they often don't understand why they are now gaining weight in other parts of the body, usually in the stomach area, even though they did not have a problem with that when they were younger.
Hormonal changes contribute greatly to it, although it is still a mystery in some areas. The body stops producing estrogen when a woman reaches menopause and stops ovulation.
Low estrogen has caused weight gain in laboratory animals and it can be fairly safely assumed that this is why the female body changes shape. During childbearing years, fat is stored in the lower body. After menopause, women store more fat in the abdomen, just like men. The danger of abdominal fat is a greater risk of heart disease.
To compound the problem, unless you maintain regular exercise that includes strength training, both men and women lose muscle mass as they age, and the metabolism slows down. If you continue to eat the way you did when you were younger, weight gain is inevitable. You simply don't need the same number of calories at 50 or 60 as you did at 30 or 40.
One suggestion is to use hormonal therapy to control some of the side effects of menopause. Contrary to popular belief, it does not cause weight gain. You may have some water retention and subsequent bloating, but this is normally a temporary condition, and is not indicative of added fat. But there are still some debate around this therapy, because it has been linked to breast cancer in some studies.
So do you have to settle for being fat and fifty? Absolutely not! There are steps you can take to minimize the effects of menopausal induced weight gain that don't involve adding hormones back into your system.
1. Don't stop eating. Just make better choices. Eat the foods you know are good for you as part of a low fat diet. Get plenty of fiber and stay away from sugar and refined flour products.
2. Exercise regularly. Your metabolism is not the only thing that slows down as you age. Work is often less demanding physically, you're not running around chasing kids, your vacations are probably not as active as when you were younger, and in general you just do things a bit more slowly than before. You'd be amazed at what just 30 minutes of moderate activity every day will do for you.
3. Maintain your muscle mass by lifting hand weights or adding ankle weights when you walk. Of course, you should check with your doctor first before starting any exercise program if you're currently being treated for any medical conditions.
4. Love yourself. Even if you've put on a few pounds and your waist is thicker than it used to be, try to be okay with that. Like Mammy told Scarlett in Gone with the Wind, "You ain't never gonna have an 18 inch waist again!". Accept that and appreciate your life.
Another way is to use my Weight Loss Breeze Program. It contains simple exercises that take only a few minutes a day to do and makes losing weight at any age a breeze.
Seem to be putting on a few extra pounds lately? You're not alone. During menopause, the majority of women find they either gain weight or have trouble staying at their usual weight, even when their eating and exercise habits are the same. Find out why it happens and what you can do about it. How menopause weight gain is unique Throughout most of life, women tend to gain weight around the hips and thighs. Once a woman enters perimenopause, though, fat tends to collect around the stomach area instead. Women who start menopause early have particular trouble with rapid weight gain. The good news is this struggle with weight will most likely end once you hit your mid-60s. The first thing to understand is that it's not all your fault. It's not a sign you've been sleep-walking to the refrigerator every night. Even if you're more careful about what you eat and start working out, you could still end up putting on a little belly fat. And losing weight during menopause can seem next to impossible. The reason? Yes, you guessed: those good old hormones. Fluctuating levels of female hormones affect your appetite and the way your body stores fat. The main reason is that your body has started actively working to pack on fat. With your ovaries producing less estrogen, your body starts looking for other places to produce the hormone. Since fat cells can also produce estrogen, your body puts extra effort into turning calories into fat so there will be more room to produce estrogen. Lifestyle The most effective thing you can do to keep the weight off is to make sure your lifestyle isn't promoting weight gain. Have you put your exercise routine on the back burner? If so, schedule in a little time for exercise if you need to. As we age, muscle tends to be replaced with fat, so exercise is even more important during the menopause years. It will also ward off osteoporosis. Keep a close eye on your eating habits, too. With an increased appetite, it's easy to nibble a little here and a little there without noticing how much you've eaten. A food diary can help you keep track. A diet plan to control menopause weight gain Following a healthy diet plan for weight gain during menopause can help you stay trim and feeling good. Your first step should be to minimize the amount of fatty foods you eat. Ideally, no more than 20% of your daily calories should come from fat and these should be from like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. A recent study done through the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Medical Program also found that taking a calcium/vitamin D supplement can help menopausal women keep the weight off. Weight gain during menopause is a problem just about every woman faces. Frustrating as it is, rest assured that it's just a temporary annoyance caused by hormone fluctuation. To make sure the problem doesn't get out of hand, though, follow a healthy diet and exercise at least half an hour a day.
Both Christian Goodman & Mogsta22 are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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