How to Lose Weight Around Menopause (and Keep it Off)

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Weight loss during and after menopause can seem impossible.

Hormonal changes, stress, and the aging process can work against you.

However, there are some steps you can take to make it easier to lose weight during this time.

Why does menopause make weight loss so difficult?

Menopause officially begins when a woman has not had a menstrual cycle for 12 months.

In this day and age, losing weight can be very difficult.

In fact, many women have noticed that they actually start to gain weight during perimenopause, which can begin a decade before menopause.

There are several factors that contribute to weight gain around menopause, including:

Hormonal fluctuations: Both advanced and very low estrogen levels can increase fat storage.

Loss of muscle mass: occurs due to age, hormonal changes, and decreased physical activity.

Inadequate sleep - Many women have trouble sleeping during menopause, and poor sleep is associated with weight gain.

Increased insulin resistance: Women often become insulin resistant with age, making weight loss difficult.

Also, foam storage moves from the hips and thighs to the abdomen during menopause. It increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Therefore, strategies to reduce belly fat at this stage in a woman's life are especially important.

Calories are important, but low-calorie diets don't work well in the long-Term

To lose weight you need a calorie deficit.

During and after menopause, a woman's energy expenditure or the number of calories she burns at rest is reduced.

While it may be tempting to try a very low-calorie diet to lose weight too quickly, it can actually do your worst.

Studies have shown that keeping calories low reduces muscle mass and further lowers metabolic rate.

Thus, very low calorie foods can cause short-term weight loss, making their impact on muscle mass and metabolic rate more difficult to maintain weight.

Additionally, insufficient calorie intake and decreased muscle mass can lead to bone loss. This can increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Research further suggests that "dietary moderation," such as watching portion sizes rather than cutting calories, may be beneficial for weight loss.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle that can be sustained for the long term can help preserve her metabolic rate and reduce the amount of muscle mass she will lose as she ages.

SUMMARY:

Weight loss will be followed by constant fatigue and tiredness. However, cutting calories too much reduces the loss of fatty muscles, which accelerates the decline in metabolic rate with age.

Healthy diets work well during menopause

Here are three healthy diets that have been shown to help with weight loss during and after menopausal infections.

Low carb diet

Many studies have found that a low carbohydrate diet is great for weight loss and can also reduce belly fat.

Although Perry and postmenopausal women have been included in several low-carb studies, only a few studies have been done to look at this population exclusively.

In one of these studies, postmenopausal women on a low-carbohydrate diet lost 21 pounds (9.5 kg), 7% of their body fat, and 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) from their waists in 6 months.

Also, your carbohydrate intake does not have to be too low to produce weight loss.

Another study found that a Paleo diet that provided about 30% of calories from carbohydrates reduced belly fat and weight loss more than a low-fat diet after 2 years.

Here is a detailed low-carb diet guide including a meal plan and menu.

Mediterranean Diet

Although the Mediterranean diet is best known for improving health and reducing the risk of heart disease, studies show that it can also help you lose weight.

Like most studies on low-carbohydrate diets, most studies on Mediterranean diets have focused on both men and women rather than just Perry or postmenopausal women.

In a study of men and women 55 years of age or older, those who followed the Mediterranean diet had a significant reduction in belly fat.

Read this for a Mediterranean diet guide with meal plans and menus.

A vegetarian diet

The diet of vegetarians and vegetarians has also shown promise of weight loss.

A study of postmenopausal women noted weight loss and improved health within a group assigned to a vegetarian diet.

However, a more flexible vegetarian approach to include dairy and eggs has also been shown to work well in older women.

The best Types of exercise for weight loss

Most people become less active with age.

However, exercise during and after menopause may be more important than before.

It can improve your mood, promote a healthier weight and protect your muscles and bones.

Resistance training with weights or bands can be extremely effective in preserving or increasing lean muscle mass, which usually decreases with hormonal changes and with age.

Although all types of resistance training are beneficial, recent research suggests that more repetition is better, especially to reduce abdominal fat.

Aerobic exercise (cardio) is also great for menopausal women. Studies have shown that you can lose belly fat while maintaining muscle mass during weight loss.

A combination of strength training and aerobic exercise may be the best strategy.

SUMMARY:

Patience and aerobic exercise can help promote fat loss while preventing the loss of muscle mass that usually occurs around menopause.

Tips to lose weight during menopause

Here are some ways to improve your quality of life and help you lose weight during menopause

Get quality and restless sleep

Getting enough sleep is important to gaining and maintaining a healthy weight

People who get very little sleep have higher levels of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin, lower levels of the "fullness hormone" leptin, and are more likely to be overweight.

Unfortunately, many menopausal women have trouble sleeping due to hot flashes, night sweats, stress and other physical effects of estrogen deficiency.

Psychotherapy and Acupuncture

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, a type of psychotherapy that has been shown to help with insomnia, can benefit women who experience symptoms of low estrogen levels. However, no specific study has been performed on menopausal women.

Acupuncture can also be helpful. In one study, it reduced hot flashes by about 33% on average. A review of several studies has shown that acupuncture can increase estrogen levels which can reduce symptoms and encourage better sleep.

Find a way to get rid of stress

Stress relief is also important during the transition to menopause.

In addition to increasing the risk of heart disease, stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, which are associated with increased abdominal fat.

Fortunately, several studies have shown that yoga can reduce stress and relieve symptoms in women going through menopause.

Complementary with 100 mg picogenol, French Maritime Pine Bark Extract has also been shown to trade names and trademarks, relieve stress and symptoms of menopause.

Other weight loss tips work

Here are some more tips that can help you lose weight during menopause or at any age.

Eat lots of protein. Protein keeps you full and satisfied, increases metabolism, and reduces muscle loss during weight loss.

Include milk in your diet. Research suggests that dairy products can help you lose fat while maintaining muscle mass.

Foods with soluble fiber should be eaten more. Eating high-fiber foods like flaxseed, Brussels sprouts, avocados, and broccoli can increase insulin sensitivity, reduce appetite, and promote weight loss.

Drink green tea. The caffeine and ECG in green tea can help burn fat, especially when combined with prevention training.

Get in the habit of eating depressed. Eating depressed can reduce stress and improve your relationship with food, so you end up eating less.

SUMMARY:

Mental eating and weight loss foods and drinks help you lose weight during menopause.

BOTTOM LINE

While losing weight may be your main goal, it is important to make changes that you can maintain for the long term.

It's also better to focus on health than the numbers on the scale.

Exercising, getting enough sleep, focusing on a balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help you feel better during and after menopause.

Article source healthline.com