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Menopause And Weight Gain

Talking to most women over 50 you will quickly find that menopause and weight gain are linked in their experience. It is very common to put on weight at this time and while some of this may be due to lifestyle changes, that does not explain why suddenly we develop a tendency to put on weight at different parts of the body, especially the abdomen, while any weight gained when we were younger tended to be centered on the hips.

The truth is that hormonal changes do have a part to play in this, although the process is not completely understood. At menopause a woman stops ovulating, her monthly menstruation periods end, and her body produces much lower levels of the female hormone estrogen which is responsible for the ovulation process. Low estrogen has been shown to cause weight gain in animals and it almost certainly is the reason why our bodies change shape. While women of childbearing age store fat in the lower body, after the menopause they store it on the abdomen instead, like men. This leads to a greater risk of heart disease.

At the same time, both men and women tend to find muscle turning to fat as they grow older, and the metabolism slows down. This means that if you do not adjust your eating habits you will probably find that your weight increases. A person of 60 just does not need as many calories as a person of 40. Hormone therapy with estrogen is sometimes prescribed to control menopausal symptoms. Many women will be surprised to hear that studies have shown that hormone therapy does not cause weight gain. Some women experience bloating and water retention in the early stages of hormone therapy but this is usually temporary and they have not gained any fat. Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing the changes in storage of body fat around the abdomen and lowering cholesterol. However, hormone therapy has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in some studies.

If you find that you are gaining weight around the menopause, there are several things you can do.

- Eat a healthy, low fat diet with plenty of fiber, avoiding sugar.

- Take regular exercise. As people get older their physical activity levels naturally drop. Work often becomes less physically demanding, there are no kids to run around after, we take less active holidays and do things more slowly. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day will help to balance out the effect of this.

- Maintain your muscle strength and mass. Use weights for arm muscles and walking or cycling for legs.

- Accept the changes to the shape of your body. If you are not overweight, but simply have a thicker waist and slimmer legs, that is fine.

Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have any medical conditions or your fitness levels are low. Your doctor can also help with symptoms of the menopause and weight gain.Source Fat LossFat Loss

How To Avoid Weight Gain During Menopause

It is not uncommon for women to gain 1 additional pound per year in the years leading up to menopause. If not attended to the weight gain can significantly increase as a woman enters into menopause. Woman do not have to settle for gaining weight as they enter this period of their lives. It is easy to learn how to avoid weight gain during menopause and pehaps even Lose weight.

Knowing what causes weight gain before and during menopause is key in knowing how to avoid putting on extra pounds during this time. The decrease in estrogen production triggers most of the traits which can cause the weight gain. There are steps one can take to alleviate the effects of the body's decreased production of estrogen.

Speak with your doctor is and see if taking hormone supplements during menopause will be of benefit for you to avoid weight gain during menopause. Be sure to discuss with your doctor all of the side effects and other health risk associated with taking hormone supplements.

Some women do not like the idea of taking a synthetic hormone replacement prescribed by a doctor. These women may turn to all natural forms of hormone replacements or holistic remedies for hormone loss. Many women have been known to see a decrease in the symptoms related to menopause. One of those symptoms they report being able to control is their weight during menopause.

If you are considering taking an all natural hormone replacement or a holistic menopause symptom remedy, speak with your doctor first.

One of the other factors which contribute to weight gain during menopause is a lack of energy menopausal women feel. This lack of energy tends to lead woman to doing less exercise than they may have been doing previously. Being dedicated to keeping with an exercise routine during this time in your life can make you feel more energetic and do a lot to prevent packing on extra pounds.

During menopause many woman begin to burn less calories than they did earlier in their lives. By making simple, healthy modifications to your diet you can reduce your caloric intake and thus stop additional weight from being added to your frame.

Be sure to reduce the amount of sugar and carbohydrates you eat during menopause. This is because a woman's metabolism tends to slow down during this period of a woman's life. Any extra sugar and carbohydrates are turned into fat and store on the body.

Also being able to avoid stress whenever possible is another great way to fight the battle against additional weight during menopause. Women have more of a tendency to eat during stressful situations during menopause. This can mean putting on extra fat which can be hard to get rid of later. Take time to relax enjoy this time in your life.

Doing all of the above listed tips can be beneficial not just to the prevention of weight gain but to a woman's overall health during the time of menopause. All of this means living a longer, happier life. For more information check out Best Diet Plans