm.
Put your phones to bed! This is a big one, and 90% of my clients don't do it, and I used to be one of those.
At night, no screens are allowed for at least 2 hours before bed. The screen light signals to your body that it's still day, messing up the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Eat at least 3 hours before bed—the body either digests or rests.
Dim the night light and tell the body it is time to chill.
Warm: A warmer, more relaxed room.
Ideally, no TV electronics are allowed in your bedroom.
I use supplements regularly to guarantee my sleep: I take magnesium and Tart Cherry Juice one little shot at night.
More techniques to help calm down the nervous system:
Go for a walk in the evening after dinner.
Breathing techniques: Inhale for two and exhale for 4 . Repeat for ten or more cycles.
Square breathing: Inhale for two, hold for two, exhale for two, hold for two, and repeat for a few cycles.
From Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Use the alphabet starting with the letter A, listing three veggies or fruits, beginning with B, and then moving to C. A client of mine uses this often, and she said she never passed the letter G.
Audiobooks.
Focus on something to quiet your mind and stop the repetitive, worrying thoughts that keep you awake.
Do you have any strategy that you use? Please share with us.
My elbow hurts doing push-ups, my shoulder hurts doing press-ups, my knee hurts when I do single-leg work, and I feel my Achilles when skipping.
Joint pain?
Welcome to the world of peri, menopausal and post-menopausal women.
When you hit 45 and beyond, the body becomes inflamed due to the lack of hormones to counteract the inflammation.
Our body can't get away with inflammatory food and lifestyle as it used to.
A new approach and care for your food and how you live your life are inevitable if you want to continue living with freedom and autonomy in your 40s and beyond.
Inflammation leads to tendinitis, tennis elbow, Plantar Fasciitis, Arthritis and many other itises.
Here are a few tips that I give to my clients from my 45+ Wellness & Fitness Program:
You can start by following an anti-inflammatory diet, excluding sugar, white flour, processed food, fried food, and, sadly, yes, you know what ... alcohol.
Increase your consumption of veggies and fruits.
Include supplements such as fish oil, collagen, Turmeric and magnesium. They all have anti-inflammatory properties.
If you need more help with a personable approach, please reach out.