The Truth About Weight Gain and Menopause
Welcome to Menopuase Weight Loss Tips. I’ve set up this website to help people experiencing menopausal weight problems.
If you are approaching or going through menopause you may notice a few extra pounds creeping around your tummy. Is this just coincidence, or is there an explicable link between weight gain and menopause?
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Well, it’s a bit of both. As you approach menopause, two things are happening: a) you are getting older, your metabolism is slowing and you are probably less active; and b) your hormones are changing. Both of these elements alone can contribute to an increase in weight, but put them together and you’ve got a doubly whammy.
Between the ages of 40 to 60 you will go through menopause and while weight gain and menopause are tightly linked, the associated hormonal changes causing you to gain weight are only part of the puzzle. Coincidentally, at the same age you also experience a slowing metabolism as part of the normal aging process. This, together with a potentially less active lifestyle all contribute to your total increase in weight during this period.
There are two different points of view around weight gain and menopause. One supports the belief that weight gain during this period is entirely down to hormonal changes, there is nothing you can do to stop it and you should just learn to live with your new and more voluptuous body. The second point of view is that the majority of weight gain during this period is actually down to decreasing activity levels, changes in eating habits and an overall slower metabolism. I sit somewhere in between, believing that the ideal is to allow yourself a little weight gain, but don’t just give up altogether and let it get out of control.
It is estimated that the average woman puts on between 10 and 15 pounds during the menopause years. Advocates of the first point of view above will say that this is good, that it will help lessen other menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and anxiety, and will help prepare your body to fight osteoporosis. Others say no way; an extra 10 to 15 pounds will increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other “obesity” related diseases. Those of us that sit in the middle believe that elements of both are true but you should try to limit any increase in weight to less than 10 pounds.
Therefore while weight gain and menopause are as certain as age itself, you don’t just have to sit around and watch as your body changes shape and fat starts depositing itself happily around your abdominal area. I’m not advocating crash diets and excessive exercise regimes, but with sensible eating and just a little more physical activity you can avoid putting on too much weight. Granted, your changing hormones will not make it easy for you, they will help to slow your metabolism, increase your appetite and store more fat, making losing weight a lot more difficult than usual, but not impossible.
Throughout this site you will find lots of handy tips and ideas on how to mange weight gain and menopause but for now here’s just a couple:
Regular Exercise
- Aim for 2 to 3 hours per week
- Mix aerobic to increase metabolism and burn fat with weight bearing to build muscle and prevent osteoporosis
Balanced Diet
- Eat healthy foods and check your portions
- Eat foods high in calcium, protein and fiber
- Eat small frequent meals and don’t allow yourself to get hungry
- Limit salt, refined sugars and overall calorie intake
- Avoid crash diets
- Limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine
Stress Avoidance
- Stress can increase food cravings – try yoga, massage or other relaxation techniques
And remember, weight gain and menopause are both inevitable, so don’t beat yourself up about it, just try your best to minimise it.