ITS ALL IN THE HEAD
During Covid – 19 we all put on the ‘Covid spread’. Roll on conversations with friends assuring me I was fine and haven’t we all put on a little weight. I had been working away and arriving home each week meant I could have a bottle of wine and a large bag of crisps….to myself. I worked hard, I deserved it didn’t I?
I thought I looked ok until at the latter end of 2020 I spotted myself in a lift mirror at a sideways angle and saw my protruding tummy. The last time I had a stomach so large was when I carried my children during pregnancy and I was never a petite carrier. In 2020 I jogged a 50k but was not lean! I was fit but fat. Friends said I was looking good, and it was all ‘in my head’ but I did not feel right as I watched my waist expand. I was watching everyone’s waist expand too and saying the same things to them! ‘Its menopause and its natural’ we said ‘We are all experiencing it.’ But I felt this was not right. I felt exhausted and tired, frumpy and old before my time.
I finally pulled myself together, entered a fitness programme and really changed my mindset and my approach to food and exercise. The programme helped me refocus and made me want to understand more about food and my health. It was not rocket science. It was what we all know ;
Good food = Good health.
Once I signed up to changing my outlook (in my head) planned my food, reduced my alcohol intake and stopped my long runs replacing with shorter bursts of activity. I even started to use weights and battleropes. It really did not take long to notice the changes in my shape. I was definitely also more productive at work, less stressed and my low energy was gone. I took a keen interest in learning more about how food and weight bearing exercise is important even more so in my 50s. Particularly bone health as it is essential in women as we age, choosing the right foods, combined with weight bearing exercise prevents osteoporosis.
SO WHATS NEXT?
I have always been passionate about supporting female leaders. II founded a female leaders network. I know as a female leader I had been spending hours glued to my desk. I had been eating little or no food some days then binging others. That’s another thing I started to eat a lot MORE food (the right food) and still lost weight. I started to consider if I had been like that not caring for myself I bet many other working age women are too. I thought about how I can help them.
I wanted something more than a diet, we know diets don’t work but what was the toolkit I could give to women to help them too? Even if I could help one woman that would be enough for me.
I trained in a lifestyle medicine programme in October 2021 and this year after building up my confidence (who would listen to me I thought?) I ran my first group of five working age women through a complete health improvement twelve week programme.
The results have been rewarding.
The women have reported many changes such as
reduced weight,
improved mood,
reduced menopause symptoms
reduced cholesterol levels
‘Had my first appointment at the docs. lost 13% of my previous weights. Amazing! Lost 10.5kg! Thank you so much!‘
TOOLKIT FOR EVER
We all know and I will say it again diets do not work, this is about a mindset change with the right tools . We cannot be perfect all the time and we all need a treat now and then but having the toolkit helps get you back on track again quickly. Food is our medicine.
‘I have been off the programme for a couple of weeks now but back on it again and feeling so much better. My mood has lifted and the fog has gone again. My daughter begged me to go back on it as I was in such a foul mood….it shows it works’
So if you have the right mindset and you want to gain the lifestyle medicine tools to support you become a Healthy Active Woman with a supportive community behind you please contact me to discuss. Our next wave of Healthy Active Women (Complete Health Improvement 12 week Programme) starts on the 3rd August 2022.
You may like join our Healthy Active Women Community of Interest Group on the 13th July 2022.
To enrol in the programme or join the Healthy Active Women Group please contact me via email: CiaraMBMoore@outlook.com
Female Leaders At 50 