Menopause Weight Gain: Face It…it Happens

Menopause Weight Gain: Face It…it Happens

One of the most obvious menopause effects is weight gain—something that can change one’s body shape. However, though an upsetting outcome, it is not just normal, but expected too. Weight gain due to menopause is experienced by about 90% of women, aged 35-55.

In this phase, women gain about 7kg during their menopausal years. Usually, they gain most of this weight in the perimenopause phase. However, if women have started menopause early or have had surgical menopause, they could put on weight rapidly and a lot too.

Weight gain during menopause is usually seen around the waist, and then on the thighs, hips and butt. This is commonly referred to as an “apple” shape, since the stomach is now obviously rounder. At this stage, it will be exceedingly difficult for you to retain your pear shape body and increasingly difficult for you to reallocate weight evenly in different parts of your body.

Causes: As you enter menopause, you’ll find losing weight very difficult, reason being your fluctuating hormones. Since your hormones impact your metabolism and your appetite, you can’t lose weight easily. Too much weight gain during this period is usually attributed to “estrogen dominance.”

Your body will mistakenly turn every calorie from your food into fat. As you eat refined food and processed foods, these foods make your body resistant to insulin present in the blood stream, thereby causing a weight gain for women over 40.

Treating weight gain during menopause: Weight gain associated with menopause may look unflattering at first, but it’s well worth accepting as natural and perhaps even good. The extra weight may help ladies cope better with menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and anxiety. The weight gain of menopause is regulated by the body and helps prevent osteoporosis, so if you are a bit heavy due to menopause, accept yourself gracefully. Here’s what you can do:

•  Eat nutritious food, avoid refined sugars and eat more of vegetables and fruit. A high-calorie diet, comprising spirulina, soy, whey, alfalfa, wheat grass, olives and mineral-packed foods help create weight supported by muscle and bones.

•  Don’t try a crash diet or it will cause you to starve and that will make you gain more weight.
Try alternative medicines like phytoestrogen herbs like Black Cohosh to help fight menopause weight gain and restoring normal estrogen levels. You can try all-natural supplements that are out now on the shelves. Many women have stated they had good luck with these types of products.

• Alternatively, try menopause diet pills, acupuncture or diet supplements.

• Drink at least 10 glasses of water each day.

Don’t let weight gain be a factor while you’re experiencing menopause. Amberen is an all-natural product many women are using today to fight back. I recently read a wonderful story from a woman who has had success with this supplement at The General Gazette if anyone is interested.