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What Happened to My Body Shape? · My Sexy Menopause Body

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to my sexy menopause party, where we're flipping the script on what it means to feel strong, sexy, and empowered in midlife and behalf.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: Join your host, Kim Nicholson, as she gets real about the changes we face, body, mind, and spirit, and why this phase of life is an opportunity to redefine what sexy means on your terms.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: This is a space for honest conversations, expert advice, and stories from women just like you.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, let's go.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered, why is my body changing so freaking much?
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Our hips, our thighs, our boob sag, and even our belly doesn't feel like it belongs to us anymore.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, let me tell you, this isn't your fault.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's your hormones at work.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: And today we're going to uncover exactly how estrogen directs fat, kind of like a traffic cop, and what happens when it decides to take a permanent vacation.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, well, hello, my beautiful, powerful listeners, and welcome to this episode of My Sexy Menopause Body.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: This is the podcast where we celebrate every phase of life and all the changes that come with it.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Kim Nicholson, your guide to thriving in this new chapter.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: So, like I mentioned in the intro, today we're diving into one of the most misunderstood aspects of menopause, how it changes the way our bodies look and feel.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: From those bigger bellies to soft, squishy, crepey skin on our arms.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: We're tackling why this happens, what it means, and sigh of relief.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Most importantly, what you can do to feel amazing in your skin.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump right in.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: So the problem is, uh, like I said, our bodies start to feel so different.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Well, here's the thing about estrogen it's like the boss of your body's fat distribution.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Mm-hmm.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, it's the boss.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: So before menopause, it keeps everything running smoothly.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: It gives us gives many of us that kind of either classic pear-shaped look or more hourglass shape.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it gives us that more fat in our hips and our thighs and our butt.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: But the moment estrogen starts to decline, everything shifts.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: Your body's fat storage map, well, it gets completely rewritten.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: So what's exactly happening here?
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: And why does fat suddenly decide that your belly is the new storage unit?
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my goodness.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: So let's break this down.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: All right, so let's talk about how estrogen directs fat because I th I actually found this uh research extremely fascinating.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: So estrogen is incredibly strategic.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: It is, it targets certain areas of our bodies, like hips, thighs, butt, boobs, because these are the prime spots for storing energy.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: Why?
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Well, evolution, my friend.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Back when survival was all about making babies and staying alive during tough times, those fat stores were like an insurance policy.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Estrogen works by binding to fat cell receptors in these areas, telling them, hey, buddy, store some fat here, but not too much.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: It also keeps fat out of your belly where visceral fat, we'll talk about that later, the kind that fat that wraps around your organs, that kind of fat can cause a lot more harm than good.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: And again, we have a whole podcast just on visceral fat because it's something that I really want everyone to really get a good grip on.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: But let's go back.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: I digress, sorry.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: But estrogen isn't about just where fat goes, it's also about how fat behaves.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, fat can have a behavioral problem.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: It promotes fat breakdown in the hips and thighs and keeps your body sense, body sensitive to insulin, helping regulate, you know, blood sugar and prevent excess storage.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: So it even has a calming effect on cortisol, the stress hormone that loves to build belly fat when we are feeling overwhelmed.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's why you've heard me on kimnik.com or any of my blog posts or my social media.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: We need to really focus on cortisol levels, which again, future episode later on, but just to kind of give you a teaser.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: So, what actually happens in postmenopause?
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: And this is postmenopause is when you've gone um at least through the menopausal symptoms, and it happens to really about 55 and older.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: So, first of all, let's talk about when menopause hits.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, this is where we kind of have to re really start to see the change in our body.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Menopause hits, okay?
