Menopause And Weight Gain – Avoiding Menopausal Weight Gain
Worried about menopause and weight gain? Here’s exactly how to avoid dreaded weight pain during menopause.
Let’s chat about menopause and weight gain.
Gaining weight in menopause – is that a thing?
Unfortunately it is but don’t stress! Here’s exactly how to avoid the dreaded weight pain during menopause.
Menopause is traditionally thought of as something “old people go through” but as some women will attest it can catch you by surprise.
Even though the average age is menopause is 51 years (and typical range is 45-55), menopause can occur as early as the 30s or as late as the 60s.
The term menopause refers to the final menstrual period and marks the end of a woman’s reproductive life.
Because ovulation no longer occurs, this means the production of oestrogen and progesterone ceases.
And the symptoms aren’t anything to get excited about.
The symptoms include:
- Hot flushes
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Bone Loss
- And last but not least – WEIGHT GAIN!
Menopausal weight gain can have consequences more serious than outgrowing your favorite pair of jeans.
The weight gain is probably the most stubborn of symptoms because it is usually reflected in the “middle age spread”.
In this post we will look at home the middle age spread affects your body and what you can do about it.
Facts about Gaining Weight In Menopause
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
1 – Understand estrogen.
As estrogen levels drop during menopause, your metabolism slows down.
Consequently your body burns fewer calories and stores more fat.
What this means in the real world: Even if you eat the exact same amount of calories, you will put on weight due to the slower metabolism.
So you will need to eat less than before menopause!
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
2 – Watch your waistline.
Extra pounds you gain after menopause are likely to turn into abdominal fat, which increases your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions.
Sigh – isn’t that just fabulous NOT!
Talk with your doctor if your waistline is 35 inches or more.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
3 – Check your thyroid.
Menopause and thyroid conditions can cause similar symptoms including increased weight, as well as depression and fatigue.
Your doctor can advise if you would benefit from testing to see if your thyroid is the real issue.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
4 – Expect changes.
If you’ve been thin your whole life, you may be surprised to see the scale edging up.
Don’t be shocked.
Don’t be upset.
This is part and parcel of menopause and you need to come up with a game-plan to keep the extra weight off.
It’s natural if you suddenly note that you need to eat less and move more to maintain your previous dress size during menopause.
GAINING WEIGHT IN MENOPAUSE TIP
Using Your Diet to Fight Gaining Weight In Menopause
Putting on extra pounds later in life is common, but it’s not inevitable or a weight-gain-permanent sentence.
Let me repeat that for you:
Going through menopause does not mean you WILL DEFINITELY PUT ON WEIGHT AND NEVER, EVER LOSE IT!
A University of Pittsburgh study found that women who made two simple changes in the way they eat lost dramatically more weight.
Take a look at their secrets for preventing weight gain in menopause:
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
5 – Skip desserts and soda.
Women who consumed fewer desserts and sugary drinks lost almost eight times more weight than their peers in that Pittsburgh study.
But of course they did because that’s where a lot of our consumed calories are hidden – inside sugary stuff.
Switch to natural whole fruit and water instead.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
6 – Reduce calories.
You can also eat less by controlling your portion sizes and choosing nutrient-dense foods.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
The most nutrient-dense foods include:
1 – Salmon
2 – Bok Choy
3 – Kale
4 – Spinach
5 – Seaweed
6 – Shellfish
7 – Brussel sprouts
8 – Liver
9 – Sardines
10 – Blueberries
11 – Egg yolks
12 – Almonds
13 – Turnip greens
14 – Cauliflower
15 – Bananas
That way you can keep up your energy while you stay trim.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
7 – Dine at home.
Cooking your own meals gives you more control obviously.
Restaurants tend to use more fat, sodium and other preservatives than you would have at home.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
8 – Eat soy.
Some experts believe that plants have isoflavones that function like human estrogen.
You may want to try tofu or soy milk to relieve night sweats and help you sleep.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
9 – Consider supplements.
Most women can get all the nutrients they need from a balanced diet.
However, your doctor may recommend supplements, including iron and calcium, based on your individual needs.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
10 – Using Exercise to Fight Menopausal Weight Gain
Almost 80% of adults don’t exercise enough according to the CDC, and older adults are even more likely to be inactive.
Once you start working out, you’ll burn more calories and experience other benefits like strengthening your bones and relieving stress.
This is the secret to preventing weight gain during menopause – simply MOVE more!
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
9 – Train in intervals.
Structure your workouts so that you alternate between brief bursts of high intensity movements and gentler exercises.
You’ll burn more calories and fat, condition your heart, and increase your metabolism while spending less time at the gym.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
10 – Build muscles.
You lose muscle mass as you age – sad and scary truth – but you can slow down the process.
Lift dumbbells or do body weight exercises like dips and pushups.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
11 – Work on balance.
Enhancing your balance can protect you from falls, correct your posture, and sharpen your thinking.
Sign up for yoga classes or train at home.
Try doing squats while standing on your toes or sit on a stability ball when you’re watching TV.
MENOPAUSE AND WEIGHT GAIN
12 – Move more.
In addition to formal exercise, you can incorporate more activity into your daily routine.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Park your car a few blocks away from the office so you can walk the remaining distance.
Once again, it is important to note that women often gain an average of 10 pounds around menopause, but diet and exercise can minimize the effects.
Slimming down and staying lean will help you to stay healthy and enjoy your later years, way beyond menopause.
Gaining weight in menopause can actually be prevented!
You just need to be conscious of the natural and normal changes your body will go through during menopause and come up with a plan to combat the negative side effects.
7 Stages of menopause
Itchy
Bitchy
Sweaty
Sleepy
Bloated
Forgetful
Psycho
My greatest fear is that menopause doesn’t exist and this is actually the REAL me.
A woman must wait for her ovaries to die before she can get her rightful personality back. Post-menstrual is the same as pre-menstrual. I am once again what I was before the age of twelve; a female human being who knows that a month has thirty days, not twenty five and who can spend every one of them free of the shackles of that defect of body and mind known as femininity. Florence King
Menopause. From the Greek words, menthol claws or hot claws that grip women like the heat from a blast furnace. Rick Garvia
You can do this (this thing, where your body will cease to produce hormones and your skin, hair, muscles and bones… basically every part of you will notice, go into withdrawals, and stage a coup). Be prepared for this mentally, and you’ll own this “thing.”Lisa Jey Davis
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I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.