When You Suffer from Menopause Weight Gain

Ask any older woman how they were when they went through the menopausal stage, and they’ll immediately tell you that it wasn’t a pleasant experience for them. It could be one of the most difficult times a woman has to go through as they age. Aside from the risk of osteoporosis, you will notice your body start to become heavier. As much as you try to diet, you can never get your ideal weight back.

Effects of the weight gain are sometimes cruel. A lot of women go through depression because of new insecurities about their body. The gain is triggered by the changes of the hormonal activity within your body. When you go past the age of 35 or 40, you will notice that you no longer respond to certain activities as well. If you look at yourself in the mirror, you will notice its effects on your abs. This is when you basically get that dreaded apple shape. It is also during this period in life when it gets harder to distribute your body weight equally.

What causes this radical change? The culprit here is called Androgen. This is a hormone that rises in quantity during menopause. The thing is, everyone knows the facts. You all know someone who has gone through the stage, and you immediately resign yourself to experiencing the same things. The good news is, you don’t have to! It is possible to stop weight gain if you are prepared to challenge yourself and get into work. The first step is to get to know your body well so that you will always be aware of what is going on inside. Don’t be like an ostrich and take your head out of the sand! You need to get out of your depression and start finding solutions to help you cope with the changes.

Get into the right health regimen. You can start by exercising. It’s time to take your health seriously, and the only way to do this is to establish a routine. Make small changes if it is difficult for you. Take a walk half an hour each day and work your way up from there. Eventually work on your strength and add some strengthening exercises to your schedule.

Along with the exercise comes the proper diet. This is the time to be sensible about the foods you take. Declining estrogen and progesterone levels means that your body can easily store fat. You wouldn’t want this for you. Try to lessen your carb intake and focus instead on lean meat, fruits, and vegetables. Drink plenty of water and take a lot of fiber. More importantly, never try to stuff yourself in every meal. Small portions are better so you give your brain time to assimilate when you’ve actually had enough.

When you’ve mastered the art of healthy living, you will find that you haven’t changed much after the menopause. Your body is still at its peak because it has the proper nutrients it needs. By maintaining your weight, you are able to save yourself from a variety of diseases, thus enabling you to enjoy your life longer.

Avoiding Weight Gain During Menopause

Many pre-menopausal women wonder whether menopausal fat is inevitable once you enter this phase in your life. Could this be a result of the hormonal changes associated with the process of menopause? Yes, there is a strong likelihood for most women to put on weight as they go through menopause. Numerous studies have been able to link the two together.

Menopause can be a very overwhelming and even distressing time for a woman and menopausal fat is one more thing that you have to deal with. During menopause, a woman can undergo many changes, and many of these changes are accompanied by discomfort and pain. Women who experienced putting on weight can certainly tell you that this is not a very good experience. When you try to fit into your old clothes, you might notice that it is not as easy to zip up your jeans or close the buttons of your blouse. This can be very depressing, however, it does not have to be always true. In fact, you can very much avoid gaining weight as you age.

The hormonal changes within your body make you more prone to weight gain. It is like a shock to your system and because it is undergoing some big changes, your body may not really know how to react. As the levels of estrogen taper off, the body takes on more fat cells to compensate. Whereas maintaining a slim figure was once easy for you, you now find yourself looking at the fluctuating numbers on the scale. However, estrogen is not the only hormone responsible for this sudden change. New studies reveal that adrenaline and cortisol also play a big part in the body’s fat gain.

Adrenaline is a commonly known stress hormone that induces alertness and readiness during stressful situations. Cortisol, conversely, is used to calm your body down after a period of heightened stress. You find yourself craving for more carbohydrates and fats so that you can replenish your body’s energy in preparation for what could come next. Women’s bodies contain elevated levels of both of these hormones in menopause.

You, however, need not have to necessarily accept weight as an inevitable fact. The first thing you should know is that menopause fat is somewhat of a misnomer. It just so happens that your weight gain has coincided with your menopausal period. Just take into consideration your metabolism because as you grow old, your metabolism declines. But menopausal women are not doomed to being fat for the remaining part of their lives. A simple walking routine done three to four times a week greatly helps. Lifestyle choices are an even more important determinant to weight gain, and this holds true for men as well. You can always influence your progression through menopause in order to avoid some of the potential negative side effects. You should be in total control of your body, just know that you have enough willpower in you to make this possible.

Those extra pounds you gain during pre-menopause will in fact go away once you get past menopause. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, this can actually come even sooner.