How To Prevent Post-Menopause Weight Gain

Most of the women are prone to gaining weight with age. However, it is not a rule that all the women will necessarily gain extra pounds. There are many women who do not gain weight even after menopause. To make sure that you do not gain weight post menopause, you will need to make some changes to your lifestyle.  You will need to increase the level of your activities and at the same time make changes to your diet. The fact of the matter is that with age it becomes very difficult to maintain the normal weight. A lot of women start gaining weight after menopause. But, as already said, it is possible to control the weight gain by leading a better lifestyle.

Why do women gain weight post menopause?

Many hormonal changes happen during menopause due to which women start gaining weight. The weight gain is more prominent in the abdominal area as compared to the hip area. But hormonal changes may not necessarily be the only reason of weight gain. As the women age, they are not able to change their lifestyle and eating habits. You cannot expect to stay fit on the same diet at the age of 45 that kept you fit at the age of 35. Same is the case with the lifestyle.

menopause and weight gain

There are other factors affecting weight gain after menopause. For instance, the muscle mass gets reduced with age but the fat mass increases. Since the muscle mass is reduced, the rate at which calories are consumed by your body also decreases. Therefore, your body gets more prone to weight gain. If you do not make any changes to your diet and continue eating like always, without even increasing your activities, you are very likely to gain weight.

Genetic reasons also play an important role in the post-menopausal weight gain. If your family has a history of obesity or post-menopausal weight gain, you are very likely to gain weight too.

Up your physical activities to avoid weight gain

Aerobic is one of the best ways to lose weight and maintain a fit lifestyle for the women post-menopause age. You can also do strength training. Aerobics and exercise helps you regain muscles. The more muscles you regain the better will be the process of burning calories in the body. This will make it much easier for you to control your body weight. For healthy adults, brisk walking is highly recommended. Moderate brisk walking for about two and a half hours in a week helps shed weight. Aerobic exercises should also be included in the daily routine. You should get involved in aerobics for at least an hour and a half in a week. If you are healthy with no medical conditions, strength exercises are also recommended. Depending upon your health and fitness goals, you may increase your activity levels.

Keep a check on your diet

This is pretty basic. If you want to lose weight, you will need to keep a check on your diet. You can’t expect to eat same amount of calories at the age of 50 that you did at the age of 35. The difference between the calorie consumption during these two ages should be at least 200. If you have not made gradual changes in your diet over the last 10 or 15 years, you will need to make some drastic changes now. You will need to cut down on the calories to a great extent. You will also need to make sure that while cutting down calories, you are not depriving your body of nutrition. For a healthy life, you will need to cut down oily and fatty food. You will also need to reduce the sugar consumption. You will need to include more vegetables and fruits in your diet. You can also include organic food in your life. The kind of protein you take should also be checked. Post menopause you will need to opt for lean protein.

Find like-minded people with same goals

If you are switching to a healthy lifestyle and diet, you will need a lot of will power to maintain it. It is not always easy to restrain yourself when people around you are gorging on lavish meals. If you can surround yourself with the people who are ready to support you with your new diet regime, you will be more encouraged and you will be more likely to maintain the healthy lifestyle.

There are many social clubs where people with different fitness goals could be found. If you can socialize with people who have the same goals as yours, you will find it easier to continue with your resolve.  When a lot of like-minded people team up together, there are no goals that cannot be achieved. Additionally, if you have the will you will be able to achieve your goals.

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