Menopause
Weight Gain: A Frustrating Change of Life
As women reach
the age of menopause—typically in their forties and fifties—they
may notice a disturbing trend. The scales creep up, their stomachs
expand, and losing weight seems impossible. This is known as menopause
weight gain, one of the many causes
of weight gain, and certainly one of the most unwelcome signs
of menopause.
Menopause weight
gain has been blamed on a convergence of issues during the middle-aged
years. Some of the causes of menopause weight gain could be any
combination of the following factors:
- Dropping hormone levels
- The body using fewer calories
as it ages (each decade, there is a 5 percent decrease in metabolic
rate)
- A reduction in the body’s
muscle mass, again because of age (less muscle mass means fewer
calories used by the body)
- Bloating and water weight
gain is a very common menopause weight gain symptom
- Being less busy at home with
children, and therefore, burning fewer calories
- Genetic factors, such as parents
and other relatives who are overweight, may also play a role
in menopause weight gain
- Hypothyroidism—thyroid
problems are widespread among women as they age
As age causes the
metabolism to slow down, women may need about 200 fewer calories
per day to maintain their weight. Without reducing calorie intake,
exercising more, or finding other ways of boosting
metabolism, women may experience a menopause weight gain of
12-15 pounds, on average, according to one study. In addition, women
who try to lose this weight may struggle for months or years without
much success.
While menopause
weight gain is downright maddening for many women, there are some
options to help prevent and even reverse the process. It just takes
a lot of work and determination. According to several studies, women
who adhere to a low calorie diet (about 1,300 calories a day) and
a solid exercise program (at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity
exercise a day) have maintained or even lost weight. Considering
that the average American woman consumes more than 1,900 calories
a day, preventing menopause weight gain with diet and exercise is
easier said than done. One other option that women have found helpful
for menopause weight gain is strength training, which increases
the muscle mass that is lost as they age.
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