Women go through different stages in life. Some of them are more pleasant and some are less pleasant. Every woman remembers her first period – the time when you were maybe not totally prepared for drastic changes in your body. After a woman gets used to her periods at one point later she will need to wave farewell to them because every woman will reach a time when she permanently stops having menstrual periods. This is the menopause stage. This stage indicates that a woman can no longer have children.
Perimenopause is the transition phase before menopause. During the transition period, the supply of mature eggs in a woman’s ovaries diminishes and the production of estrogen and progesterone decreases. The significant drop in estrogen levels causes most of the symptoms of menopause.
Unfortunately, most women suffer from different symptoms that affect their mood and their body. It is common that women gain weight during menopause. However, a proper diet and activities can increase the chances for maintaining a healthy weight. Read on and discover weight loss after menopause 5 surprise foods to avoid.
Menopause is when a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period and this means she has entered the menopause “stage”. Usually, menopause happens in your 40s or 50s (3).
Interestingly though, menopause can appear for reasons besides natural reasons. These include
Even though menopause is a natural biological process, it often proceeds with quite unbearable symptoms:
Weight gain and slowed metabolism are among the most unsatisfactory symptoms. The reason for that is simple: a woman continues eating the same amount of calories she had eaten before menopause but now she is more likely to gain weight.
Read More: Dyspareunia Menopause: Causes And Treatment
Menopause weight gain is associated partly with hormonal changes. Estrogen level changes contribute to weight gain.
Estrogen is one of the major sex hormones in females. This hormone:
Estrogen levels lower after menopause. While they don’t directly contribute to weight gain, they may lead to increases in abdominal and total body fat.
The second reason for weight gain after menopause lies in the natural aging process. Since older people are usually less physically active they double their chances to gain extra calories. Moreover, their metabolism naturally slows down as their muscle mass slowly declines.
Poor sleep is another major reason for weight gain. That is why it is desired to build a healthy sleeping schedule where you go to sleep and wake up at one time.
Besides poor sleep, hormonal changes, and natural aging processes, another reason for menopause belly fat are genetic and social factors. If your parents or close relatives carry extra weight you may be more likely to gain weight as you age as well.
Eating a healthy balanced diet during the perimenopausal and postmenopause period is especially important. There are certain types of foods that not only every woman during menopause should limit but also a healthy child or adult. Here is a list of 5 foods to limit or avoid during menopause:
If you avoid or at least reduce the intake of these products you will probably feel better and healthier. Plus, menopause will be less intimidating.
If you tend to let yourself off the hook, raise the white flag when things get tougher than you expected, send yourself on an unconscious binge-eating trip – BetterMe app is here to help you leave all of these sabotaging habits in the past!
The secret to losing weight after menopause coincides with a healthy lifestyle strategy. But what does this healthy lifestyle plan look like? It is simpler you might think. Remember, a menopause weight loss diet is comprised of five primary deeds you can do to lose weight. There are some more and in a moment you are going to disclose them for yourself.
Losing a menopause belly during and after menopause might seem impossible since hormone changes and the aging process are working against you. However, your belly fat is not only determined by the menopause stage but also the number of calories you take in and burn during the day.
If you exercise too little and eat too much you can end up with an expanding waistline. When women get older, they notice an increase in belly fat even if they don’t gain weight. This is due to a decreasing level of estrogen, which influences where fat is distributed in the body (1).
Women should pay closer attention to their diet since it is harder to sustain a healthy weight during the postmenopause period. Besides caloric deficit and physical exercises which contribute to weight loss, women should focus on a healthy balanced diet.
The following 5 types of foods can help you sustain a healthier weight and maybe even trim the fat around your waistline.
Your menopause weight loss diet should include food rich in vitamins and minerals as well as lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.. Remember to include physical activity as well.. Whether it’s a Mediterranean or vegan diet you won’t get the needed results if you stick to a sedentary lifestyle.
Read More: Life After Menopause: What To Expect?
So you have changed your eating habits and started controlling your food portions. You look at yourself in the mirror but fat around your waist and other parts of your body seems to be eternal and impossible to diminish.
The problem is that though you might have completely changed your diet, your body needs some moving. Exactly – moving! Therefore, if you desire to speed up weight-loss during menopause then remember this: physical activities + healthy food = a healthy body.
You might confirm that your caloric intake is lower but it means little if you spend your whole day on the couch or in a chair.
Exercises after menopause are very important for women who are eager to burn calories.
Active training has many other benefits besides weight loss because it may also:
There are three types of exercises that help lose and maintain a healthy weight:
People are advised to talk to their doctor before they begin any workout activity. Besides this, find a person with the same goal and start your healthy diet and physical exercise routine together. This allows you to stay even more motivated.
Make sure you do warm-ups before any exercise and gradually boost the intensity of your workout. If you feel any pain during exercises, stop and let your doctor know about them.
Most importantly, don’t hesitate to start. It might be tough, especially for women postmenopause but once you start and get the desired results you will regret not doing this earlier. You won’t only end up with a healthier weight but also your attitude to yourself and others will change.
Start. Keep going. Don’t stop.
BetterMe app is a foolproof way to go from zero to a weight loss hero in a safe and sustainable way! What are you waiting for? Start transforming your body now!
The menopause period leads to changes in the woman’s body and mood. Most women tend to gain weight even without altering their eating habits. This is associated with a decrease in estrogen levels, an aging process, and a more sedentary lifestyle.
You can defeat weight gain in menopause when you combine physical activities with healthier food. Weight loss after menopause 5 surprise foods to limit or avoid are alcohol, ultra processed food, added sugar, caffeine, and fatty products.
Menopausal diet for weight loss should include fruits and vegetables, food rich in fiber and protein, fat from fish and nuts, and legumes. On top of this, keeping yourself hydrated will enhance energy.
Women are advised to see a doctor before getting into any new intensive workouts or if they experience discomfort during physical activities.
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