During menopause, many women unintentionally put on some weight. This can be frustrating, particularly for those who are already doing their best to keep the pounds off or maintain a healthy weight. In a trend that’s brewing these days, many women are turning to meal plans to help shed weight.
For those who have decided they want an effective weight loss strategy, there are menopause diet plans to help with this. Here, we’ll look at a menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight.
We’ll also look at other ways you can safely lose weight during this challenging time. Let’s get started!
There are numerous definitions of menopause, depending on who you ask. Most women define and think of menopause as the phase after their last period. However, according to WebMD, the time leading up to your last menstrual cycle is perimenopause and can last for up to four years. Menopause itself is the ceasing of menstruation.
After menopause, your body makes less estrogen and less progesterone. However, during perimenopause, the estrogen and progesterone levels vary significantly.
Perimenopause is characterized by:
Around this time, you may notice that you’re putting on some weight. To better understand the best diet for menopause, let’s first look at the relationship between menopause and weight gain.
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Before menopause, weight gain is generally associated with a lack of physical activity, inadequate sleep, or unhealthy eating behaviors. This isn’t to say that these are not causes of weight gain during menopause because they certainly are.
However, after reaching menopause, you may realize that you’re adding more pounds than usual, despite exercising and eating right. During the menopause phase, you experience hormonal changes that affect your weight in several ways. This takes the following forms:
Significant weight gain, even after menopause, can be detrimental as it may leave you at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and high blood pressure (6). With this in mind, you should talk to your doctor about an effective strategy to keep the weight at bay.
There are several recommendations for women who need to stop weight gain during menopause. Although these methods can be effective, you’re still urged to talk to your doctor before you try any of them. These methods include:
Many people who are looking to shed pounds are advised to work with a weight loss diet plan. However, the weight loss plan tends to be different during menopause. This is because your body has different needs during this time.
Despite these times, food experts remind you to eat mostly healthy and balanced meals, and to moderately reduce your calorie intake. They recommend including:
However, this is easier said than done by many women. Coupled with extreme fatigue and poor sleep patterns, the last thing you might want to do is spend time preparing healthy meals. You may even just want to stop the hunger spikes with whatever meal you find first.
Such an approach can compromise your weight loss efforts as it is easy to reach for ultra-processed foods that are high in added sugar, unhealthy fats, and/or sodium. To help avoid unnecessary weight gain during menopause, food experts suggest you try to limit the following:
To help you stay away from these foods or at least limit them, some food experts recommend working with a menopause diet plan. Although there is no specific diet for menopause, many food experts recommend following the Mediterranean diet during this time.
The Mediterranean diet mainly focuses on consuming fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It limits the amount of dairy products and meat that you can have. According to Medical News Today, you should eat the following foods when on a Mediterranean diet (10):
The foods you should limit or avoid when following the Mediterranean diet plan include:
Read more: How to Lose Weight After 50: Discover 23 Ways to Lose the “Dad Bod” or Menopause Belly After 50
As mentioned earlier, some people find it easier to shed pounds when they work with a meal plan. When crafting such a meal plan, the critical aspect you need to consider is the recommended and discouraged foods. Stick to what is recommended and avoid or limit what isn’t.
Even with such insight, developing a meal plan is still a difficult task for some women. If this is the case, don’t hesitate to ask for help from your nutritionist. If you find a meal plan approach too restrictive or unrealistic, there are plenty of other approaches to eating well for weight loss. Below is an example of a 5-day Mediterranean diet plan:
Day 1 (5)
Breakfast: Two servings of spinach, onion, mushroom, and bell peppers, egg white omelet, and two apples (Calories – 491, Carbs – 64 g, Fat – 2 g, Protein – 58 g)
Lunch: One serving of chicken and avocado salad and one serving of carrots with hummus (Calories – 578, Carbs – 34 g, Fat – 33 g, Protein – 42 g)
Dinner: Two servings of zucchini pasta in a lemon cream sauce and one serving of fried broccoli (Calories – 632, Carbs – 40 g, Fat – 49 g, Protein – 19 g)
Total Calories: 1,701
Day 2 (5)
Breakfast: Two egg white and mushroom omelet and four easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs (Calories – 572, Carbs – 11 g, Fat – 31 g, Protein – 60 g)
Lunch: One raspberry coconut smoothie (Calories – 531, Carbs – 88 g, Fat – 22 g, Protein – 5 g)
Dinner: Two servings of spinach cheese pasta and two servings of grilled zucchini spears (Calories – 597, Carbs – 38 g, Fat – 41 g, Protein – 26 g)
Total Calories: 1,700
Day 3 (5)
Breakfast: One serving of oatmeal with mango and toasted coconut and two easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs (Calories – 517, Carbs – 65 g, Fat – 22 g, Protein – 22 g)
Lunch: Two servings of fruit and vegetable plate with almonds and cheese (Calories – 541, Carbs – 53 g, Fat – 29 g, Protein – 26 g)
Dinner: Two servings of healthy chicken lettuce wraps (Calories – 647, Carbs – 8 g, Fat – 36 g, Protein – 69 g)
Total Calories: 1,705
Day 4 (5)
Breakfast: Two servings of high protein energy balls and one orange (Calories – 460, Carbs – 63 g, Fat – 20 g, Protein – 15 g)
Lunch: One serving of tuna-stuffed tomato and one lemon avocado salad serving (Calories – 605, Carbs – 34 g, Fat – 34 g, Protein – 50 g)
Dinner: One serving of seared salmon with balsamic glaze and two servings of steamed broccoli (Calories – 644, Carbs – 30 g, Fat – 35 g, Protein – 55 g)
Total Calories: 1,709
Day 5 (5)
Breakfast: Two servings of Greek yogurt and fruit salad (Calories – 528, Carbs – 65 g, Fat – 20 g, Protein – 32 g)
Lunch: Two servings of pinto bean salad (Calories – 555, Carbs – 71 g, Fat – 27 g, Protein – 16 g)
Dinner: Two servings of ground turkey, bean, and walnut stir-fry (Calories – 626, Carbs – 18 g, Fat – 39 g, Protein – 56 g)
Total Calories: 1,710
In addition to weight loss, following such a Mediterranean diet may also improve sleep quality in older adults. It’s important to remember that poor sleep quality is associated with menopause. In addition, the diet may reduce heart disease risk and improve your overall health (10).
