Weight gain is prevalent among aging women, especially during the menopausal transition. Women might encounter many challenges while trying to lose weight during this period. While this change in body shape is prevalent, it doesn’t have to be the case for everyone. Read this article to find out five ways to deal with menopause weight gain effectively.
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Estrogen deficiency, mood disorders, and sleep problems are all factors that lead to unwanted menopause weight gain. On the other hand, a slower metabolism might be the main culprit.
Women burn about 200 fewer calories per day after menopause than they do in their 30s and 40s. As a result, research shows that women in their early 50s may expect to gain 1.5 pounds each year on average.
The most prevalent area of menopause weight gain is the abdomen, referred to as central body fat. Middle-aged women have a higher prevalence of this change in body fat distribution than their premenopausal counterparts, who had a lower body fat distribution.
Engage in Physical Activity
Establishing good living habits is the best way to prevent and manage menopause weight gain. However, maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle at this age is not always straightforward. We lose lean muscle mass as we age, becoming less active than we once were.
Aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week, such as brisk walking or aerobic exercise. However, remember that increased physical activity alone without implementing caloric restriction is unlikely to lead to successful weight loss.
Consult your healthcare physician first to ensure that the type and amount of exercise you are doing is appropriate for you. This is especially important if you’re new to regular exercise.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping is just as important as exercising when losing weight. It is because sleeping is the time for your body to relax and burn calories. Women who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to gain weight than those who get a full night’s sleep.
In a study of about 68,000 women, those who slept 5 hours or less each night weighed 2.47 kg more on average than those who slept more than 7 hours per night. Therefore, try to aim for at least 7 hours of good-quality sleep.
Avoid Crash Diets
A crash diet involves significantly cutting your food intake in a short time. However, while it may help you lose weight quickly, the effects are usually temporary and might hurt your health in the long run. When you return to regular eating after a crash diet, you’re likely to suffer an increased appetite and a slowed metabolism, resulting in weight gain.
Rather than following a crash diet, you can try a Mediterranean diet, which offers more benefits. In a study on the efficacy of a Mediterranean diet in postmenopausal weight loss, menopausal women who followed a typical Mediterranean diet lost fat mass while maintaining muscle mass at the same rate as younger women.
That said, an essential thing to bear in mind when fighting menopause weight gain is controlling your portions. Knowing the adequate serving amounts of certain foods can help you choose how much to include in a meal.
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Limit Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol can exacerbate the metabolic decline that women already suffer as they approach menopause by lowering metabolism even more. Alcohol is a toxin to your body since it cannot be stored like other foods, and your body needs to get rid of it as soon as possible. As a result, your metabolism becomes less efficient in processing fats and sugars, resulting in weight gain.
Try Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has gained popularity in recent years due to its health benefits despite allowing you to eat whatever you want. It refers to an eating pattern that restricts food consumption to a specific amount of time.
Intermittent fasting can be an effective weight-loss method, especially during menopause. According to a study, intermittent fasting significantly reduces body weight, waist circumference, and fat mass in postmenopausal women. Moreover, intermittent fasting resulted in similar short-term and long-term effects compared with a steady diet.
For the best results and lowest risk of side effects, implementing shorter, less frequent, and less intense intermittent fasting may be a better approach to losing weight for women. After your body gets accustomed to the new eating pattern, you can work your way up and increase the level of fasting.
Most importantly, weight loss requires a long-term commitment to diet and a healthy lifestyle at any age. Stick to the strategies above and see how quickly you will get the benefits.
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