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: Estrogen starts packing its bags, and suddenly fat storage shifts into survival mode with the l lessum estrogen to guide the process, your body begins to prioritize visceral fat storing in the belly.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: This isn't just about aesthetics.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Visceral fat is metabolically active, meaning it releases inflammatory molecules that can lead to health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and more.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: So it's not just the belly, though.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: You might notice your muscle mass decreasing, skin sagging or getting that crepey look, and you know, even fat appearing in new places that you never had fat before, like in your upper arms or you know, underneath your bra line, uh boobs start sagging.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: It's a hormonal domino effect, and it's frustrating to say the least.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: I know I've gone through it myself, but there is something we can do about it.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I always like to say there is always hope.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the good news.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: While we can't stop menopause or magically bring back our pre-menopause fat distribution center, we can work with our bodies to feel our best.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: So here's some things you can do.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, and probably one of the most important ones, is to build strength.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: I know, I know, I know exactly what you're thinking right now, but lifting weights isn't just for bodybuilders.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't matter where you are right now, even if you feel like you don't have any muscle in your body, you can start today.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Strength training actually helps rebuild muscle mass.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, estrogen takes away, but strength training will build, and we want to rebuild that muscle mass.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: It in because building that muscle mass will increase your metabolism and it reduces that visceral fat, the fat that we don't want surrounding our organs.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: So my suggestion to you is to start small.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: You know, buy resistance bands or light dumbbells or uh or even body weight exercises can make a huge difference.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: If you go to my site, kimtik.com, I've got tons of workout cards for you.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: I even have an Etsy store, which is just all cards, and there are plenty of online resources as well.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: But make sure they're credible sources, make sure they're certified sources that are giving you this information.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want to injure yourself.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: So building strength is number one.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: Number two, what you can do about this is to eat for your hormones, you know, focus on whole nutrient-dense foods, healthy fats like, oh, let's see, avocados, olive oil, nuts support hormone production while plenty of fiber does help regulate blood sugar as well.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: So, what we want to avoid is the processed foods that spike insulin and also these processed foods will encourage fat storage.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, we want to remove some of that fat storage, decrease that fat storage.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: So eating for your hormones.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: My third step is I kind of gave reference to this already, is to manage our stress.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: Cortisol is like estrogen's rebellious younger sibling.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I have younger siblings, I know what it's like.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: So yes, they are the rebellious ones.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: Is estrogen's rebellious younger sibling.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so when stress is high, cortisol takes over and tells your body to hold on to that belly fat.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: So practices that will actually help manage your stress.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it varies person to person, but let's talk about it.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yoga is a great one.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: Very, it's a very mindful focus on exercise, stretching.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: So practice like yoga.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Meditation is fantastic.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: And believe me, there are so many forms of meditation.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: So if you think you've never, you know, you can't do meditation, you can.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: And again, I've got many articles written on meditation, and I'll list them below.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: But here again, even a daily walk can actually help cortisol levels in check.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna do a whole thing on cortisol later, so I don't want to give you away all my secrets right now, but again, cortisol is takes over and it tells your body to hold on to that fat, and we don't want that.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna reduce your stress.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then again, number four is to hydrate.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: We know how important water is.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, take your weight, cut it in half, put it in ounces.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's kind of your goal for hydration throughout your day.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now, hydration and sleep, I know these sound really simple, but they are huge game changers.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: So proper hydration will support your metabolism.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: And good sleep regulates your hunger hormones, presenting uh preventing, excuse me, preventing your overeating.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the thing is one thing that we do have to do is to, you know, shift our mindset.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we we need to embrace this evolution that our bodies are going through.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I want you to hear this.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Your body is doing its best with the cards it's been dealt.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: These changes don't define you, they're just a sign that you've entered a new phase in life, one where you can focus on strength, nourishment, and self-compassion.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's beautiful and that's really powerful.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: So remember, you're not fighting against your body, you're partnering with it.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: So by understanding how it works, you can take control and feel empowered.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, you can.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: That's the message I want you, I want to leave you with today.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: So you can partner with your body, understand how it works, and I'm gonna help you along the way, and you will take control and feel empowered.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you, thank you, thank you for spending this time with me on this episode of my sexy menopause body.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I hope today's episode gave you a better understanding of the changes happening in your body and how you can embrace this new chapter with confidence and strength.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: So if you've loved this episode, please share it.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: We're a growing community here, and I really would appreciate if you would share this podcast uh with your friends or family member who needs to hear this message or leave a review.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: That means the world to me.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: And don't forget to connect with me on social media where I share tons of tips, a lot more tips, uh on other subject matters as well.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I also will share encouragement and of course some of the behind-the-scene moments to help you thrive through menopause and beyond.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: So until next time, remember your body story is evolving.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: But remember, it's your story to write.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: So stay empowered, stay sexy, and I'll see you in the next episode.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for being here with us on my sexy menopause body.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: Remember, this is your journey, your chance to own your body, mind, and spirit.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: And define sexy on your terms.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: If today's episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_01: Let's keep building this conversation and this community together.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: Until next time, take care of yourself and keep showing up.