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How to Lose Weight Around
Menopause (And Keep It Off)
SHUTTERSTOCK
By Franziska Spritzler
Losing weight during and after
menopause may seem impossible.
Hormone changes, stress and the
aging process can all work against
you.
However, there are several steps
you can take to make weight loss
easier during this time.
WHY DOES MENOPAUSE
MAKE IT SO HARD TO
LOSE WEIGHT?
Menopause officially starts when
a woman hasn’t had a menstrual
cycle for 12 months.
Around this time, she may find it
very hard to lose weight.
In fact, many women notice that
they actually start putting on weight
during perimenopause, which can
begin a decade prior to menopause.
Several factors play a role in
weight gain around menopause,
including:
• Hormone fluctuations: Both elevated and very low levels of estrogen can lead to increased fat storage.
• Loss of muscle mass: This occurs
due to age, hormonal changes and
decreased physical activity.
• Inadequate sleep: Many women
have trouble sleeping during
menopause, and poor sleep is
linked to weight gain.
• Increased insulin resistance:
Women often become insulin
resistant as they age, which can
make losing weight more difficult.
What’s more, fat storage shifts
from the hips and thighs to the
abdomen during menopause. This
increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and heart
disease.
Therefore, strategies that promote
the loss of belly fat are particularly
important at this stage of a woman’s life.
Bottom Line: Several factors make
weight loss more difficult around
menopause, and fat storage often
shifts to the belly area during this
time.
CALORIES ARE IMPORTANT,
BUT LOW-CALORIE
DIETS DON’T WORK
WELL LONG-TERM
In order to lose weight, a calorie deficit is needed.
During and after menopause, a
woman’s resting energy expenditure, or the number of calories she
burns during rest, declines.
Although it may be tempting to
try a very-low-calorie diet to lose
weight quickly, this is actually the
worst thing you can do.
Research shows that restricting
calories to low levels causes loss of
muscle mass and a further decline
in metabolic rate.
So while very-low-calorie diets
may result in short-term weight
loss, their effects on muscle mass
and metabolic rate will make it hard
to keep the weight off.
Moreover, insufficient calorie
intake and decreased muscle mass
may lead to bone loss. This can
increase your risk of osteoporosis.
Research also suggests that “dietary restraint,” such as watching
portion sizes instead of drastically
slashing calories, may be beneficial
for weight loss.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle that
can be maintained long-term can
help preserve your metabolic rate
and reduce the amount of muscle
mass you lose with age.
Bottom Line: A calorie deficit is
needed for weight loss. However,
cutting calories too much increases
the loss of lean muscle, which accelerates the drop in metabolic rate
that occurs with age.
HEALTHY DIETS THAT WORK
WELL DURING MENOPAUSE
Here are three healthy diets that
have been shown to help with
weight loss during and beyond the
menopausal transition.
The Low-Carb Diet
Many studies have shown that lowcarb diets are excellent for weight
loss, and are also able to reduce
abdominal fat.
Although peri- and postmenopausal women have been included in
several low-carb studies, there have
only been a few studies looking at
this population exclusively.
In one such study, postmenopausal women on a low-carb diet lost 21
lbs (9.5 kg), 7% of their body fat and
3.7 inches (9.4 cm) from their waist
within 6 months.
What’s more, carb intake doesn’t
need to be extremely low to produce
weight loss.
In another study, a paleo diet providing roughly 30 percentof calories from carbs produced a greater
reduction in belly fat and weight
than a low-fat diet after 2 years.
The Mediterranean Diet
Although the Mediterranean Diet
is best known for improving health
and reducing heart disease risk,
studies show it may also help you
lose weight.
Like low-carb diet studies, most
Mediterranean diet studies have
looked at both males and females
rather than peri- or postmenopausal women exclusively.
In one study of men and women
aged 55 years and older, those who
followed a Mediterranean diet had
significant reductions in abdominal fat.
