If you’re a woman over the age of 40, you’ve probably heard about the dreaded.. menopause.. and the weight gain that can come with it!
The truth is, losing weight during menopause can be challenging, but it’s not impossible!
With the right combination of lifestyle changes, exercise, and stress management, you can achieve your weight loss goals. In this article, we’ll explore what menopause is, how it affects the body, and the strategies you can use to lose weight and feel your best.
I’m going to start by addressing the elephant in the room. (No, I’m not calling you an elephant!).
It’s a bit weird for a 30 something year old guy to be writing an article on menopause and weight loss.
To be fair — I am a bit weird.
But, there’s a method to my madness.
I believe that menopause is an important topic for women of all ages to understand, and I want to help break down the stigma surrounding it. I’ve also spent more than a decade working with peri-menopausal women trying to lose weight, and, despite my absolute best intentions to ‘stay in my lane’ I couldn’t help but learn a few things along the way.
I guess it also helps that I’ve got a physiology degree.
And that I grew up in a household full of women. Which is why I know not to say anything stupid like…
‘I get it’
or
‘I know how you feel’
I don’t get it, and I have no idea how you feel.
That’s not the point at all. The point is to tell you what I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot!
I’ve seen what works, and I’ve seen what doesn’t work!
I wish I didn’t have to write this article, I really do. But over the years I’ve learned that women don’t get a lot of information about this stuff.
And as weird as it is for me to be writing this article, I promise you it’s less weird than having this conversation in person. In fact, selfishly the main reason I’m writing this article is so that I never have to explain the menstrual cycle to a client again.
Fingers crossed it works!
I’m not going to lie and say it’s not harder for women at this stage than it is for men, it is harder! Hormonal changes, a slower metabolism, and other age-related changes can make it challenging to reach and maintain a healthy weight. However, with the right strategies and mindset, it is absolutely possible to navigate weight loss and menopause successfully.
Drawing on the latest research and expert advice from leading health and wellness professionals, we’ll help you develop a set of habits and routines that support a healthy lifestyle.
The Menstrual Cycle and Menopause
Before we dive into menopause, it’s important to understand the menstrual cycle. While the menstrual cycle generally lasts 28 days, there are enormous variations that can occur in both cycle lengths and consistency. A woman’s period may last anywhere from 3–5 days, and some women experience joint and muscle pain and stiffness as a result of their menstrual cycle. When a woman enters menopause, her periods stop, and the body goes through a series of changes. Hormone levels decrease, and women may experience a slower metabolism, and other uncomfortable symptoms (hot flushes, night sweats, joint aches, emotional irregularity).
The Effects of Menopause on Your Body
Some of the most common issues for women during menopause include weight gain around the abdomen, a slower metabolism, and declining hormone levels. But perhaps the most notable effect of menopause on the body is the loss of muscle mass. As we age, our bodies naturally lose muscle, which can slow down our metabolism and make it more difficult to lose weight.
This is the double edged sword..
Not only are you gaining weight, you’re losing muscle mass at the same time.. which means a total lack of tone all over! This is why including strength training is essential for women approaching and during menopause (alongside the many health benefits of strength training).
Weight Gain During Menopause
During menopause, the body’s metabolism slows down, which can lead to weight gain. Weight gain is also associated with other hormonal changes, such as a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in fat tissue. Additionally, women tend to eat more around this time in their lives due to a change in diet or decreased activity levels. All of these factors can contribute to unhealthy weight gain during menopause.
Strategies For Weight Loss During Menopause
Exercise
One of the most important strategies for achieving weight loss during menopause is to engage in regular exercise. A combination of strength training and cardiovascular training can help you maintain muscle mass and burn calories.
Women tend to put on fat as they enter menopause, partly because the body slowly loses muscle. Research has shown that strength training can prevent muscle loss due to ageing. Many of my clients are amazed at the improvements in their energy levels and body shape from simply getting stronger.
If you are a female over 40, strength training can not only prevent muscle loss, it also prevents conditions such as osteoporosis (weakened bones) which women are more susceptible to than men as they age.
The physical activity guidelines in Australia are: ‘150 minutes of ‘moderate’ physical activity per week or 75 minutes of ‘vigorous’ physical activity per week’.
What I see works brilliantly well?
3 x 45 minute workouts a week. With a mixture of strength & cardiovascular training. (Moderate AND Vigorous).
Because it’s the right balance of being doable, and effective.
When it comes to training and exercise, more is not always better. Better is better. Not to mention trying to find the time for three workouts per week is far more realistic for someone with a packed schedule than trying to find the time for five or more workouts a week.
