Table of Contents
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Introduction
The menopause is a natural transition period in a woman’s life and weight gain can be a normal part of this process. However, there are several strategies you can follow to maintain a healthy weight and promote your overall well-being during the menopause.
Here are a few tips.
Eat a balanced diet
Eat fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals and pulses to help you feel full. Reduce your intake of refined sugars, processed products and foods rich in saturated fats. Favour lean proteins, such as poultry, fish, eggs and low-fat dairy products.
Control your portions
Be aware of the portions you eat. Use smaller plates to avoid overeating. Listen to your hunger and satiety signals to avoid eating out of habit or emotion.
Exercise regularly
Physical exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy weight in particular during menopause. Try to combine aerobics, strength training and flexibility in your routine. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week.
Manage stress
Menopause is characterized by a decline in oestrogen levels. Chronic stress can exacerbate hormonal imbalances by increasing cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol levels, in turn, can lead to an increase in abdominal fat, which is common during menopause and contributes to weight gain.
Stress can also disrupt metabolic processes, leading to insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. These metabolic changes can make it easier to gain weight and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, which becomes more common after menopause.
Stress can disrupt the regulation of appetite hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. This can lead to increased feelings of hunger and a decreased sense of fullness, making it more likely for menopausal women to overeat.
Women may experience mood swings and emotional changes due to hormonal fluctuations common during menopause. Chronic stress can exacerbate these emotional states, leading to emotional eating as a way to cope with stress or mood disturbances.
To help fighting stress, you can try relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing.
Get enough sleep
Quality sleep is crucial for weight control. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
Sleep helps regulate hormones that influence appetite and hunger. Two key hormones involved are ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, and its levels rise when you’re sleep-deprived, leading to increased hunger and potentially overeating. In contrast, leptin suppresses appetite and signals fullness, but its levels decrease with inadequate sleep, making it easier to overconsume calories.
Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining insulin sensitivity, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. Poor sleep can lead to insulin resistance, making it harder for your body to process glucose efficiently. This can contribute to weight gain and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Sleep is a time when your body repairs and restores itself. Quality sleep supports muscle recovery, immune function, and overall physical health. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body may struggle to perform these functions efficiently.
Sleep deprivation can lead to cravings for high-calorie, sugary, and fatty foods. This can result in poor food choices and an increased likelihood of weight gain.
Disrupted sleep patterns, such as shift work or irregular sleep schedules, can disturb your body’s circadian rhythms. This can affect the timing of meals and metabolic processes, potentially leading to weight gain and metabolic issues.
Stay hydrated
Proper hydration is essential for maintaining good health in general and during menopause in particular. It impacts various bodily functions, including digestion, circulation, temperature regulation, and more. To ensure you stay properly hydrated, it’s essential to know how much water you need and the type of water that’s best for you.
Your body’s thirst mechanism is a reliable indicator of when to drink water. Pay attention to your thirst signals, especially during hot weather or physical activity. Thirst is a natural way your body tells you it needs more fluids.
Tap water is generally safe and cost-effective in many regions, but you may need to use a filter if you’re concerned about quality. The alternative, bottled water is convenient but may contribute to plastic waste. It is also important to choose reputable brands and be aware of the water source.
If you prefer flavour, opt for sugar-free options to avoid excessive calories.
Herbal teas, herbal infusions, and unsweetened sparkling water can also contribute to hydration.
Avoid drastic diets
Restrictive diets, characterized by severe calorie restriction or the elimination of entire food groups, have become popular for rapid weight loss. While they may yield short-term results, these diets often come with a host of negative effects on metabolism and overall health.
One of the key issues with restrictive diets is the potential for metabolic slowdown. When you drastically cut your calorie intake, your body interprets it as a signal of food scarcity. In response, it adapts by slowing down your metabolic rate to conserve energy. This means you burn fewer calories at rest, making it harder to shed pounds and easier to regain weight once you return to your normal eating habits.
Many restrictive diets can weaken your bones and lead to muscle loss, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, particularly in older individuals. In addition, this can have a significant impact on your metabolism because muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. When you lose muscle, your resting metabolic rate decreases, making it even more challenging to maintain weight loss.
Restrictive diets often lack essential nutrients that your body needs to function optimally. By depriving yourself of these nutrients, you put your health at risk. Common deficiencies include vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre, which can lead to various health problems and negatively affect your overall well-being.
Extreme dieting can also disrupt hormonal balance in menopausal women. This disruption can affect various hormones, including insulin, cortisol, and thyroid hormones. These imbalances can have far-reaching effects on your metabolism, energy levels, and appetite regulation.
The psychological toll of restrictive diets should not be underestimated. They often lead to feelings of deprivation, obsession with food, and an unhealthy fixation on weight. This can contribute to the development of disordered eating patterns and negatively impact your mental health. Consequently, people often find it challenging to adhere to these diets for extended periods. When they eventually return to their normal eating habits, they tend to regain the weight they lost, and often even more.
Finally, sudden dietary changes can lead to digestive problems such as constipation, which can be exacerbated by the natural slowing of the digestive system that occurs during menopause.
Consult a healthcare professional to help you manage the menopause
Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist for advice specific to your situation. They can help you develop a plan tailored to your needs.
Conclusion
Weight control during the menopause can be a challenge for many women due to the hormonal changes that occur at this stage of life. Our simple guideline should help you manage this challenge. However, at the end of the day, keep in mind that it’s essential to focus on your overall health rather than a figure on the scales.
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