Typically, women gain 1.5 lbs. a year as they enter menopause, and weight gain can begin seven to 10 years before menopause (which occurs on average at age 51).
Changes in estrogen during perimenopause slow metabolism and redistribute fat to the abdominal area, so maintaining an active lifestyle is key, says Dr. Monica Christmas, director of the Menopause Program at the University of Chicago and Center for Integrative Women’s Health.
“We change as we age, but think, ‘How can I be the best I can be?’ “, says Dr. Božić. “Be meticulous about how you fuel your body and be intentional about how you move your body.”
Why do menopausal women often gain weight?
“Hormonal fluctuations during menopause not only cause changes in metabolism, but also in mood. You can feel more irritable, more anxious, more depressed,” says Dr. Christmas. “People say, ‘I have no energy.’ If your metabolism slows down and you have less energy to exercise, that leads to weight gain.”
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If it’s just a few kilos, why is it a health problem?
“We lose muscle tone as we age, and this accelerates in menopause, and is replaced by fat tissue. Much of that fat ends up settling in the midsection. That’s probably the worst place to do it, not just for aesthetics, but because all of our vital organs are there. That means more fat around the heart, kidneys, liver.”
Can hormone replacement therapy help?
“HRT should not be prescribed for weight loss because it does not work for that. But if you have debilitating hot flashes, night sweats, things that wake you up at night and don’t feel rested, you won’t have the energy to exercise. If we get it right and you sleep better, you’re more likely to exercise and eat well. So it’s almost a byproduct.”
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Are weight loss drugs the solution?
“They may be suitable for people who have already made healthy lifestyle choices — they exercise regularly, eat well, but still haven’t reached their goals, or if they have other health problems such as diabetes. But most of those drugs you have to take forever or the pounds come back, especially if you haven’t changed anything else.”
What is the best way to control weight gain?
“If we compare ourselves at 50 and ourselves at 25, we will never win. I tell people: ‘Let’s be the healthiest’. Do something you enjoy every day to make it sustainable. Ten minutes of exercise is better than no minutes at all. And weight gain doesn’t happen forever. It’s usually for a few years right before your period stops and a few years after, and then it stops. It doesn’t go up and up.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education