As you get older, you might notice that maintaining your usual weight becomes more difficult. In fact, many women gain weight around the menopause transition.
Menopause weight gain isn’t inevitable, however. You can reverse course by paying attention to healthy-eating habits and leading an active lifestyle.
What causes menopause weight gain?
The hormonal changes of menopause might make you more likely to gain weight around your abdomen than around your hips and thighs. But, hormonal changes alone don’t necessarily cause menopause weight gain. Instead, the weight gain is usually related to aging, as well as lifestyle and genetic factors.
For example, muscle mass typically diminishes with age, while fat increases. Losing muscle mass slows the rate at which your body uses calories (metabolism). This can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy weight. If you continue to eat as you always have and don’t increase your physical activity, you’re likely to gain weight.
Genetic factors might also play a role in menopause weight gain. If your parents or other close relatives carry extra weight around the abdomen, you’re likely to do the same.
Other factors, such as a lack of exercise, unhealthy eating and not enough sleep, might contribute to menopause weight gain. When people don’t get enough sleep, they tend to snack more and consume more calories.
How risky is weight gain after menopause
Menopause weight gain can have serious implications for your health. Excess weight, especially around your midsection, increases your risk of many issues, including: Breathing problems. Heart and blood vessel disease.
On average, women aged between 45 and 55 years gain around half a kilo per year. As you get older, you lose muscle mass, which slows your metabolism and causes weight gain. So if your diet doesn’t change, you are likely to gain weight.
Menopause Diet
People that go through the menopause have a tough time keeping the weight off. Estrogen levels lower women age and this is a big problem in trying to lose weight.
Coupled with low quality sleep and reduced metabolism, it can be difficult to stick with a diet long enough to turn these issues around.
Diet is still one of the most effective ways to sort these problems, but it has to be sustainable.
Dairy
Reduced estrogen caused by the menopause can cause bone loss. This means post-menopausal women are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Dairy products contain all the essential vitamins and minerals you need for good bone health (1). These include:
Calcium
Vitamins D and K
Magnesium
Potassium
Phosphorus
In one study, women with the highest intake of dietary vitamin D had a 17% lower risk of early menopause than women with the lowest intake
A study in over 11,000 postmenopausal women noted that eating 4.7 grams of whole-grain fiber per 2,000 calories per day reduced the risk of early death by 17%, compared to eating only 1.3 grams of whole-grain fiber per 2,000 calories ( 18 ).
What Foods to Avoid
Spicy foods: Not surprisingly, spicy foods can make hot flashes worse.
Alcohol: Having a glass of wine a few times a week probably won’t affect your symptoms.
Fatty foods: Except for fatty fish and nuts, try to keep your intake of fat-laden foods to a minimum.
Menopause exercise
Try brisk walking, jogging, biking, swimming or water aerobics. If you’re a beginner, start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase the intensity and duration. Strength training. Regular strength training can help you reduce body fat, strengthen your muscles and burn calories more efficiently.
Home cardio exercises
Jump rope. Jump rope is an effective form of cardio exercise.
Jumping jacks. Jumping jacks involve the entire body and are a good way to work the heart, lungs, and muscles in one exercise.
Burpees.
Running in place.
Squat jumps.
High intensity interval training (HIIT)
Strength workout
8 great beginner strength-training exercises.
Squat.
Deadlift.
Glute Bridge.
Push-Up.
Bent-Over Row.
Hollow-Body Hold.
Dumbbell Chopper.
Circuit workout
Circuit Training Workouts
Squat Jumps: 10 to 15 repetitions.
Standard Push-ups: 10 to 15 repetitions.
Calf Raises: 15 to 20 repetitions.
Bench Dips: 10 to 15 repetitions.
Abdominal Crunches: 15 to 20 repetitions.
Jump Rope: 60 seconds.
Squat Jumps: 10 to 15 repetitions.
Standard Push-ups: 10 to 15 repetitions.
Psychological Well-Being
At the most basic level, psychological wellbeing (PWB) is quite similar to other terms that refer to positive mental states, such as happiness or satisfaction, and in many ways it is not necessary, or helpful to worry about fine distinctions between such terms.
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