Post menopause can be a challenging time to lose weight. Often, the things that worked in younger years to drop a few pounds do not work as well once you are menopausal. Women tend to gain fat in their mid-section during menopause, making it more challenging to keep slim. The three must-have elements to losing weight post-menopause are proper nutrition, cardiovascular exercise, and strength training.
Nutrition Basics
The first step in proper nutrition is tracking caloric intake. Although it can be tedious, keeping a food diary daily for two weeks will help you assess the calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates that you eat on a daily basis. You can simply use a pad of paper or invest in a pre-formatted food diary. Write down the time of day you are eating, specific portion sizes and types of foods for each snack, beverage and meal that you consume. You can use food labels, a calorie-counting book or website to estimate calories, carbs, fats and proteins and keep totals on a daily basis. Next, invest in a session with a nutritionist or at least some time on the internet to determine what your daily intakes should be for these categories.
Types of Food
The next step in weight loss nutrition is stocking your cupboards and refrigerator with the right types of foods to keep you healthy and on track for losing weight. Fill your refrigerator with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins such as yogurt, cottage cheese and string cheese, low-fat milk and other healthy beverages. Stock your pantry with plenty of whole grains such as wheat breads, whole grain pastas and grains, beans and legumes, as well as easy-to-prepare basics such as fiber-rich cereals, low sodium soups and broths, canned tomatoes and pasta sauces. Be cautious when cooking and stay away from saturated fats, high sodium foods and fatty meats. Limit your intake of alcohol and rich desserts.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Cardiovascular exercise, or cardio, needs to be a regular part of your weight loss routine. You should get 30-60 minutes of moderate to high intensity cardio in daily in order to burn calories and lose weight. Power walking, water aerobic classes, stationery exercise machines and exercise classes are great ways to get cardio into your day. Make sure you work at an intensity of 7-8 on a scale of 1-10 in order to effectively burn calories and fat.
Strength Training
Strength training is a must for post-menopausal women. Building muscle helps to increase bone density, creates stability around the joints, increases strength and endurance in the muscles, and most importantly increases metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories, whether active or at rest, and it is critical to increase metabolism through strength training for weight loss efforts after menopause. Begin with lifting weights for 45 minutes, three to five days per week following a total body strength training program. If you are unsure how to get started, seek out a personal trainer or fitness specialist at a local fitness center for professional guidance.
Alternative Movement
There are also some documented benefits to using yoga, tai chi, qi gong and other such alternative types of movement for weight loss. Although these movement methods do not burn high amounts of calories, they are effective at relieving stress, which can promote weight gain, and they can also balance endocrine, hormonal and digestive systems, all which can prohibit weight loss if out of balance. While proper nutrition, cardio and strength training are all essential elements, alternative movement practices can enhance your weight loss efforts and provide additional health benefits in post-menopausal years.
References
- "The Personal Trainer's Handbook"; Teri S. O'Brien, MS; 1997
- "The Strength Training Workout Encyclopedia"; Tom Kelso; 2009
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