What you should and shouldn’t drink when you are controlling your weight during menopause

As if hot flashes and mood swings aren’t enough for women to deal with in menopause. Why does Mother Nature have to throw weight gain into the mix, too? Unfortunately, 90% of women are likely to put on weight as they approach and then struggle through menopause. It is often considered one of the most difficult symptoms to come to terms with, because, as we are all too aware, our weight is a touchy issue and something that can quickly destroy our self-esteem. For the majority of women, carrying a spare-tire around their waist is distressing, especially if this extra weight has only appeared during this stage of their life.

Fortunately, there are ways of preventing this menopausal weight gain, or tackling the problem once it has arisen. All treatments or lifestyle advice that are associated with losing weight though require a great deal of self-restraint and dedication. Your exercise regime and your diet are the first factors that should be tackled and within this, it is important you are drinking the right things, too. Read on to learn what you should and shouldn’t be drinking:

Tips about what drinks to consume or avoid during menopause:

Women are likely to put on weight in menopause because of the hormonal changes within the body. When the production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone is disrupted, so too is the appetite of a woman. By consuming certain liquids, and avoiding others, you can try to rebalance these hormones and reverse the effects.

Drink plenty of water

Drinking the recommended eight to 10 glasses of water is the ultimate catalyst for helping you lose weight or keep it off. When estrogen and progesterone levels fall in menopause a woman’s appetite increases. Water is the best way to suppress your appetite. It also helps metabolize fat deposits, which is important because during menopause your body turns more calories into fat as a method of producing more estrogen. Additionally, lower progesterone levels will mean your water retention is higher and you are more bloated. Drinking water will allow any stored water to pass through the system more efficiently, making you less bloated and your clothes a better fit!

Swap coffee for green tea

Caffeine has a negative impact on the body. Its ‘quick fix’ stimulation causes the body to go into ‘fight or flight’ mode which increases the amount of the stress hormone and adrenaline in the body. These cause further disruption to the production of estrogen and progesterone. Instead, drink green tea. This Japanese brew, if you drink three to five cups a day, can increase metabolism, inhibits the transition of glucose into fat cells, and also reduces appetite.

Avoid, or limit alcohol intake

Alcohol is extremely high in energy content (better known as calories) and is made worse when sugary drinks are added to it. It does not aid a weight loss program at all. Furthermore, it can make many of the other menopausal symptoms even worse so it should be avoided as much as possible.

Vegetable or fruit juice

The more fresh and natural the juice, the better. They can reduce your appetite, but more importantly, if you pick the right vegetable or fruit, then you can increase the estrogen levels in the body. Some foods contain a compound called phytoestrogens which will naturally increase estrogen levels. Try drinking freshly squeezed apple juice, tomato juice, or carrot juice. Avoid juices that are high in sugar.

Soy Milk

Soy is one of the biggest food types to contain phytoestrogens so consuming soy milk can be an excellent way to restore your own estrogen levels. Swap cow’s milk with soy milk during menopause and keep the weight off. Of course, soy milk needs to be consumed as part of a balanced diet.

Recommendation

Drinking the right liquids can certainly help you lose that extra 15 pounds you may have put on, but it needs to be done as part of a healthy lifestyle. To find out more information about which weight gain treatment to choose, what foods you should be eating and how much exercise you should be doing, follow this link.

To learn more about Weight Gain