If you’re thinking about how to lose weight after 50, another diet some women use to lose weight during menopause is the Galveston diet. Let’s take a look at what this diet entails.
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Merging the key elements of the keto diet with intermittent fasting, the Galveston diet is claimed to be a comprehensive approach that targets the symptoms experienced by perimenopausal and menopausal women. It involves focusing on the following factors:
The Galveston diet promotes the 16:8 rule of intermittent fasting schedule for women. This redirects women from calorie counting each meal toward an emphasis on consuming all calories within an eight-hour window. This strict eating routine claims to have benefits, including improved hormone balancing, weight management, cardiovascular health, blood sugar regulation, and reduced inflammation, although they are not proven. (4)
Some of the key aspects of this diet include:
Foods you should consider when on the Galveston Diet include:
The foods to exclude or limit are:
A sample meal plan for the Galveston diet is as follows (7):
Day 1
First Meal: Scrambled eggs with spinach, tomato, and a cup of fresh berries (Calories – 320, Carbs – 14g, Fat – 23g, Protein – 18g).
Snack: Grilled chicken breast over mixed greens with mushrooms, feta cheese, and half an avocado (Calories – 280, Carbs – 10g, Fat – 15g, Protein – 28g).
Second Meal: Salmon and asparagus with olive oil and lemon drizzle (Calories – 450, Carbs – 8g, Fat – 30g, Protein – 40g).
Snack: Sliced cucumber with a dollop of full-fat creamy dressing (Calories – 120, Carbs – 8g, Fat – 10g, Protein – 2g).
Day 2
First Meal: BLT sandwich with salmon (Calories – 400, Carbs – 25g, Fat – 20g, Protein – 30g).
Snack: Lean roast beef slices and two cheese sticks (Calories – 220, Carbs – 2g, Fat – 12g, Protein – 24g).
Second Meal: Chicken salad in lettuce wraps with cheddar cheese and almonds (Calories – 350, Carbs – 10g, Fat – 25g, Protein – 22g).
Snack: Avocado chips (Calories – 160, Carbs – 9g, Fat – 14g, Protein – 2g).
Day 3
First Meal: Greek yogurt with mixed berries (Calories – 250, Carbs – 20g, Fat – 10g, Protein – 18g).
Snack: Mozzarella cheese slices with onion, green bell pepper, olive oil, mushrooms, cooked spinach, and Italian seasoning (Calories – 300, Carbs – 5g, Fat – 25g, Protein – 15g).
Second Meal: Salmon burger with tomato, avocado, and lettuce (Calories – 400, Carbs – 20g, Fat – 28g, Protein – 22g).
Snack: Cucumber slices with cream cheese and garlic powder (Calories – 120, Carbs – 6g, Fat – 10g, Protein – 2g).
Day 4
First Meal: Vegetable stir fry with sliced chicken breast, half an avocado, and half a tomato (Calories – 350, Carbs – 15g, Fat – 18g, Protein – 30g).
Snack: Cucumber with vinegar, dill, thyme, and lemon (Calories – 50, Carbs – 12g, Fat – 0g, Protein – 2g).
Second Meal: Vegetable curry stew with tomato, spinach, garbanzo beans, carrots, and seasoning (Calories – 420, Carbs – 60g, Fat – 14g, Protein – 20g).
Snack: Avocado chips (Calories – 160, Carbs – 9g, Fat – 14g, Protein – 2g).
Day 5
First Meal: Roasted cauliflower with turkey tips (Calories – 380, Carbs – 20g, Fat – 22g, Protein – 28g).
Snack: Hard-boiled egg with cheddar cheese, bacon, and spinach (Calories – 280, Carbs – 2g, Fat – 20g, Protein – 22g).
