Are you one of those women who think menopause is ruining their lives? Most women think that way. You start to experience menopause weight gain, and your age starts to show physically. But menopause can be the second shot at life you never knew you needed if you approach it differently.
In this episode, I am interviewed by Dr. Lourdes Viado about my work on menopause and weight gain. I outline ways to reframe menopause as a time of transformation instead of the grim milestone as many women see it. I stress the importance of self-compassion and maintaining a positive body image without relying on food as a coping mechanism. Lastly, I share tips on how women can tune in to the whispers of their bodies and age more gracefully.
Listen to the full episode to learn how you can reclaim your health during menopause by rewiring your thoughts and practicing self-compassionate habits.
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
- Discover how to embrace your menopause as a second chance at life.
- Unlearn self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors that keep you from becoming your best self.
- Learn how to listen closely to your body’s inner rhythms or whispers.
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Episode Highlights
How I Began Working on Menopause
- I struggled with weight problems my whole life. Menopause weight gain made the problems worse.
- Even though I was a nutrition expert, I could not control myself around food.
- Pre-menopause, I would go to Weight Watchers to lose the extra weight before gaining it again, but this hack didn’t work when I hit menopause.
- I realized that weight loss had nothing to do with food but everything about how you felt and thought about yourself.
- You shouldn’t use food to numb or congratulate yourself.
Menopause as a Catalyst
- The most basic connection that we have as human beings is our connection to our bodies, but we lose that connection at an early age.
- I didn’t eat when I was hungry nor did I stopped eating when I was full because, like most women, I lost that connection.
Why Are Women Disconnected from Their Bodies?
- As a chiropractor, I worked with clients who went to the hospital only when their bodies were at their breaking point and not when their symptoms were mild.
- Our bodies are begging for us to understand what it’s trying to say, but we don’t listen.
- Women have always been taught to put others first.
Women’s Self-Destructive Thoughts
- Women are mean to themselves, always hustling and striving for more.
- Many women only know how to be kind to others but don’t know how to be kind to themselves.
- Instead of applauding all that they have done so far, women repeatedly berate themselves for not doing more.
- We think that our feelings come from outside, but they originate from our minds.
- The biggest aha moment is to recognize that these destructive thoughts are thoughts that have solidified into our beliefs but are not necessarily true.
Common Struggles of My Clients
- Most clients were coming to me with weight and menopause issues.
- Menopause does not make life more challenging but only reflects the damage women have self-inflicted by not listening to their bodies.
- Once you start tuning into your body’s basic needs, which I call being a body whisperer, you can have a better menopause experience and a fuller life.
- Being a body whisperer means taking care of your body while the pain is at level three, instead of waiting for it to hit level ten.
- Aspire to be childlike in the sense that you attune to your body and listen to it without waiting for your body to scream for help.
Debunking the “Dreaded Menopause” Myth
- You have a choice to keep going and refuse to listen to your body, which will only make you more miserable during your menopause.
- Your body won’t do what you want if you continue unhealthy habits.
- Menopause is a beautiful window to transform and start listening to your body.
- The second half of my life is significantly better because I had the previous experience to guide myself through this journey.
The Brain Science Behind Menopause & Diet
- The brain is wired by how we think.
- Women tend to cultivate unhealthy body patterns that are not in their best interest.
- Women should carve out new neural pathways by changing their thoughts, being kinder to themselves, and practicing self-compassion daily. Self-compassion should become a reflex.
- It’s an ongoing project for women to be aware, self-compassionate, and forgive themselves for their mistakes.
- The menopause weight gain and food habits are symptoms of a larger problem.
5 Powerful Quotes From This Episode
“I think we know how to be compassionate towards other people but I don’t think we know how to use compassion on ourselves, how to be kind to ourselves.”
“It’s not that menopause is making it harder. It’s just letting them see that what they’ve been doing their whole life that really wasn’t in their best interest.”
“Our bodies were not meant to be screamers. They’re whisperers.”
“If we want to proactively age, we better take full responsibility for it now and the only way to do it is to listen to your body.”
“…the best gift that you could ever give yourself for the rest of your life is that awareness of your own mind.”
About Dr. Lourdes
Dr. Lourdes Viado is a depth psychotherapist with over 15 years of experience helping patients live more meaningful and intentional lives. Her podcast, Women In-Depth, is dedicated to hosting conversations about the inner lives of women and the struggles, fears, hopes, and dreams that characterize their stories.
To know more about her and her work, you may visit her website or listen to her podcast. You can reach her through email or connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
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Thanks for listening!
To transforming your life for good,
Dr. Deb