Manage Your Stress
Additionally, managing your stress levels can help alleviate some of the symptoms of menopause and make it easier to stick to a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Cortisol — a natural stress hormone — is responsible for regulating your metabolism. Created by the adrenal glands located on your kidneys, cortisol is released when you’re under stress. This sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, temporarily pausing regular bodily functions and slowing your metabolism.
Cortisol stimulates your fat and carbohydrate metabolism, creating a surge of energy in your body. While this process is essential for survival situations, it also increases your appetite!
Additionally, elevated cortisol levels can cause cravings for sweet, fatty and salty foods. When you’re highly stressed you’re more likely to stop at the drive thru or order on UberEats than you are to eat a fresh salad!
An excess of cortisol also can lead your body to produce less testosterone, which while I know not many women would be too concerned about, it’s important to note that the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, is produced from testosterone! So an increase in cortisol can wreak havoc on your hormones! This can cause a decrease in muscle mass, as well as slow down how many calories your body burns.
Although decreasing your stress levels may feel impossible some days, you can still manage the effects of elevated cortisol. To begin with, try relaxing through mindfulness, meditation or deep breathing.
Healthy Eating
Your metabolism increases whenever you eat, digest, and store food, a process called the thermic effect of food.
Protein has a higher thermic effect compared with fats and carbohydrates because it takes longer for your body to burn protein and absorb it.
Studies suggest the best approach is to combine adequate protein intake with weight training, which increases muscle mass — and can also boost metabolism.
Sleep
Sleep is like nutrition for the brain! Most people need between 7-9 hours a night, and if you’re chronically sleep deprived even at your most motivated you’ll be incapable of resisting the biscuits for long!
Not getting enough sleep triggers a cortisol response, cortisol is a stress hormone and it signals for your body to preserve energy during waking hours.
Basic translation = Your metabolism slows down and you hang onto more fat.
Researchers found that when dieters cut back on sleep over a 14-day period, the amount of weight they lost from fat dropped by 55%, even though their calories stayed equal. They felt hungrier and less satisfied after meals, and their energy was zapped.
Think of being sleep deprived as being a “metabolic hangover”. Within just 4 days of insufficient ZZZs, your body’s ability to process insulin — a hormone needed to change sugar, starches, and other food into energy — goes awry.
Insulin sensitivity, the researchers found, dropped by more than 30%.
Here’s why that’s bad: When your body doesn’t respond properly to insulin, your body has trouble processing fats from your bloodstream, so it ends up storing them as fat.
So it’s not so much that if you sleep, you’ll magically lose weight.
It’s that too little sleep hampers your metabolism and contributes to weight gain.
Hydration
This might not be groundbreaking to hear – drinking water is good for you.
This next part though, might be more interesting!
A number of studies have found that dehydration reduces the metabolic rate, significantly slowing it down. A study at the University of Utah found that subjects who had 8 to 12 glasses of water per day burned calories at an accelerated rate, compared to the control group that consumed only 4 to 6 glasses.
Drinking water increases your metabolism by up to 25% for nearly an hour after drinking it. That means if you drink a few cups of water every hour, you’ll keep your metabolism at peak performance all day
Being hydrated has the potential to increase energy expenditure by 400 kj/100c per day, which doesn’t sound like that much, but in combination with the other tactics it begins to become a powerful tool to boost your metabolism.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can reach your weight loss goals, no matter what age you are! With consistency and dedication, you can achieve the results you desire while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The key to mastering your menopause is having a plan and sticking with it.
Here are some tips that can help you reach your goals:
- Eat a Healthy Diet: Eating a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats can help you stay on track. Aim to reduce processed foods and sugar intake as much as possible.
- Exercise Regularly: Make sure you’re getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. Weight training is also beneficial for maintaining muscle mass while losing fat.
- Get Enough Sleep: Aim for 7–8 hours of quality sleep per night. Adequate rest helps to regulate hormones and keep your body in balance while you’re losing weight.
- Manage Stress Levels: High stress levels can lead to poor food choices, which can sabotage your weight loss efforts. Managing stress is key to staying on track.
- Stay Hydrated: Make sure you’re drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day to keep your body well hydrated and functioning optimally.
Additionally, it’s important to stay mindful of any health conditions you may have, such as diabetes or thyroid disorders, that can affect your ability to lose weight. Work with a trusted healthcare provider and nutritionist to make sure you’re on track for success. With the right plan in place, you can safely and effectively reach your goals while taking good care of yourself.
Remember to be patient with yourself as you work towards your weight loss goals. Success takes time and effort, but it’s worth it in the end! Celebrate small successes along the way and stay motivated by setting short-term goals that will help you reach your long-term objectives. With a little bit of hard work and dedication, you can be well on your way to a healthier and happier life.
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