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Menopause can cause a decline in hormone levels and a range of symptoms. From increased appetite to sudden weight, mood change, night sweats, and poor sleep, the list of physiological changes can seem endless.
But what if we told you that what you eat could help alleviate the symptoms of menopause?
Well, it can…
More than just addressing weight gain and appetite, nutrients in our food have the power to address many symptoms of menopause.
In this article, we share a 14-day menopause diet plan, containing vital nutrients to help you alleviate the symptoms of menopause. We cover common menopause symptoms, key nutrients to manage, and tips to make a long-term lifestyle change.
Understanding Menopause and Dietary Needs
In the United States, approximately 1.3 million women between the ages of 45 and 56 enter menopause annually.
As we approach menopause, our estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate. This brings on a range of symptoms.
Estrogen and progesterone are powerful reproductive hormones that have far-reaching effects on our health. Responsible for reproductive health, they also play a role in appetite, cardiovascular health, bone health, and reducing inflammation.
However, when levels decline, so too do many of these factors.
Common Menopause Symptoms
The decrease in estrogen and progesterone production can lead to a range of symptoms. Below is a list of common menopause symptoms:
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
- Decreased metabolism
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Poor sleep/insomnia
- Mood change
- Depression and anxiety
- Increase Inflammation
- Increased risk of chronic disease
- Joint aches
- Skin wrinkling/aging
- Cognitive challenges
How Menopause Affects Nutritional Requirements
Changes to our hormones alter our nutritional requirements. While we are capable of sustaining our regular eating habits when entering menopause, we run the risk of increased weight gain, greater risk of chronic illness, and loss of function. This leads to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
Adjusting our nutrition to match our new requirements, is a powerful way to alleviate menopause symptoms and negative health outcomes.
One obvious factor is a decreased metabolism and an increased appetite, with approximately 60%-70% of midline experiencing weight gain. This is compounded by the decline in skeletal muscle mass by 3%-8%.
When our metabolism declines, we must adjust our nutritional requirements to reduce our calorie intake, with a greater focus on protein, fiber, and other nutrient-dense food to maintain satiety.
Foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, and leafy greens are great sources of fiber and increase meal volume.
Protein-rich foods such as lean meat, fish, soy, oats, nuts, and seeds will keep you fuller for longer and help you maintain skeletal muscle mass.
These are just some changes that can be made to combat menopause symptoms. The addition of omega-3 for inflammation, phytoestrogen for declining estrogen, and calcium for bone health are just some ways we can support our body through this change.
14-Day Diet Plan for Menopause - What to eat each Day
Day 1: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Overnight oats with greek yogurt, cinnamon, mixed berries, honey, chia seeds
Lunch
- Grilled lemon and herb chicken salad with baby spinach, kale, tomato, avocado, corn, red onion, olive oil and lemon juice
Snack
- Protein yogurt
- Mixed nuts
Dinner
- Air-fried salmon with lemon, mixed vegetables, sweet potato
Day 2: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Chicken and veggie omelet with spinach, tomato, mushrooms
- Whole grain toast
Lunch
- Kale and quinoa salad with corn, red onion, red pepper, chickpeas, walnuts, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley
Snack
- Protein shake
- Apple
Dinner
- Honey, soy and garlic baked chicken with brown rice, steam vegetables
Day 3: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Protein smoothie with banana, mixed berries, greek yogurt, low-fat milk, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
Lunch
- Makeral salad with cherry tomatos, cucumber, avocado, hummus, coriander, olives, leafy lettuce balsamic vinegar
Snack
- Dark chocolate and almond clusters
- Apple
Dinner
- Mediterranian salmon with oregano, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Mediterranean salad with cherry tomatos, olives, cucumber, parsley, basil, feta, olive oil
Day 4: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Poached eggs with avocado wholegrain toast
Lunch
- Tuna salad with corn, baby spinach, red pepper, corn, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice
Snack
- Hummus with veggie sticks
- Protein shake
Dinner
- Chicken and sweet potato stew with black beans, tomato, spinach, parsley, paprika
Day 5: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Scrambled eggs with wholegrain toast
Lunch
- Lentil and veggie soup with carrot, leek, garlic, celery, thyme, coriander
Snack
- Pineapple and cottage cheese
Dinner
- Stuff red pepper with quinoa, black beans, pasta sauce, light cheddar cheese
Day 6: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Protein granola with greek yogurt, mixed berries and chia seeds
Lunch
- Whole grain chicken wrap with tomato, lettuce, avocado, light cheese, light mayo
Snack
- Protein smoothie with banana, berries, low-fat milk, greek yogurt, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
Dinner
- Chicken cauliflower crusted pizza with onion, red pepper, jalapenos, and light mozzarella cheese
Day 7: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Green protein smoothie with spinach, banana, berries, low-fat milk, greek yogurt, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
Lunch
- Baked chicken salad with lettuce, tomato, chickpeas, avocado, corn, pumpkin seeds, olive oil. lemon juice.
