Many women in their mid-40s to early 50s run into some trouble maintaining their weight. Along with menopausal low self esteem, mood swings, hot flashes, and night sweats, weight gain is one of the prominent symptoms of menopause. This weight gain may seem inevitable due to hormonal changes and lifestyle, but fret not; you can push back and arrest this weight gain and even reverse it with the right steps.
Every woman is beautiful as she is, and the changes that your body undergoes during menopause are only natural. Even so, if you are wondering about losing menopause weight and be fitter, this article will tell you about natural remedies for the same.
Why Does Menopausal Weight Gain Occur?
Perimenopause or menopause transition is the period around 8-10 years before a woman reaches menopause. Menopause is the time that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Menopausal weight gain occurs during the perimenopausal, menopausal, and early post-menopausal periods. Some women may experience more weight gain than others depending on hormonal changes, genetics, and lifestyle.
As you age, your metabolism drops, and this, combined with reduced physical activity and uncontrolled eating habits, can lead to weight gain. Additionally, during the perimenopausal period, the primary culprit for weight gain is estrogen dominance. While estrogen and progesterone levels drop during the perimenopausal period, a faster drop in estrogen can lead to weight gain. Plus, the increase in ghrelin, the hunger hormone, makes you eat more.
Menopausal weight gain, especially experienced around the abdominal area, also occurs due to genetics. If your parents or relatives have excessive belly fat, chances are you will likely face a similar issue.
During this period, you may also experience mood swings and bouts of depression. Through this all, it is important to note that menopausal weight gain is normal. You must ensure more body positivity and understand that you are beautiful as you are. It is important that you surround yourself with supportive family members and friends and seek professional help for depression if needed.
Is Menopausal Weight Gain Problematic?
While menopausal weight gain is normal, it has several negative long-term repercussions for you if you don’t work to get rid of menopausal belly fat. The perimenopause weight gain carries the following risks:
- It can lead to diabetes
- It increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases
- It narrows the blood vessels increasing blood pressure drastically
- The weight gain causes breathing issues
- It increases endometrial cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer risks.
Tips to Get Rid of Menopausal Weight Gain
While it is essential to avoid body shaming yourself for menopausal weight gain, it is also important to know how to lose weight when going through menopause in order to stay healthy and fit. Following natural remedies for perimenopause weight gain will help you avoid the negative repercussions.
Increase Activity
It is imperative for you to increase your physical activity and move around as much as possible to avoid weight gain and reduce the risk of getting diabetes and other diseases. You must indulge in aerobic exercise, cardio exercise, strength training, and more. Schedule daily brisk walking or jogging to keep yourself on your feet. Strength training is recommended to rebuild muscles and increase your metabolism.
While increasing activity is important, ensure you don’t overdo it. Overdoing it means you’ll increase your stress levels and heart rate. Further, when you overdo exercising, you might overtire yourself. So, ensure you increase activity gradually and maintain a routine that works for you and energises you.
Eat Nutrient-Rich Food
When you are undergoing menopause, it is crucial to eat nutritionally balanced meals. This ensures that you have the strength and energy for all your activities. Moreover, as you burn calories at a slower rate during this time, you must avoid consuming following foods as much as possible:
- Sweetened beverages
- Flavoured water
- Cookies
- Doughnuts
- Alcohol
- Junk food
Here are some foods to consume:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Low-fat dairy products
- Nuts
- Legumes
It is also vital that you only eat when you are hungry and at scheduled meal times. Avoid snacking, especially during mood swings and when you are feeling low. Limit your portion size and eat only nutritious food while regularly keeping track of your weight.
Sleep Well
Sleeping enough and, more importantly, sleeping well is crucial for menopausal weight loss. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of good-quality, preferably undisturbed, sleep every night. Developing a ritual for winding down after your day that includes a warm bath and going to bed at the same time every day can help. If you’re suffering from menopause induced insomnia, this article might help.
Avoiding digital screens a few hours before going to bed is known to be effective in improving the quality of sleep. Plus, ensure your room is at a comfortable temperature for you to get restful sleep.
During sleep, your body gets a chance to heal itself, thus performing optimally when awake and boosting metabolism. Hence, sleeping well is one of the ways to lose weight in menopause.
Alternative Therapies
You can try therapies like yoga, meditation, herbal treatments, and acupuncture to help get rid of menopausal weight gain. However, it is essential to note that these therapies work best in conjunction with changes in your lifestyle and exercise. They can help reduce stress to make you feel relaxed and energised.
Seek Support
Menopause leads to mood swings, and it causes anxiety, bouts of depression, and lack of self-confidence. All this might make you feel demotivated to work on losing menopausal weight gain. So, it is essential to have the support of your friends and family. They will motivate you to exercise, eat right, and take care of yourself.
Note that if you struggle to lose menopausal weight gain and cannot manage your mental health, do not hesitate to seek professional help to get you through your struggles. In fact, a professional might even be able to provide you with alternative tips on how to lose weight when going through menopause.
Endnotes
Menopausal weight gain occurs mainly due to hormonal changes, genetics, and lifestyle. It is important that you practise body positivity by accepting yourself and appreciating what your body does for you. Avoid upholding yourself to the ideal beauty standards and body shaming yourself.
While it is essential to practise self-acceptance, getting rid of menopause weight gain for your overall well-being and health in the long term is essential.
Natural remedies for countering perimenopausal weight gain will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay fit for longer.
Have you ever considered menopausal weight gain a problem?
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