It may be aging, biology, or the result of poor sleep due to night-time hot flashes and night sweats. Losing weight can be hard for anyone. Do menopausal women have an especially tough time? This phenomenon, researchers say, is related to hormonal changes of menopause and not simply age. It lasts until about two years after the final menstrual period and then stabilizes. This is a new field of study, with a number of challenges in definitions and consistent research approaches.
However, there is an emerging consensus that sarcopenic obesity is associated with a number of health problems, including weakness and falls, reduced mobility, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and higher rates of death from all causes. When insulin is high, fat stays locked in cells and cannot be burned as easily for fuel. Having this collection of risk factors puts people at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, menopause increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
This naturally happens to everyone with advancing age, but menopause itself amplifies the process. Has reading this far made you depressed and discouraged? While you cannot prevent menopause, you can prevent some of its negative health impacts on diet and lifestyle changes. Remember, however, good health is more than simply a number on the scale.
Help – I’m heading for the menopause and I can’t control my weight!
As we have noted in other places on our site, you do not have complete control over how much weight you lose, how fast you lose it, and what body parts you lose it from. Managing these expectations is part of long-term success. Make sure you read our guide on setting expectations. Setting realistic expectations Guide How long does it take to lose weight? How much weight can you lose? Many of these steps will improve body composition and keep fat gain to a minimum. They may even help you lose body fat.
These points link to more in-depth guides, with lots of research citations, that you can explore and get more details. The carbohydrates you eat digest to glucose, which raises insulin. To reduce insulin levels and reverse insulin resistance , simply cut out sugar and the high- carb foods like rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, baked goods that rapidly convert to sugar. When insulin is low, your body can access your fat stores to burn for energy.
Our guides will tell you how. Getting enough protein at every meal maintains lean muscle mass and helps counteract the muscle loss of aging and the increase of sarcopenic obesity. Our protein guides give lots of other tips for how to add protein and how to calculate how much you need. Well, this applies to your muscles. Even simple movements or bodyweight exercises help maintain and build more muscle.
More muscle not only makes you stronger and strengthens your bones, too it means higher resting energy expenditure, a faster metabolism, better blood sugar control, and reduced insulin resistance. If you are not eating as often, insulin remains low for longer and you consume less food overall. It can be as simple as skipping breakfast. And when you are eating a low-carb or ketogenic diet, skipping a meal is easier to do. When metabolism slows during menopause, even consuming slightly more than you need can add to weight struggles. While a low-carb or keto diet can help you keep consumption in check by reducing cravings and increasing satiety between meals, you can still go overboard on keto-approved foods.
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Paying attention to food and drinks that contain little nutrition is important for women in menopause. That means be careful with keto desserts, fat bombs, bulletproof coffee, MCT oil, alcohol, low-carb fruits, and nuts. Understanding hunger signals helps control excess consumption, too. Successive nights of bad sleep are as bad for your health as a poor diet and can lead to weight gain.
Diet, sleep, and exercise are not the only things that influence weight. Daytime stress and life-stress can raise cortisol and hang onto the pounds. Relaxing hobbies can help, too. Some women have such severe symptoms during menopause that taking hormone replacement therapy helps them sleep, deal with hot flashes, and better manage the weight and body composition changes.
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Talk with your doctor about a trial of HRT if you are having a very difficult menopause transition. No question about it: Hormonally, everything changes for a woman during the menopause transition. Registered dietitian Kate Geagan recommends consuming omegarich foods such as salmon, walnuts and flaxseeds to support a healthy mood.
Geagan also suggests upping your intake of legumes, including beans and lentils, because they offer a one-two punch of fiber and protein. In addition to being low in calories and promoting satiety for weight loss, protein and fiber help regulate blood sugar after meals to avoid mood swings. They're also rich in vitamins B-6 and folate, which Geagan says are cofactors for enzymes needed for estrogen metabolism.
Avoiding certain foods can be just as important for weight loss and reduced perimenopause symptoms as eating other foods. Eschew precessed foods with added sugars, caffeine and alcohol, which can upset your mood, says Geagan. These foods are also full of empty calories that will add inches to your waistline. To further accelerate weight loss and elevate your mood, regular exercise is key.
Fitness expert Maria Luque recommends women in perimenopause exercise 60 minutes each day. Perform cardio exercise at a moderate intensity, or 50 percent to 70 percent of your target heart rate, and engage in resistance training or Pilates to support healthy bone density, recommends Luque. Health Women's Health Conditions Menopause. Jody Braverman is a professional writer and editor based in Atlanta, GA. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maryland, and she is a certified personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and yoga teacher.
She has written for various online and print publications, including Livestrong.
Winning the weight battle after menopause - Harvard Health
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