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Weight Gain Diet
 Many women experience weight gain and loss as a result of fluctuating hormones that occur during menopause. For this reason there is often a plethora of information and diets available to help menopausal women to lose weight. On the other hand, those women who need to gain mass to achieve a healthy weight often find that there is scanty information available on the web. If you need to gain some weight in a healthy way, read over the following article outlining weight gain diets.
What causes weight loss during menopause?
Generally menopause is associated with weight gain. This is because when the body starts to produce less estrogen (as happens during menopause) the fat that is typically stored around the hips (to protect the female internal organs) gets redirected to the stomach area instead. As a result, the risks are higher for abdominal obesity and diabetes, hypertension, some cancers, and cardiovascular disease.
However, menopause affects different women in different ways and in a very small minority of cases women will actually lose weight, as a reaction to either the hormone imbalance or perhaps the stresses associated with other menopause symptoms.
OK, what are some weight gain diet tips?
If you are naturally thin and struggle to put on weight, then a proper weight gain diet is absolutely crucial in putting on healthy, lean muscle mass. Here are some of the basics in a good weight gain diet:
 • Consume more calories – Regardless of whether it is fat or muscle, though we´d prefer the latter, it is necessary to consume more energy than you expend. The core of any weight gain diet should contain nutritious, high calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables, pastas and cereals.
• Protein – The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 50 grams of protein per day and the World Health Organization recommends 56 grams. The recommended daily allowance for protein intake is 0.8kg (0.36lb) per kilo of bodyweight. Therefore a 140lb person would need to consume 51 grams to reach the recommended daily allowance. Good sources of protein include fish, lean cuts of red meat, chicken, turkey, low fat milk, yogurt, cheese, egg whites, and soy products.
• Carbohydrates – are converted into glucose and glycogen in the body and are the only macronutrients that can supply the body with immediate energy. Your diet should include plenty of unrefined carbohydrates. Good sources are whole meal bread, potatoes, rice, and fruit.
• Fat – Some dietary fats are crucial for health and the ability to gain weight. One gram of fat contains more than double the number of calories than one gram of protein or carbohydrate.
Essential fatty acids include Omega-3 which can be found oily fish. Other healthy (monounsaturated) fats include those found in olive oil and avocadoes, and (polyunsaturated fats) found in cod liver oil and raw nuts.
• Meal frequency – The best approach for a weight gain diet is to eat five or six small meals a day. These should be separated every three hours to allow time for digestion.
In addition to these dietary tips for a successful weight gain diet there are also natural remedies that target the problem of hormonal imbalance during menopause. If hormonal imbalance is what is causing significant weight loss it is also advisable to seek a professional medical diagnosis.
For more information on weight gain diets and dealing with weight loss, click here.
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