Menopause and Weight Gain
Menopause, or the “change of life,” is different for each woman. For example, hot flashes and sleep problems may trouble your sister. Meanwhile, you are enjoying a new sense of freedom and energy. And your best friend might hardly be aware of a change at all.
As women approach menopause they endure many symptoms, but one that proves the most difficult for many women to accept is menopausal weight gain. Not only can a few extra pounds (or maybe more) ravage a woman’s self-esteem and self-image, but weight gain can usher in a host of health concerns that put a woman at risk of developing life-threatening conditions.
Weight gain takes place when a woman increases her body mass, whether as a result of fat deposits, additional muscle tissue, or excess fluid. However, weight gain associated with menopause typically involves increased amounts of fat around the mid-section.
On average, women gain between 12 to 15 pounds between the ages of 45 and 55, the stage in life when menopause typically occurs. This extra weight generally does not evenly distribute itself throughout a woman’s body. The weight tends instead to accumulate around the abdomen, and women often notice the shape of their bodies slowly lose their hour-glass figure and begin to take on a rounder shape. This body transformation is a typical aspect of weight gain during menopause.
Few women will undergo the menopausal transition without incurring at least slight weight gain. Up to 90% of women will experience some amount of weight gain between the ages of 45 and 55 as they enter menopause, and on average they will gain between 12 and 15 pounds during this period of time.
The primary factor for women who gain weight during menopause is the hormone estrogen. In the case of estrogen, as woman´s ovaries produce less of it, her body will try to find this hormone in other areas. Fat cells are known to produce estrogen, so the woman’s body works harder to convert calories into fat to increase dwindling estrogen. Unfortunately, fat cells don’t burn calories the way muscle cells do, which causes weight gain.
Many doctors recommend that lifestyle changes are the best place to begin in the treatment of menopausal weight gain. Regular exercise, a diet rich in whole foods, and general portion control are the best ways to combat menopausal weight gain. However, there has been some success noted with alternative therapies for hormonal imbalance, though more research will need to be done.
Mid-life weight gain is often associated with hormonal shifts that begin as women approach menopause. This typically starts in the mid-40s. You see, as you age your ovaries produce less and less estrogen. Since estrogen is vital to many life-sustaining functions, the body looks for other places to generate the needed estrogen. And since fat cells can produce estrogen, the body reprograms itself to convert calories into fat to meet the needed hormone levels. The bottom line: the mechanism of mid-life weight gain cannot be addressed without first addressing the fundamental issue of hormone imbalance. Simply put, if your hormone balance is off, your weight problem will persist—no matter how much broccoli you eat, how many stairs you climb, or how many diet pills you consume.
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