Avoiding Menopausal Weight Gain

If you are a menopausal or post-menopausal woman and have experienced weight gain since you hit menopause, you are not alone!  Everyday, women who are in Menopause or who have already gone through Menopause visit their Gynecologists complaining about weight gain. The cause of Menopause related weight gain is not clearly known at this time. There is much debate about whether it occurs due to hormonal changes or other factors that are related to aging.  Whatever the cause, it can be frustrating for many women who did not have to battle their weight in the past and now are dealing with extra pounds.

There is not doubt that as we age, our metabolisms decrease.  As a result, the amount of calories needed to maintain our current weight declines. To make up for these changes, we must either eat fewer calories or burn more calories to prevent gaining weight. Experts agree that the best way to maintain your weight and prevent weight gain after Menopause is to modify our diets and to increase our level of activity. This does not mean that you have to severely limit your caloric intake or go out and run a marathon. The trick is finding a healthy balance that enables you to get all the needed vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fiber from your diet, without eating excess calories. That means that you must make healthy food choices.  If you were able to eat high/calorie, high/fat foods in your twenties without a problem, that may not be the case in your forties and fifties.

As we age, it is also important to stay active. And, to find the types of exercise that we enjoy. Walking and hiking are great forms of exercise that will also help to keep your bones healthy.

If you are struggling with post-menopausal weight gain, talk to your OBGYN today about lifestyle changes you can make to optimize your overall health.