Let’s agree—menopause isn’t any joke. After many years of coping with a daily interval and the cramps, temper swings, and ache that include it, individuals with uteruses additionally should endure the recent flashes, irritability, lack of sleep, and even the potential melancholy that comes with menopause.
This occasion, which marks your physique’s last menstrual interval and often happens between the ages of 45 and 55, causes a big change in individuals’s hormones. Due to this, it could possibly simply result in weight achieve and/or a harder time shedding pounds. Not solely that however the time earlier than menopause, generally known as perimenopause, can be identified to contribute to undesirable weight achieve as properly.
To assist with this expertise, Mary Claire Haver, MD created the Galveston Diet for individuals who need to cease weight achieve earlier than menopause. This weight loss plan is a manner of consuming that features loads of complete meals and is concentrated on decreasing irritation.
Learn on to study extra about how this consuming sample could assist forestall weight achieve earlier than menopause, and for extra wholesome consuming suggestions try The #1 Greatest Complement for Girls Over 50.
What’s the Galveston Food plan?

The primary function of the Galveston Food plan is to assist individuals in perimenopause handle their weight and keep away from the frequent incidence of weight achieve related to this stage. However extra than simply specializing in weight administration, the Galveston Food plan can be meant to assist regulate hormones and enhance signs related to menopause.
The weight loss plan is structured round three pillars: anti-inflammatory meals, intermittent fasting, and what is named a “gas refocus,” which suggests limiting your consumption of refined carbs and focusing extra on nutrient-dense carbohydrates.
“This weight loss plan encourages consuming meals low in carbohydrates, lean protein, wholesome fat, and a choose group of low starch produce,” says Trista Greatest, MPH, RD, LD at Balance One Supplements, “in addition to integrating three dietary supplements: vitamin D, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.”
Other than the component of intermittent fasting, this consuming sample most intently resembles the favored Mediterranean Food plan, which pulls inspiration from locations like Italy, Greece, Spain, and France.
How the Galveston Food plan could provide help to keep away from weight achieve.
It is a pretty new weight loss plan, so there is not a lot analysis to be discovered on it. To study extra concerning the potential advantages, we requested a number of of our knowledgeable dietitians to weigh in.
General, dietitians agree that consuming anti-inflammatory meals is an effective step in the direction of stopping weight achieve earlier than menopause.
“Data shows a link between power irritation and weight achieve, so consuming anti-inflammatory meals is a superb apply when attempting to keep away from weight achieve, no matter which stage of the life cycle you might be in,” says Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, creator of The First Time Mom’s Pregnancy Cookbook and Fueling Male Fertility, and registered dietitian on our medical knowledgeable board.
The “gas refocus” a part of the weight loss plan—consuming extra complete meals and limiting your consumption of processed meals—may also provide help to handle your weight at this life stage.
“Limiting meals which can be pro-inflammatory, which incorporates many ultra-processed meals, will help individuals handle their irritation and doubtlessly assist them drop some weight” says Manaker.
The intermittent fasting pillar of the weight loss plan will not be for you.
Whereas consuming anti-inflammatory meals and limiting your consumption of pro-inflammatory meals is useful to most, some dietitians warn that intermittent fasting is not for everybody.
“To be trustworthy, there may be nothing magical about intermittent fasting that may promote well being and weight reduction on this inhabitants so I would skip that half,” says Lisa Younger, Ph.D., RDN, creator of Finally Full, Finally Slim and member of our medical knowledgeable advisory board. “Limiting late-night consuming is a superb concept, however limiting your consuming window can probably set you up for a cycle of restriction after which overeating.”
Do you have to attempt the Galveston Food plan?
Most info you could find concerning the weight loss plan is from books and on-line subscription assets. For particular details about the weight loss plan, you should purchase Dr. Haver’s e-book, The Galveston Diet: The Doctor-Developed, Patient-Proven Plan to Burn Fat and Tame Your Hormonal Symptoms.
For extra structured steerage, you may entry the official Galveston Diet program on-line, which is obtainable in three ranges: signature ($59), Gold ($99), and Platinum ($229), every with various levels of knowledge offered.
Whereas there may be some analysis that helps the Galveston Food plan’s methodology of stopping weight achieve earlier than menopause, as a result of the weight loss plan is comparatively new there may be at the moment no concrete proof apart from buyer testimonials to confirm its success. Our dietitians are supportive of two of the three pillars—consuming anti-inflammatory meals and the “gas refocus”—however don’t advocate intermittent fasting.
If you wish to study extra, discuss together with your physician or dietitian about how one thing just like the Galveston Food plan could have an effect on you and your well being targets.