Second Meal: Leafy green salad with chicken, walnuts, and shallots (Calories – 350, Carbs – 18g, Fat – 25g, Protein – 20g).
Snack: Greek yogurt with chia seeds and berries (Calories – 200, Carbs – 30g, Fat – 8g, Protein – 12g).
Day 6
First Meal: Shrimp and broccoli with parmesan, pistachios, and garlic (Calories – 420, Carbs – 18g, Fat – 25g, Protein – 32g).
Snack: Minestrone soup (minus the pasta) (Calories – 180, Carbs – 25g, Fat – 5g, Protein – 10g).
Second Meal: Two portobello mushroom caps topped with red onion, grape tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil (Calories – 320, Carbs – 20g, Fat – 22g, Protein – 16g).
Snack: Oat and berry acai bowl (Calories – 250, Carbs – 40g, Fat – 8g, Protein – 6g).
Day 7
First Meal: Tuna steak with wilted greens, olive oil, and lemon drizzle (Calories – 400, Carbs – 10g, Fat – 22g, Protein – 38g).
Snack: Spinach omelet with strawberries (Calories – 220, Carbs – 10g, Fat – 16g, Protein – 18g).
Second Meal: Salmon with roasted red pepper quinoa salad (Calories – 380, Carbs – 40g, Fat – 18g, Protein – 22g).
Snack: Celery sticks with cream cheese (Calories – 100, Carbs – 4g, Fat – 8g, Protein – 2g).
The other method that can help you counter menopause-related weight gain is exercise. You need to move more if losing weight during menopause is one of your fitness goals. You should remember that you tend to lose muscle as you age. Loss of muscle has been linked to reduced burning of calories. So, if you want to torch more calories, focus on exercises that help you gain or maintain muscle.
However, you should consult your doctor first about the idea of adding muscle-gaining exercise programs to your workout plan. Some exercises use body weight, and some require equipment or machines.
You need to know the proper exercises to perform to lose menopause belly fat (hint – you have to lose fat all over to lose fat in any specific area). And again, remember that you must be consistent if you want efficient results.
Fitness experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week. If the exercise is vigorous, you can reduce this to 75 minutes per week. However, if you are doing strength training workouts, experts recommend performing such routines at least twice a week (11).
Remember not to overdo your exercises, as this has been linked to more severe complications. For example, you risk injuring yourself as you never give your muscles and body time to rest and recover. Working with a trainer can help you learn the proper form and customize a routine to avoid injury.
Read more: Tackling Menopause Belly: Strategies for a Trim Waistline in 2023
A lack of adequate sleep may also contribute to menopause weight gain. According to WebMD, menopause causes poor sleep quality, which stresses your body (9). In addition, when you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the hormone cortisol, which increases your appetite.
You should note that you may tend to overeat or snack more when you’re operating on little or no sleep. These behaviors increase your calorie intake, which promotes weight gain (9). So, you should always strive to get enough quality sleep.
Some techniques can help you sleep soundly and through the night. One of them is reducing screen time a few hours before you go to bed. WebMD also suggests creating a sleep-friendly environment.
Such an environment has zero distractions such as noise or excessive light (9). The other technique you can implement to help you get sound sleep is meditation. Meditation will calm you and help you sleep soundly and throughout the night. You can start with guided meditation and then try other solo meditation practices as you progress.
Transitioning into the post-menopause phase can be stressful for some women. Change is stressful, and remember that some signs of menopause are extreme irritability and fatigue. If you allow these to take control of you, you may end up straining some relationships due to extreme irritability, which adds stress. In addition, high stress levels can lead to emotional eating. The production of cortisol triggers this.
Cortisol makes your blood sugar levels drop and increases your craving for salty and fatty foods (2). These foods are known to have high amounts of calories. Therefore, eating so much of these foods can lead to a calorie surplus that promotes weight gain.
We all struggle with stress, but what matters most is taking charge of it before it gets worse. To avoid weight gain promoted by high stress levels, you’re advised to manage your stress levels. Some of the techniques you can implement to help ease stress are meditating, doing yoga, exercising, dancing, listening to music, or performing a leisure activity (2).
There are several diet plans to consider for menopausal women. They utilize specific nutritional strategies to improve symptoms and promote wellness and include:
While these diets have resulted in improved health conditions in menopausal women, it is still advisable to seek professional advice before starting any of these meal plans.
The best thing to eat during menopause includes a whole-food diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and high-quality proteins for overall nutrition. Some foods to consider include :
For a good breakfast, menopausal women should consider one of the following meals:
Galveston Diet Breakfast: Vegetable stir fry with sliced chicken breast, half an avocado, and half a tomato (Calories – 350, Carbs – 15g, Fat – 18g, Protein – 30g)
Some of the most important foods and drinks to limit are:
Avoiding these foods can significantly reduce the negative impacts of menopause on women.
Although it can be difficult, it is possible to shed pounds after menopause. One of the most helpful ways of achieving this goal is through diet. You can create an effective Mediterranean diet plan to help you lose weight after menopause. Please look at the menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight we’ve compiled for insight on how to craft yours!
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