Weight Loss after Menopause

As a woman ages it becomes harder to maintain your weight. The hormonal changes associated with menopause and perimenopause can cause an average weight gain of one pound a year between the ages of 35-55. This weight gain besides being distressing emotionally is a health risk.



Hormonal changes are the primary culprit in middle age weight gain in women, Estrogen which is the female sex hormone, begins to decrease as a woman enters middle age. The body in an attempt to maintain the status quo looks for alternative sources of estrogen. Fat cells contain more estrogen than lean muscle cells; the body subsequently will try to increase the number of fat cells in the body.



Progesterone is a female hormone involved in supporting pregnancy and its decrease helps induce labor. Progesterone levels also begin to decrease in menopause. The result can be water retention. This may make your clothing feel tighter even though you haven’t gained actual fat weight.



Androgen is a primarily male hormone responsible for male sexual characteristics. Androgen begins to increase in menopause. The primary problem for women is that androgen causes weight gain to settle in the middle making the body apple shape. This type of weight gain increases risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer as well as diabetes.



Testosterone is involved in the development of muscle mass. In menopause the levels of testosterone begin to decrease. The result is less lean muscle which then decreases resting metabolism and contributes to weight gain.



Even with no change in calorie intake, menopause can be a time of weight gain. On average a woman needs 200 less calories a day at 55 than she did at 35. This factor together with the hormonal changes can lead to the dreaded middle age spread. Other contributing factors can be genetic, decrease in exercise with aging, and social issues such as the death of a spouse.



It is not a given that a woman must gain weight in this time of life. One only has to look at the many media figures to see examples of women in their fifties who have maintained their weight. Of course, many of these women have resources the average woman does not have. None-the-less, it is possible to keep weight off and lose weight during menopause.



Did you find these tips on menopause and weight loss helpful? For a complete plan of losing menopause weight gain click here