Losing Weight During Menopause

Symptoms of Menopause include abnormal vaginal bleeding, hot 

Many women experience weight gain during and after menopause. However, losing weight during and after menopause can be challenging because a woman’s metabolism begins to slow down. Even so, if menopausal women are serious about losing weight during and after menopause, it can be achieved as it is possible to lose weight during and after menopause. Hormonal changes during menopause affect the way 

• Exercise: Exercise is important to boost the slow metabolism. Working out twice a week for about 30 minutes, which is a combination of fast walking and running is suitable for a menopausal woman to keep off the weight. No matter what type of aerobic exercise you do, you can add high intensity intervals to it.

• Weight Training: Women lose muscle mass for years, but more after the age of 50. Muscle burns more calories than fat every second of the day, so if your lifestyle is sedentary, one need to add weight lifting to their weekly routines to help replace the muscle they are losing. Be sure to learn how and what to do from a trained professional.

• Eating Fibre Rich Food: Boost fibre. Most of us need to work hard not to gain weight during and after menopause. Fortunately, eating fibre-rich foods can help: fibre helps us feel full on less. Aim to eat between 25 and 35 grams of fibre each day.The best sources of fibre: whole grains like quinoa (1/2 cup = 3 grams), barley (1/2 cup cooked = 3g) and air-popped popcorn (3 1/2 cups = 4g). You can also get fibre from lentils (1/2 cup cooked = 8 grams), fruits (for example, 1 large apple = 5g or 1/2 cup raspberries = 4g) and veggies (for example, 1 cup cooked spinach = 4g).

• Deal with the Sugar Addiction: Try avoiding or limiting the intake of sugar and sugar products like sweet dishes, muffins, cakes etc. Replace them with healthier options like fruit smoothies, fruit salad to curb sugar cravings.

• Fluid Intake: Even mild dehydration can make you feel tired and sluggish so you move less, which doesn’t help with staying slim. As we age the dryness in the body also increases so one need to keep themselves hydrated. It is advised to drink at least 10 glasses of water and keep sipping in between green tea and lemon tea.

• Sleep: Menopause can sure mess up the joys of sleep. Lots of research has shown that staying up late increases levels of the hormone, ghrelin, which increases carbohydrate cravings. 

• Eliminate Chemicals from your life: While it’s true that for your metabolism to function optimally you must balance your hormones, the best way to do this is with clean living. Toxins in our food, water, cosmetics, cleaning products, and so on are filled with chemicals that throw our weight and overall health into a state of havoc. The simple solution is to go natural. Use olive oil as a moisturiser instead of the expensive face cream loaded with chemicals. Eat as clean as you can and go organic whenever possible to avoid pesticides, preservatives, hormones, and antibiotics in foods.

• Avoid Crash Diets: Skipping meals or following extreme diet plans that cut out vital nutrients, like carbohydrates, are not sustainable or healthy. These also cause a decrease in the hormone leptin – which regulates fat distribution by controlling appetite and metabolic rate – and force your body to burn muscle tissue instead of fat. This ultimately may slow your metabolism, making weight gain more likely once you start eating normally again.

• Ease Bloating: Cutting the amount of salt and processed carbohydrates in your diet, as they can make you retain water. But don’t skimp on whole grains, which are rich in heart-healthy fibre, as well as fruits and vegetables. Drink lots of fluids to ease bloating which will also aid in weight loss. 

• Eat Foods Rich In Phytoestrogens: Certain foods contain a phytochemical called phytoestrogen, which for various reasons either encourages estrogen production or strengthens the body’s estrogen-receptors. When there’s more estrogen around, the body doesn’t have to hold on to those estrogen-filled fat cells and you can start to lose those few extra “impossible” pounds!

• Natural Supplements: Very often taking a natural supplement that helps keep the body’s systems in balance can assist women who are trying to lose weight during and after menopause. Natural supplements usually have little or no side effects and make women feel more energetic and healthier.