Losing weight during menopause: 10 foolproof tips
Many women struggle with their body and weight throughout their lives and, unfortunately, this does not improve with age. In fact, with menopause it is very common for women to experience weight gain for which they do not. they can do a lot: nutrition is not responsible for it, they don't eat more than usual and don't change anything else in their diet, but they gain weight anyway. Why is that so? And how can you avoid gaining weight during or after menopause?
Before you start, watch this short video with 10 valuable tips to keep in mind before you go on a diet. It is as essential for your body as it is for your mind to remember these points!
Menopause ie weight gain?
It is worth starting by saying that menopause is only partly responsible for this weight gain. Much more decisive is the fact that for about 40 years the muscle mass of the body has been gradually decreasing and, since muscles burn a lot of energy, this leads to a consideration: the fewer muscles, the less energy is consumed.
Our basal metabolic rate is therefore lower at an older age. In conclusion, we automatically gain weight even if we eat less and at the same time reduce our caloric intake, or if we manage to burn more calories and sustain our preservation of muscle mass with sport and exercise in abundance.
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Why does menopause cause weight gain in the abdomen?
The worst part for many menopausal women, besides seeing the scales steadily rising, however, is the weight gain on the belly. This is actually a consequence of menopause. can be avoided, many women notice that their body fat is distributed differently. If they previously gained weight around the buttock and leg area, fat deposits are more likely to be found in the abdominal region as menopause begins.
This weight gain is due to the hormonal changes women go through during menopause. During this time, the female body produces less estrogen (a female hormone) and, as a result, the level of estrogen in the blood decreases.
At the same time, however, the number of male sex hormones increases. And these in turn cause fat to be stored mainly in the abdomen and women tend to lose hair and have more facial hair. Weight gain during menopause is therefore due to a change in hormones. feminine and masculine in women.
How to prevent weight gain during menopause: advice
A few extra pounds isn't a big deal. Nonetheless, it is inevitable to want to keep an eye on your weight gain during menopause and to make sure your belly stays flat. Abdominal fat is not only unattractive, it also promotes cardiovascular disease such as "stroke or". heart attack. Any excess weight is obviously to be avoided in principle.
In order for menopause not to lead to a strong weight gain, you should consider some tips.
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Losing weight during menopause: these 10 tips help
1. Eat vegetables three times a day and two portions of fruit. Both are low in calories, but they contain a lot of nutrients.
2. Cut back on meat consumption: Don't eat meat every day, but try lean fish, soy products or legumes as a side dish.
3. Eat less salt: Salt not only promotes water retention and stimulates appetite, it also increases blood pressure.Tip: When cooking, replace the salt with herbs and spices such as curry, cumin, coriander, parsley, etc.
4. Cook for yourself as often as possible, preferably with fresh ingredients. Ready meals usually contain too much sugar, salt, and many other types of additives that should be done without. Not to mention the unnecessary calories.
5. Low Fat Cooking: This has a positive effect on your blood pressure and reduces the calories in your meals!
6. Prefer whole grain products: they contain more fiber and therefore will give you the feeling of being fuller for longer.
7. Drink a lot of water and unsweetened fruit or herbal tea: fruit juices, soda and cola are not thirst-quenching, but contain, on the contrary, unnecessarily a lot of sugar.
8. Keep your metabolism active: When you reduce your calorie intake, your body first of all causes your metabolism to run late. So it's important to stimulate your metabolism or energy expenditure.
9. Exercise regularly: This will prevent your muscles from wasting away and your energy metabolism will stay the same.
10. Get enough sleep! This may sound contradictory, but healthy sleep helps you lose weight. Why sleep is important for burning fat and regulating our appetite!
Bottom line, if you want to avoid weight gain or lose it during menopause, you should pay attention to a healthy lifestyle.
The mantra is simple: follow a healthy diet paying attention to a balanced diet, eat less sugar, salt and fat and therefore reduce your calorie intake in general. And, let's not forget, keep moving!
Despite everything, don't forget to indulge yourself once in a while: you can afford sweets and chips every now and then, the important thing is that it is done in moderation!
