Weight Gain Help

Most women gain weight between the ages of 40 and 50, coinciding with their menopausal transition. Unfortunately, this is typically accepted as being an inevitable side effect of aging. Whilst the menopausal process does indeed make it more likely that you will put on weight, there are a variety of remedies, natural and otherwise, that can help reverse this trend. Read over the following paragraphs for more help for weight gain during menopause.

What characterizes weight gain during menopause?

Women going through menopause notice that maintaining their usual weight becomes more and more difficult. Weight gain experienced after menopause tends to be harder to lose, and the extra inches accumulate around the abdomen, rather than the hips and thighs. For most women, the increases in weight begin during perimenopause where on average women gain about a pound a year during this time.

Weight gain is widely acknowledged to have serious implications for health. Excess weight increases the risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. These factors increase the risk of very grave conditions such as heart disease and stroke. Furthermore, there is evidence that suggests that weight gain after menopause increases breast cancer risk. Women who gain over 20 pounds after menopause increase their breast cancer risk by nearly 20%. For this reason it is vital to address the issue of weight gain during menopause.

What are the causes of weight gain after menopause?

Whilst changing hormone levels associated with menopause are a huge factor in weight gain, it does not necessarily follow that they are the sole cause of all weight gain. Aging and lifestyle factors also play a major role in the changed body composition, including:

Exercising less - Menopausal women, on average, exercise less than other women, which can lead to weight gain.

Eating more – Obviously, eating more means you'll consume more calories, which are converted to fat if they are not burnt for energy.

Burning fewer calories - The number of calories needed for energy decreases as a person ages because aging promotes the replacement of muscle with fat. Muscle burns more calories than fat does. When your body composition shifts to more fat and less muscle, your metabolism slows down.

Also - genetic factors may play a role in weight gain. If your parents and other relatives carry extra weight around the abdomen, it is probably that you will be predisposed to do so as well.

What be done to help with weight gain?

Whilst there are many things that can help with weight gain as a person goes through menopause it is important to remember that there is no one silver bullet or magic formula that will instantly shed those pounds. The strategies for losing and maintain weight revolve around the principles of healthy eating and healthy living. For example:

Increasing your physical activity - Aerobic exercise boosts the metabolism and helps you burn fat. Strength training exercises increase muscle mass, boosts the metabolism and strengthens bones. This does not necessarily entail dramatic changes to your lifestyle – merely 30 minutes out of your day most days.

You can become more physically active even without starting a formal exercise program. Just spend more time doing the things you love that also get you moving. Do more gardening and dancing. Take longer walks or try out a bike. Make it your goal to be active for a total of 30 minutes or more a day on most days.

Reduce calories – One going through menopause should pay more attention to the foods eaten and slightly reduce the amount of calories consumed each day.

In addition to these simple tips there are also a range of herbal remedies available that help to target hormone imbalances that can lead to swings in weight. These remedies have been shown to be extremely helpful over a long period of time.

For more information on the available remedies for weight gain help follow this link.

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