Losing Weight While In Menopause

Women tend to put on weight during menopause for a number of reasons. Although some of the bodily changes can be attributed to hormonal fluctuations, much of it has to do with lifestyle alterations and the natural process of aging, which causes metabolism to slow down over time. It can be upsetting to see the pounds pile on, but losing weight can be done. Read on for advice on how to deal with this issue.

Weight gain is often seen as a normal part of menopause, and this is partly due to estrogen fluctuations, since estrogen influences how fat is distributed in the body. However, in most cases, it is not solely because of hormones; as women get older, metabolism naturally slows down, and they tend to become more sedentary. This could be due to physical restrictions or simply a response to the natural drop in energy levels.

Weight loss can be daunting at first, but taking it one step at a time and incorporating healthy habits into your lifestyle is a worthwhile process that will help your overall health.

How To Lose Weight After Menopause

Missing out on breakfast means that you could be missing out on essential nutrients and are more likely to snack throughout the day. Breakfast is the ideal time to get some muscle-building protein and healthy fiber in your body that will work to stave off appetite until lunchtime, while giving you the much-needed energy boost to prevent fatigue and difficulty concentrating. In the same vein, try not to skip any meals throughout the day.

Plenty of fruit and vegetables are one of the key components to losing weight, as they are low in fat and calories, but high in fiber. Fiber keeps you feeling fuller for longer, so the sugar highs and crashes will be avoided if you snack on these foods rather than chocolate or sweets. The vitamins and minerals they contain will also contribute to an overall sense of well-being and keep you motivated on your weight loss journey. Keeping stocked up on healthy snacks and avoiding having highly processed, unhealthy snacks in the house will reduce temptations to go off track.

Exercise is essential for losing weight and keeping it off. Excess calories cannot all be cut through diet alone, no matter how healthily you eat, and it is important to complement a good diet with an active lifestyle. This doesn't always have to mean running the mile every day - most adults are recommended to do 20 - 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise daily. If you have a physical condition that makes this difficult, it is still worth taking the time to move your body (e.g., doing some gardening, going for a walk, practicing yoga). Find out or consult a doctor about what works best for you and your body.

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Thirst is often confused with hunger, meaning dehydration can lead to consuming more calories than your body really needs. Aim to drink at least 1.2 liters of water every day, and use it to replace fizzy drinks if you are prone to drinking those.

If you wait until you are hungry to make meal decisions, the likelihood is you will eat easy-to-make or grab convenience foods, which tend not to be as nutritious. Plan a week in advance and shop only with a list to avoid those high-calorie impulse buys.

Keeping these common-sense recommendations in mind when planning out your weekly schedule will greatly help you put your good intentions into practice. Combining this with a well-balanced diet - and, if needed, a nutritionist's advice - will help you shed away the weight you gained during menopause.

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Many women experience weight gain and changes in distribution of weight throughout menopause. Click here for tips on managing weight in a healthy way.

Many women are shocked at the sudden weight gain they experience when going through menopause. Learn why this happens and how to fight it.Getting older often means gaining weight, especially when you're postmenopausal. Not only does your metabolism slow over the years, but the change ushers in hormonal shifts that can creat curves in all the wrong places.  

While these factors may make shedding excess weight seem like an insurmountable challenge, it's not impossible—and these eight women prove it. Here's how they did it. 

The Key To Losing Weight In Menopause

Although Roxanne, 63, has always been on the slender side, her weight gradually crept up over the past 2 decades. My clothes were tight, I had a ring of fat around my middle and some bra fat, and it seemed like no matter what I did or how active I tried to be, the scale wouldn't budge, she says. After some friends told her about intermittent fasting, she decided to do some research and give it a try. (Interested in trying it? Here are 5 ways to give fasting a go.)

For Roxanne, the plan is pretty simple: I limit my eating to the 8 hours between 11 AM and 7 PM, she says. After following this schedule for 5 months and eating a balanced diet, she lost 10 pounds and is within 5 pounds of what she weighed when she got married 19 years ago. 

After her father passed away, Mary's weight climbed up to 290 pounds. She was no longer able to tend to her flower beds, walk through the sand on the beach, clean her house, or even make it from her car to the door of her workplace without getting out of breath—and she was only 50 years old. I used to lie awake at night wondering what I was going to do. Was I going to see retirement age at this rate? she says. She decided to join an Anytime Fitness gym and started meeting with a personal trainer three times a week. 

Losing Weight During And After Menopause

At first, I could not jump with both feet off the ground. I could not do the crab or bear crawl because my belly was so big. I could not do a full sit-up or push-up, she says. She stuck with it and eventually lost over 100 pounds. After seeing her progress, several of Mary's friends and family members joined the same gym, and they now enjoy working out together on Sunday mornings. They call themselves the Golden Girls, and have since started participating in races to raise money to support local community programs and charities.

At first, I could not jump with both feet off the ground. I could not do the crab or bear crawl because my belly was so big. I could not do a full sit-up or push-up, she says. She stuck with it and eventually lost over 100 pounds. After seeing her progress, several of Mary's friends and family members joined the same gym, and they now enjoy working out together on Sunday mornings. They call themselves the Golden Girls, and have since started participating in races to raise money to support local community programs and charities.

I knew I was getting heavier and wasn't sure how to change, says Cindy. So when her husband decided to try a Paleo-style diet to combat his high cholesterol, she decided to follow. She was 53 at the time and going through menopause, so she also stopped taking the low-dose birth control pill she had been on to regulate her periods. Meanwhile, she started walking every morning, doing Zumba, and occasionally taking yoga classes at the YMCA. 

Menopause Weight Gain: How To Lose Weight During Menopause

Now 25 pounds lighter, Cindy believes that healthy living goes beyond diet and exercise: I practice meditation and prayer to keep me in balance, do daily journaling, and read positive prose, she says. It's not just about weight loss. It's about healthy living—and mind, body, and soul are a part of that!

When Sally's late husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, she took action to help him. She had heard that exercise might slow the progression of the disease, so they headed to the gym together. While he was working with a trainer, Sally—who was nearly 200 pounds—started exercising on her own. Her workouts, combined with making healthier diet choices, led to a 40-pound weight loss over the next few years. 

Around that same time, Sally's 3-year-old grandson died of cancer. Rather let herself slide into a depression and unhealthy habits, she decided to raise money for childhood cancer by training for the 25-mile CureSearch Ultimate Hike. Sally, 67, continues to stay fit by attending fitness classes and makes keeping a positive outlook a priority in her life. I enjoy moving to popular music and seeing smiling faces, she says. No complaints or gossip during my daily routine. I feel stronger now than I ever have been, and I have a zest for life that enlivens each day.

How To Lose Weight Around Menopause (and Keep It Off)

At 5'4 and 160 pounds, Sharol's back and knees had been bothering her for a while. But it wasn't until she saw a picture of herself at her daughter's wedding looking like a stuffed sausage that she knew it was time to make some changes. Step one: downloading the Calorie Count and MyFitnessPal apps and using them to track everything she ate.

If I had to write it down, it made me think twice about eating it, says Sharol, 62.