Post-Menopausal Weight Loss

Menopausal weight loss can be challenging, but it isn't impossible. During menopause, your body has undergone a significant amount of change. These changes are primarily hormonal, affecting almost every aspect of how the body functions. Knowledge of these changes gives you the power to conquer menopausal weight gain with confidence.

Post-menopausal weight loss is possible with exercise and a healthy diet.

The Facts

Menopause is unavoidable, but some of the conditions associated with it are not. Weight gain is one of those conditions that you can control to a certain extent. Loss of muscle mass as well as the slowing of the metabolism result in weight gain even when your eating habits haven't changed. While this might seem disheartening, know that with exercise and a healthy diet, you can succeed at post-menopausal weight loss. Health journalists Pat Wingert and Barbara Kantrowitz, authors of "The Menopause Book," claim the first step is forgetting the word "diet" and embracing a permanent change.

Solution

Weight loss through healthy diet and an exercise routine are the best solution for menopausal weight gain because it solves a weight problem and promotes good health. A good exercise program includes three components: cardiovascular endurance, strength training (muscular endurance) and flexibility. To get into good physical shape, you need to incorporate all three into your lifestyle, write Wingert and Kantrowitz. Cardiovascular exercise is aerobic and is good for your heart. It also burns calories and will become your friend in your weight-loss journey. Strength training increases bone density.

Benefits

The benefits of menopausal weight loss reduce risks linked to many health problems lurking in your future. Being overweight can lead to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis, fatty liver disease and cancer. Small changes may not seem like much, but every 10 percent drop in your weight improves your overall health, according to Wingert and Kantrowitz.

Considerations

After menopause, many women will put on one pound per year, reports the Mayo Clinic. While this doesn't sound like much, it adds up over time. Weight gain is more than simply weighing more than you once did; it's also putting your health at risk. Wingert and Kantrowitz write that nearly two-thirds of women in America are overweight or obese. Being proactive will help you evade potential conditions

Warnings

Approach weight loss seriously. Don't be lured by fad diets and their quick results. If you decide to lose weight on a low-carbohydrate diet, stay on the diet for only a few months as staying on it longer will increase osteoporosis risks. High-protein diets are also a problem because high quantities of animal protein increase acidity in blood, which accelerates bone loss.

References

• Pat Wingert and Barbara Kantrowitz. The Menopause Book 2006.
• Mayo Clinic: Weight Gain After Menopause