It isn't uncommon for women to experience weight gain --- particularly around the midsection --- during menopause. As you get older, you tend to lose muscle mass. Since muscle is metabolically active, its loss can have an impact on your metabolism, causing it to slow down. The calories you normally eat no longer balance with your level of physical activity, causing a caloric surplus that leads to weight gain. Plus, the lower levels of estrogen change the distribution of body fat. Some women turn to juice fasting as a way of shedding those excess pounds, but this form of diet doesn't work any better than other weight loss programs.
Juice Fast
A juice fast is a detox diet. Proponents of this weight loss plan believe that juicing helps to eliminate toxins in the gastrointestinal tract that are contributing to weight gain. However, Katherine Zeratsky, a nutritionist writing for MayoClinic.com, explains that little evidence exists to support such claims. In fact, your kidneys, liver and colon are more than effective in eliminating most toxins found in the foods you eat. There's no medical need to juice fast.
Weight Loss
This, however, doesn't mean you're not going to lose weight on a fast. Juicing often cuts a significant amount of calories from your diet. Some cleanses have a caloric value of only 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of fat. If your body's current caloric need is 2,000 calories a day, you're looking at a deficit of around 7,000 calories a week. This translates into a weight loss of at least 8 lbs. a month.
Complications
Although this amount of weight loss is nothing to sneeze at, it doesn't always come without a price. You're far more likely to experience certain side effects from such weight-loss plans. Zeratsky warns that detox diets can lead to fatigue, dizziness and nausea. The extreme caloric restriction may also cause your metabolism to slow even further, since the body tends to adjust its energy use based on your caloric consumption.
Recommendation
Instead of relying on a juice fast to lose weight gained as a result of menopause, look for ways to make long-term changes to your lifestyle. Increasing the intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can often help cut calories from your diet. You can also help encourage weight loss by limiting portion sizes and increasing your level of physical activity. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, get at least 150 minutes of moderately intense cardio each week.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Belly Fat in Women: Taking --- and Keeping --- It Off; August 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Detox Diets: Do They Work?; Katherine Zeratsky; April 2010
- The New York Times; The Juice Cleanse --- A Strange and Green Journey; Judith Newman; October 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories; October 2009
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