Menopause And Weight Gain

Talk to women over 50 and you'll quickly find, for most women, menopause and weight gain arrive hand in hand. Unfortunately most of us gain weight at this time and while a few pounds can be explained away because of changes in our lifestyle, the tendency to gain weight in completely different parts of the body (especially the abdomen) can't be explained away quite so easily.

The truth is hormonal changes play a large role in these body changes even though the process is not completely understood. When a woman reaches menopause she stops ovulating, her monthly periods end, and while she's shouting hallelujah over this she quickly finds she is producing much lower levels of estrogen which bring on a whole new host of problems.

Less Estrogen Changes Our Shape

This new lower level of estrogen causes weight gain in animals and studies show is almost certainly the reason why our bodies begin to change shape. While women of childbearing age will store more fat on their hips and thighs, after menopause they begin to develop the larger belly instead; and like men, this puts them at a greater risk for heart disease.

And if that were not enough, we find our muscles turning to fat as we grow older, as our metabolism slows down. This of course means if we don't reduce the amount of food we consume, we are going to pack on the pounds. As sad as it makes me to say it, a person of 60 just doesn't need as many calories as a person of 40. (Let us pause for a moment of weeping.)

Hormone Therapy is One Option

Many doctors will prescribe hormone therapy to control menopausal symptoms. Most women are pleasantly surprised to hear that studies have shown hormone therapy does not promote weight gain. Though some women do find bloating and water retention are a problem at first, these are symptoms we're use too <big grin> and usually subsides quickly. As an added bonus, hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease because it changes where your body stores its fat and can help promote good bone health.

Though hormone therapy has been reported to increase the risk of breast cancer in some studies, all the studies to date have been done using the estrogen made from pregnant mare urine. Tri-Est is a bio-identical estrogen made from soy and has not been shown to have these risks.

Going Natural

If you are in or going through menopause and find you have begun to gain weight, here are some things you might try:

• Eat a healthy, low fat diet with plenty of fiber, avoiding sugar and reducing your carbohydrate intake.
• Start exercising regularly. As people get older their lives become more sedentary. Work becomes less physical, even our hobbies and vacations are less active - and what we do we do at a slower pace. Moderate physical activity each day for approximately 30 to 45 minutes will help counteract these effects.
• Add Resistance training to your weekly routine. Use weights for your arms and walking or biking for your legs. These two exercises will also help maintain your bone strength.
• And last but not least, learn to accept the changes to your body. If your weight is within a normal range and you are not at risk of suffering potential health complications, embrace the changes in your body as a natural part of aging.

Before you start any exercise program you should consult your doctor, especially if you have any preexisting medical conditions or you're out of shape.