Gaining weight in the years leading to and following menopause isn't unusual for several reasons. Losing it may be more difficult than before, but the principles of exercise, healthy eating and reduced calories and fat work at this time of life just as well as they did earlier.
Why Gain Now?
Perimenopause -- the years leading to menopause for women in their 40s and 50s -- can bring weight gains, ones that settle around the abdomen rather than the thighs and hips, according to MayoClinic.com. Reduced hormones may play a role, but so can genes and lifestyle. If your parents gained weight around their waists, you're more likely to. So will maintaining the same food intake as in your younger years. That's because women who are menopausal are more likely to exercise less than they did earlier in life. Compounding that is the loss of muscle mass that comes with aging. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, your body composition will shift to more fat and less muscle -- which slows down the rate at which you burn calories," says MayoClinic.com
Change Your Diet, Lifestyle
Patricia Yarberry, publisher of Women's Voices for Change, offers some tips. Exercise will not only burn calories but also will build muscles that in turn will burn more calories. Also get plenty of sleep. Otherwise the levels of leptin in your blood may drop and ghrelin will increase. The first, Yarberry says, is the hormone your brain relies on to know you're not hungry. The second hormone sends signals to your brain that you should eat. She also recommends abstaining from alcohol beverages since the body converts them to sugar, causes the pancreas to go into overdrive to produce insulin and sends all that sugar -- in the form of fat -- to your abdomen.
Diet Tips
In the Anderson Independent Mail, John DeFendis writes, "Remember, food is not the problem. Food is the solution." He suggests you replace empty calories with nourishing ones that offer a balance between carbohydrates and protein. A menopausal woman may have to consume 200 fewer calories a day to maintain her pre-menopause weight, according to MayoClinic.com. Bigger reductions will be necessary to lose weight. The clinic recommends increased intake of whole grains, vegetables and fruit and says you should seek protein from lean sources. Overeating can result from starving yourself, so don't skip meals.
Your Health Could Be At Risk
Being overweight is risky business at any age and can lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and various cancers, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer. Gaining as few as 4.4 lbs. when you're 50 or older could increase your risk of breast cancer as much as 30 percent, says MayoClinic.com.
Talk To Your Doc
Consult your health-care provider about undesirable weight gains and talk about a diet and exercise program that suits your age, health and preferences
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