Can A Menopausal Woman Lose Weight?
Women who are going through the menopausal transition can gain weight. Those looking to lose weight may experience more difficulties than usual, and keeping the weight off can be a challenge.
Weight gain before and during menopause is partly due to a drop in estrogen levels.
Poor quality sleep and regular age-related declines in metabolism and muscle tone can also contribute to this weight gain. Weight tends to build up in the stomach.
While losing weight can be more challenging during menopause, there are methods that many find effective. This article will discuss the relationship between menopause and weight gain, as well as proven ways to lose weight during the transition.
Why Are Menopausal Women So Difficult To Lose Weight?
Menopause officially begins when a woman doesn't have a menstrual cycle for twelve months.
During this time, women may have difficulty losing weight. (health line)
Many women notice that they actually begin to gain weight during perimenopause, which can start a decade before menopause.
Several factors contribute to weight gain around menopause, including:
Loss of muscle mass: This happens due to age, hormonal changes and decreased physical activity.
Hormonal fluctuations: Both high and very low estrogen levels can lead to increased fat storage.
Increased insulin resistance: Women often become insulin resistant as they get older, which can make weight loss more difficult.
Lack of sleep: Many women have difficulty sleeping during menopause, and sleep deprivation is associated with weight gain.
What's more, fat storage shifts from the hips and thighs to the belly during menopause. This increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Healthy Diet During Menopause
Here are 3 healthy diets that have been shown to help with weight loss during and after the menopause transition.
1. The Mediterranean Diet
Although the Mediterranean diet is well-known for promoting health and reducing the risk of heart disease, research suggests it can also help you lose weight.
As with studies of low-carb diets, most studies of the Mediterranean diet have looked at men and women rather than peri- or postmenopausal women exclusively.
In one study of men and women aged 55 and over, those who followed the Mediterranean diet experienced a significant reduction in belly fat.
Low-carbohydrate diets are great for weight loss, and they can also reduce belly fat.
Although peri and postmenopausal women have been included in several low-carb studies, there are only a few studies that have looked at this population exclusively.
In one such study, postmenopausal women on a low-carbohydrate diet lost 21 lbs (9.5 kg), 7% of their body fat and 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) of their waists within 6 months.
What's more, your carb intake doesn't have to be too low to result in weight loss.
In another study, a paleo diet providing approximately 30% of calories from carbohydrates resulted in greater reductions in belly fat and weight than a low-fat diet after 2 years.
Vegetarian and vegan diets also promise weight reduction.
One study in postmenopausal women reported significant weight loss and health improvements among the group assigned to a vegan diet.
However, a more flexible vegetarian approach that includes both milk and eggs has also been shown to work well in older women.
The Best Exercise for Weight Loss During Menopause
Healthy food choices and regular physical activity go hand in hand to encourage healthy weight loss during menopause. Approximately 150 to 175 minutes of physical activity per week are recommended for weight loss. Exercise has many benefits during menopause, including:
- Burn calories which can promote weight loss
- Reduces stress and anxiety, while enhancing mood
- Reducing hot flashes
- Improve the health of your heart, reduce the risk of heart disease
- Improve sleep
- Improves flexibility and can reduce aches and pains
What do you think sport should be like? That depends on where you start. This could mean a brisk 15-minute walk 5 days per week, taking a high-intensity group exercise class at your local gym, or a mix of several activities you enjoy.
High-intensity intermittent exercise, or shorter but more intense exercise, has been shown to increase fat loss much better than aerobic exercise. Resistance training, such as weight lifting, increases your basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories you burn each day. Mixed workouts are a good way to lose fat, especially in the belly.
Whatever you enjoy most, be sure to first talk to your doctor to determine what and how much exercise is right for you. This is especially important if you have recently started exercising regularly, have started a different activity routine than usual, or have an injury or pain.
Certain conditions can make exercise dangerous, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and other metabolic diseases that are not controlled. If you have a medical condition such as this, you should not start exercising until you are medically fit to do so.
How Do I Prevent Weight Gain During Menopause?
Researchers don't know why some women gain weight in middle age. But scientific research has shed some light on factors that may have an impact. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that levels of physical activity and body fat are strongly related in women between the ages of 50 and 59.
Women who maintained a high level of aerobic physical activity gained less fat. So if you're worried about your weight during menopause, staying active may be the best way for you to keep excess weight off your hips.
There are three different types of exercise you need to lose weight or stay slim. But if you only have enough time during the day to do a short workout, brisk walking followed by some weight-bearing strength training will help you keep your figure in shape.
If you are trying to lose weight, make sure you try to do some exercise most days of the week to burn enough calories to lose weight.
How to Keep The Weight Loss After Menopause
Maintaining your weight after menopause will depend largely on the choices you make. As long as you're committed to making healthy lifestyle choices, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest, your weight should remain stable. You can pamper yourself every once in a while or skip a few days of training; life is all about keeping balance. If you want to treat yourself once in a while, don't hesitate to do so.
Losing weight after menopause isn't easy, but it does have many health benefits. By creating a healthier lifestyle, you will reduce your risk of many illnesses. Achieving a healthy weight is also good for your self-esteem and overall mood.
Conclusion
People frequently experience an increase in body fat during menopause. It is associated with decreased levels of estrogen, lower sleep quality, and decreased metabolism and muscle mass.
Researchers have linked low estrogen levels with increased body fat, particularly belly fat. Maintaining healthy lifestyle habits can help with weight loss.
People who have concerns about weight or symptoms of hormonal fluctuations should talk to their doctor about proper treatment.
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