Snack
- Protein bar
- Apple
Dinner
- Air-fried lemon and garlic salmon
- Zucchini noodles with pesto
Day 8: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Mushroom and Squashed tomato baked eggs with low-fat cheese
Lunch
- Chicken hummus bowel with cucucmber, red onion, parsley
- Whole grain pita
Snack
- Protein yogurt
- Banana
- Mixed Nuts
Dinner
- Baked lemon and paprika salmon
- Cauliflower rice with brocolli, corn, red pepper, eggs, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil
Day 9: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Protein pancake with honey, banana, and blueberries
Lunch
- Black bean and slaw wholegrain bagel with avocado, lime juice
Snack
- Protein yogurt
- Mixed nuts
Dinner
- Turkey tacos with tomato, red onion, jalapeno, coriander
Day 10: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Smoke salmon and egg whole grain bagel with avocado and tomato
Lunch
- Tuna spinach salad, with tomato, avocado, red onion, sunflower seeds, olive oil, lemon juice
Snack
- Almond and dark chocolate clusters
Dinner
- Baked cabbage rolls filled with egg roll filling
Day 11: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Protein smoothie with banana, mixed berries, greek yogurt, low-fat milk, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
Lunch
- Makeral salad with cherry tomatos, cucumber, avocado, hummus, coriander, olives, leafy lettuce balsamic vinegar
Snack
- Protein yogurt
- Mixed nuts
Dinner
- Coconut curry chicken with quinoa
Day 12: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Protein granola with greek yogurt, mixed berries and chia seeds
Lunch
- Kale and quinoa salad with corn, red onion, red pepper, chickpeas, walnuts, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley
Snack
- Protein shake
- Apple
Dinner
- Chicken cauliflower crusted pizza with onion, red pepper, jalapenos, and light mozzarella cheese
Day 13: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Poached eggs with avocado wholegrain toast
Lunch
- Tuna salad with corn, baby spinach, red pepper, corn, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice
Snack
- Protein yogurt
- Mixed nuts
Dinner
- Honey, soy and garlic baked chicken with brown rice, steam vegetables
Day 14: Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Protein granola with greek yogurt, mixed berries and chia seeds
Lunch
- Green Goddess Salad with romaine lettuce, cucumber, swiss cheese, cherry tomatos, rice wine vinegar, avocado
Snack
- Hummus with veggie sticks
- Protein shake
Dinner
- Air-fried salmon with lemon, mixed vegetables, sweet potato
Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Diet During Menopause
Sustaining a diet and nutrition plan can be challenging as our body gradually adjusts to to the shift in healthy eating, Below is a list of tips to help you maintain your healthy diet during menopause.
Meal Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparing your meals is one of the most effective ways to maintain your menopause diet plan. Menopause can bring on feelings of fatigue, and frustration, which can lead toward emotional eating and poor food choices.
Meal planning and preparation act as a circuit breaker in these situations. Having food planned, prepped, and ready to go allows you to reach for healthy options, eliminating those hunger and cravings.
To effectively plan and prepare meals, perform a weekly shop, and prepare your week in advance. While this can take a good chunk of your Sunday, it will save you the headache of indecision and cooking time throughout the week.
Education
Education about nutrition is one the best ways to ensure you are maintaining a healthy menopause diet. While you may be thinking about eating chicken, broccoli, and rice, we assure you that it isn’t sustainable.
Educating yourself about macronutrients, daily calorie intakes, and nutrition labels will help you understand what you need. Combining this with a growing knowledge of delicious, nutrient-dense recipes will help you make a long-term healthy eating change.
Incorporating Physical Activity
Physical activity is a powerful tool for managing weight, maintaining muscle mass, preserving bone health, and improving mood, and sleep quality.
This is incredible during menopause as we can often feel tired, stressed, and fatigued, which can lead us calorie calorie-dense foods, with little nutritional value.
Exercising two to three times per week solo, with friends, or in a group setting is excellent for improving physical and mental health. By reducing stress and fatigue we will improve our ability to resist cravings, helping us adhere to our healthy eating plan.
Conclusion
Menopause is characterized by a lack of control as many of us experience the barrage of symptoms daily. However, it doesn’t have to be like this. While we can’t control every aspect, we can alter our nutrition to take those dreaded menopause symptoms head-on.
If you are considering trying the 14-day menopause diet plan, ensure you plan your meals, educate yourself on what you are feeding your body, and incorporate physical activity. Do these three things and you will be well on your way to tackling the symptoms of menopause
More Meal Plans for Menopause
If you're seeking more diet options specifically designed to support your health during menopause, we offer several structured meal plans to suit your needs. Explore our 5-day menopause diet plan for a quick and effective reset, our 7-day menopause diet plan for a full week of balanced, hormone-friendly meals, or our 10-day menopause diet plan for an extended approach to managing weight and symptoms. Each plan is carefully crafted to help you navigate the challenges of menopause while enjoying delicious, nutritious meals.
FAQs
What is the purpose of the 14 Day Menopause Diet Plan?
The plan is designed to manage menopause symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and weight gain by incorporating nutrient-rich foods that support hormone balance and overall health.
Can I customize the diet plan based on my dietary preferences or restrictions?
Yes, the plan is flexible and can be adapted to accommodate various dietary preferences or restrictions, such as vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free diets.
Will this diet plan help with weight management during menopause?
Yes, it includes foods that boost metabolism and maintain muscle mass, which are crucial for managing weight during menopause.
Are there specific foods that should be avoided during this diet plan?
It's best to limit processed foods, excessive sugar, and high-fat or high-sodium items, as they can worsen menopause symptoms.
How will I know if the 14 Day Menopause Diet Plan is working for me?
You may notice reduced symptoms, improved mood, and increased energy levels. Tracking your progress over the 14 days can help you assess the plan’s effectiveness.
