I’m sure many of us have noticed that sometime during the menopause phase we start to gain weight, especially around our belly and we may also acquire ‘muffin tops’. All of a sudden we realise that the ‘Blouson’ style of tops has the majority hold over our wardrobe.
It’s that pesky oestrogen decline again!
When our oestrogen levels are optimal, oestrogen:
· helps keep our metabolism running efficiently. This helps in maintaining a healthy weight.
· influences where your body stores fat, and distributes it accordingly, usually in the hips, thighs and buttocks. When our oestrogen levels are lower distribution tends to be around our belly.
· has an effect on the hormones that signal hunger and fullness, which helps to prevent overeating.
· can impact our energy levels and motivation for physical activity.
· helps maintain muscle mass. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat and therefore burns more calories than fat so can improve your metabolic rate and weight maintenance.
· Good oestrogen levels can improve our sensitivity to insulin and how our body responds to it. This also aids in weight regulation.
What a wonderful job oestrogen does for us! I’m sure you can guess, from reading the above, what happens when our oestrogen levels reduce drastically.
There are also a few other things going on for both women and men as we age, for instance:
· There is a decline of muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even when we are not moving. As muscle mass decreases therefore so does our metabolic rate.
· As we age the efficiency of our cells’ mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) decreases. This means the body becomes less efficient at converting food into energy, which in turn can lead to a reduced metabolic rate.
· As we age we may become less physically active for many reasons (health, injuries, lifestyle change, reduced energy). As we become less physically active so our muscle mass decreases, leading to a decline in our metabolism.
· If we become less active then our energy requirements from food decrease, however unless we are aware of this fact we continue to eat the way we always have, giving us calories superfluous to requirements, that we cannot use up.
All is not lost
Are we fighting a losing battle you may ask? No! We cannot stop our hormone levels from decreasing (well we can temporarily slow it or halt it with hormone replacement therapy) and we cannot change the fact that our muscle mass and bone mass declines with age HOWEVER we can alter the percentage rate in which it does so by adapting our nutrition, by staying or becoming active, and by reducing our stress levels.
Let’s take a brief look at what we can do…..
1. We can review our diet. Are we eating enough whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish and whole grains? Can we reduce the amount of processed foods and added sugars we eat? As we age we need to focus on ensuring we have enough protein, healthy fats and high fibre foods.
I can think of at least two ladies who came to me saying they were hardly eating but could not lose weight. They increased their protein intake, changed to more regular meals and started to lose weight. Reducing your food intake isn’t always the right way to lose weight.
2. Are we hydrated enough? Are we drinking enough non-sugary fluids (at least 1.2 litres per day)?
3. Another practical tip for avoiding bloating and weight gain it to eat mindfully. Be aware of what you are eating taking time to chew your food, eat slowly, savour every bite. If you are feeling full stop eating. This step will assist your gut health.
4. I know I sound like a broken record but we can be more active. Not only be more active in your daily living but take part in a regular exercise regimen that includes cardiovascular exercise such as walking, swimming, cycling (anything to get your heart-rate up a bit). It is also important to do some strength training to maintain muscle mass and joint health. Remember that increased muscle mass keeps our metabolism active which helps in weight management.
Keeping our muscles and joints strong ensure we can maintain our independence for as long as possible.
5. As stated in earlier articles stress can lead to weight gain, so keeping stress levels low is important. Consider meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, walking in nature.
6. Make sure you get regular health check ups. Get your bloods done to monitor blood sugar, cholesterol and regularly get your blood pressure checked.
7. Remember good quality sleep is important. Poor sleep can lead to weight gain, make us stressed, depressed (so we may comfort eat) and anxious. Check out the Sleep Hygiene tips on my website.
I hope I’ve given you a brief overview on how we can manage our weight during this trying time. Weight gain is certainly harder to fight as we get older but it’s not inevitable. There is plenty to do to ensure weight gain is minimal or non-existent. The answer isn’t necessarily to eat less but to eat mostly better quality foods.
As we navigate the changes that come with menopause, it's important to remember that we're not alone in this journey. While our bodies may respond differently during this time, the power to make positive changes lies within us. If you've found this article helpful and are seeking more personalised advice or support, I'm here for you. Whether it's a one-on-one consultation, joining one of my workshops, or simply asking a question, feel free to get in touch. Let's all work together to embrace this phase of life with confidence and vitality. Remember, every small step we take is a leap towards better health and wellbeing. I look forward to hearing from you and supporting you on this journey. Reach out to me through Messenger or whats app me on +35796399935 or visit my website for more resources and insights.
Thank you for reading.
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