Menopause Tips
Why Does Menopause Make it so Hard to Lose Weight?
Menopause officially starts when a woman hasn't had a menstrual cycle for 12 months and around this time, she may find it very hard to lose weight.
In fact, many women notice that they actually start putting on weight during perimenopause, which can begin a decade prior to menopause.
Several factors play a role in weight gain around menopause, including:
Hormone fluctuations: Both elevated and very low levels of oestrogen can lead to increased fat storage
Loss of muscle mass: This occurs due to age, hormonal changes and decreased physical activity
Inadequate sleep: Many women have trouble sleeping during menopause, and poor sleep is linked to weight gain
Increased insulin resistance: Women often become insulin resistant as they age, which can make losing weight more difficult
What's more, fat storage shifts from the hips and thighs to the abdomen during menopause. This increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, therefore, strategies that promote the loss of belly fat are particularly important at this stage of a woman's life.
During and after menopause, a woman's resting energy expenditure, or the number of calories she burns during rest, declines. Although it may be tempting to try a very-low-calorie diet to lose weight quickly, this is actually the worst thing you can do. Research shows that restricting calories to low levels causes loss of muscle mass and a further decline in metabolic rate, so while very-low-calorie diets may result in short-term weight loss, their effects on muscle mass and metabolic rate will make it hard to keep the weight off.
Moreover, insufficient calorie intake and decreased muscle mass may lead to bone loss. This can increase your risk of osteoporosis. Research also suggests that "dietary restraint," such as watching portion sizes instead of drastically slashing calories, may be beneficial for weight loss.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle that can be maintained long-term can help preserve your metabolic rate and reduce the amount of muscle mass you lose with age.
Here are a few tips that can help with weight loss during menopause or at any age.
Eat plenty of protein. Protein keeps you full and satisfied, increases metabolic rate and reduces muscle loss during weight loss.
Include Dairy products from Goat and Sheep in your diet. Research suggests that dairy products from these animals can help you lose fat while retaining muscle mass.
Eat foods high in soluble fibre. Consuming high-fibre foods like flaxseeds, Brussels sprouts, avocados and broccoli can increase insulin sensitivity, reduce appetite and promote weight loss.
Drink green tea. The caffeine and EGCG in green tea may help burn fat, particularly when combined with resistance training.
Practice mindful eating. Mindful eating may help reduce stress and improve your relationship with food, so you end up eating less.
BOTTOM LINE: Eating mindfully and consuming weight loss-friendly foods and beverages can help you lose weight during menopause.
You should avoid these 7 foods, in order of importance:
Sugar: Soft drinks, fruit juices, agave, candy, ice cream and many others.
Gluten Grains: Wheat, spelt, barley and rye. Includes breads and pastas.
Trans Fats: "Hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils.
High Omega-6 Seed- and Vegetable Oils: Cottonseed-, soybean-, sunflower-, grape seed-, corn-, safflower and canola oils.
Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, Saccharin, Sucralose, Cyclamates and Acesulfame Potassium. Use Stevia instead.
"Diet" and "Low-Fat" Products: Many dairy products, cereals, crackers, etc.
Highly Processed Foods: If it looks like it was made in a factory, don't eat it.
You MUST read ingredients lists, even on foods labelled as "health foods."
Most people become less active as they age.
However, exercise may be more important than ever during and after menopause.
It can improve mood, promote a healthy weight and protect your muscles and bones.
Resistance training with weights or bands can be extremely effective at preserving or even increasing lean muscle mass, which normally declines with hormonal changes and age
Although all types of resistance training are beneficial, recent research suggests that performing more repetitions is better, especially for reducing abdominal fat.
Aerobic exercise (cardio) is also great for women in menopause. Studies have shown that it can reduce belly fat while preserving muscle during weight loss.
A mix of strength training and aerobic exercise may be the best strategy.
BOTTOM LINE: Resistance and aerobic exercise can help promote fat loss while preventing the muscle loss that normally occurs around menopause.
Here are several ways to improve your quality of life and make weight loss easier during menopause.
Unfortunately, many women in menopause have trouble sleeping due to hot flashes, night sweats, stress and other physical effects of oestrogen deficiency.
Although losing weight may be your primary goal, it's important that you make changes you can maintain over the long term.
It's also best to focus on health, rather than the number on the scale.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help you look and feel your absolute best during menopause and beyond.