A Vegetarian Diet
Vegetarian and vegan diets have
also shown promise for weight loss.
One study in postmenopausal
women reported significant weight
loss and improvements in health
among a group assigned to a vegan
diet.
However, a more flexible vegetarian approach that includes dairy
and eggs has also been shown to
work well in older women.
Bottom Line: A well-balanced lowcarb, Mediterranean or vegetarian
Resistance and aerobic
exercise can help promote
fat loss while preventing the muscle loss that
normally occurs around
menopause.
diet can help women lose weight
during and after menopause.
THE BEST TYPES OF
EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Most people become less active as
they age.
However, exercise may be more
important than ever during and
after menopause.
It can improve mood, promote a
healthy weight and protect your
muscles and bones.
Resistance training with weights
or bands can be extremely effective
at preserving or even increasing
lean muscle mass, which normally
declines with hormonal changes
and age.
Although all types of resistance
training are beneficial, recent
research suggests that performing
more repetitions is better, especially
for reducing abdominal fat.
Aerobic exercise (cardio) is also
great for women in menopause.
Studies have shown that it can
reduce belly fat while preserving
muscle during weight loss.
A mix of strength training and
aerobic exercise may be the best
strategy.
maintaining a healthy weight.
People who sleep too little have
higher levels of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin, lower levels of the
“fullness hormone” leptin and are
more likely to be overweight.
Unfortunately, many women in
menopause have trouble sleeping
due to hot flashes, night sweats,
stress and other physical effects of
estrogen deficiency.
Psychotherapy and Acupuncture
Cognitive behavioral therapy, a
form of psychotherapy shown to
help with insomnia, may benefit
women experiencing symptoms of
low estrogen. However, no studies
have been conducted on menopausal women specifically.
Acupuncture may also be helpful.
In one study, it reduced hot flashes
by an average of 33%. A review of
several studies found that acupuncture may increase estrogen levels,
which can reduce symptoms and
promote better sleep.
TIPS FOR LOSING WEIGHT
DURING MENOPAUSE
Here are several ways to improve
your quality of life and make weight
loss easier during menopause.
Find a Way to Relieve Stress
Stress relief is also important during the menopausal transition.
In addition to increasing the risk
of heart disease, stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, which are
associated with increased abdominal fat.
Fortunately, several studies have
found that yoga can reduce stress
and relieve symptoms in women
going through menopause.
Supplementing with 100 mg of
pycnogenol, also known as pine
bark extract, has also been shown
to reduce stress and relieve menopausal symptoms.
Get Restful, Quality Sleep
Getting enough high-quality sleep
is important for achieving and
Bottom Line: Getting high-quality sleep and managing stress levels can improve quality of life and
Bottom Line: Resistance and aerobic exercise can help promote fat
loss while preventing the muscle
loss that normally occurs around
menopause.
make weight loss easier during
menopause.
Other Weight Loss Tips That Work
Here are a few other tips that can
help with weight loss during menopause or at any age.
• Eat plenty of protein. Protein
keeps you full and satisfied,
increases metabolic rate and
prevents lean muscle loss during
weight loss.
• Include dairy in your diet.
Research suggests that dairy
products can help you lose fat
while retaining muscle mass.
• Eat foods high in soluble fiber.
Consuming high-fiber foods like
flaxseeds, Brussels sprouts, avocados and broccoli can increase
insulin sensitivity, reduce appetite and promote weight loss.
• Drink green tea. The caffeine and
EGCG in green tea may help burn
fat, particularly when combined
with resistance training.
• Practice mindful eating. Mindful
eating may help reduce stress and
improve your relationship with
food, so you end up eating less.
HOW TO KEEP THE
WEIGHT OFF
Although losing weight may be your
primary goal, it’s important that
you make changes you can maintain over the long term.
It’s also best to focus on health,
rather than the number on the scale.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can
help you look and feel your absolute
best during menopause and beyond.
This article was originally published
on www.authoritynutrition.com
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