How do sugar cravings contribute to weight gain during menopause?

Chocolate bars, fruit-flavored candies, even bread. How can you not fall under the spell of some of the most delicious sweets when your hormones are raging?

Menopause can be a stressful time highlighted by bothersome symptoms, so it’s understandable that you may not maintain a healthy diet at all times. Nobody wants to be chowing down on carrots or celery sticks during a hard day at the office topped off by hot flashes. How are your hormones adding to your sugar cravings towards weight gain? Read on to find out.

Why do sugar cravings get worse during menopause?

Sugar cravings may be another classic case of your body working against you. In the example of intense sugar cravings, they occur in part because your body is releasing more cortisone—the stress hormone—into your blood stream and raising your stress response. When this happens, you get an adrenaline surge and your body readies itself to fight or flee. All of this depletes your energy.

But why am I craving sugar in particular?

When you face such a rapid change in vital functions, your body looks for a quick way to replenish its energy stores. Sugar is released into the blood stream faster than, say, complex carbohydrates like whole grains.

The downside to this sugar effect is that it puts you on an energy “high” that eventually leads you to crash just as quickly as you soared. Thus, the cycle begins again, and you’re tempted to tip your office vending machine.

How can I avoid the sugar trap?

Just because your hormones are out of whack doesn’t mean you have to give in to cravings—at least not completely. A great way to minimize the effects of sugar cravings is to make sure you eat well-balanced, smaller meals. If you have five or six smaller meals instead of three large ones, you can reduce the time between eating and you’re less likely to experience cravings of any kind. The trick is to never let yourself get hungry.

Another valuable piece of advice is to just give in sometimes. Too often, people will eat several snacks that they perceive to be “healthy” instead of just eating what they wanted in the first place—and still go unsatisfied. We often think of healthy snacks as those that come in a “fat-free” or “low-calorie” packaging. However, these perceptions mentally encourage us to eat more than a full serving size. So we could have consumed fewer calories just by reaching straight for the chocolate in the first place.

Recommendation for Fighting Sugar Cravings

Pre-pack snacks so that you can plan your calorie intake for the day. Having a better idea of the nutrition you’ll get from your packed meals will help you feel not so guilty for having a small sweet treat. Follow the link below to know more about the different weight gain treatments.

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