Clean Eating, Fasting and Eating Disorders in Menopause

The Flipping 50 Show

This episode may be for you even if you never identified with eating disorders in menopause or at any age.

Eat clean? Read labels twice? Following “rules” about food yet find it backfiring on you?

One could shift from wanting to “eat clean” to turning into orthorexia, influenced by social media, intermittent fasting and use of Smart Scales.

Do you think you have an eating disorder in menopause, or maybe a loved one? Tune in to this episode!

My Guest:

Amy Goldsmith, RDN, LDN, is the founder of Kindred Nutrition & Kinetics, a private practice that provides evidence-based medical nutrition therapy in Sports Nutrition and Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating. With over 25 years of experience in Sports Nutrition and Eating Disorder expertise, Amy is an expert in understanding the human body's biochemistry and works collaboratively with each client's performance and clinical care team to help them reach their health and wellness goals.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:13:50] What is orthorexia?
• [00:07:26] Menopause brings hormonal swings, how often do you see menopausal patients experience an eating disorder for the first time? Or is it mostly women who have a history of disordered eating?
• [00:09:25] Does the overload of “wellness experts” in social media create confusion and fear of foods we need, particularly for women in midlife? How do you help them find the real truth about what to eat?
• [00:35:53] How easy is it to slip from “I just want to eat healthy” into orthorexia? What are the red flags when healthy eating turns into an unhealthy obsession?
• [00:19:07] Where do you begin working with someone who is ready so that it is non-threatening and non-judgmental?

From Wellness to Obsession: Are You Facing Eating Disorders in Menopause?

What is Orthorexia?

• Obsession with “clean” or restricted eating.
• Can also be the illusion of control and safety from disordered eating behaviors.
• Red flags: compulsive food thoughts, social withdrawal, avoidance.
• Average recovery time: 7 years but change begins with addressing small, meaningful issues.

Things to look out for:

• Social Media
  • Fuels body comparison, diet fads, and misinformed health behaviors.
• Intermittent Fasting
  • Dangers of fasting: sarcopenia or muscle loss, disordered behavior.
  • May be harmful, especially in active midlife women prioritizing muscle preservation.
• Smart Scale and Body Composition
  • Fixation on scale weight despite fitness improvements like muscle gain and inch loss.
  • Pro: tracking lean mass.
  • Con: can trigger obsession or shame.

Key Takeaways

• Eating issues in midlife are common – due to stress, hormones, and unresolved issues from earlier life.
• Orthorexia is an obsessive focus on healthy or clean eating that can be dangerous and restrictive.
• Early intervention is key – it only takes two weeks of obsession to begin disordered patterns.
• Not all RDs are the same – find one trained in eating disorders for effective help.

Connect with Amy:

• Amy’s Website - Kindred Nutrition
• Facebook - Kindred Nutrition
• Instagram - @amygoldsmithrd

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause
• Next Episode - Save Your Knees and Shoulders Without Surgery
• More Like This - How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain

Resources:

• Join Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist® to become a coach!
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.
• Flip the switch on your midlife metabolism with the Metabolism Makeover 2.0.