1 October 2026.
Three years since my last actual fat loss phase, I have decided to go on a cut now. Why?
When I did that from Feb to Sep 2023, I was probably in my early perimenopause, and life was normal other than the fact that I had to be intentional and not restrictive.
Cut forward to 2026. I have had the worst year of my perimenopause. The last one year I have had extreme constipation, insomnia and gut issues in digestion.
After working with a coach to look at my food and habits objectively over the past several months, and several trials and errors, we are seeing inability to process protein as one of the main reasons for my gut issues and constipation.
I was eating 100 g of protein for almost two and a half years before these symptoms started. It worked for me and I got leaner and stronger, till it stopped working!!!
Perimenopause can bring about intolerances. That is something known to me as a coach specialising in helping perimenopausal women build a sustainable lifestyle. But when it came to me, it was hard.
I have several clients who are lactose intolerant, have IBS, bloating and so on. So this time around I am experimenting: working with moderate protein, strength training, movement, improving sleep and managing stress. These are the biggest roadblocks for most women, as they are in the phase of life where they are balancing ageing parents and kids ready to leave the nest, as well as managing their leadership role at work.
Not just the nutrition. Movement and exercise also cannot be the same every single day. I notice this time that I am very energetic some days and not so much on other days. My recovery takes longer. 10,000 steps is not the magic number, and some days I wind up by 8k. I may have exercised only 2 out of the 3 planned days.
How do I use the fan regulator method to follow my path rather than give up on myself? The same way I coach my clients. I am going to have a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C for everything. And with years of coaching behind me, I can come up with D and E in a blink.
I want to mark my 50th birthday in 2027 not with jewellery or a saree, but by getting leaner and stronger, and nurturing this body which has to support me for another 30 years maybe!!
Again, I am going to work with my body and be kind to myself as I go through this journey.
I am blogging my journey on Instagram and YouTube @transformwithshobana. I invite women over 35 who would like to see how I coach myself through this, with support from my dear friend, coach and nutritionist Dhvani Shah, who specialises in healing chronic conditions, to join me there and cheer me on.
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