Menopause Weight Gain

Image by marsmet461 via FlickrMost women gain weight as they age, but excess pounds aren't inevitable. In fact, the most profound weight gain in a woman's life tends to happen during the years leading up to menopause. In all honesty I personally wasn't aware of this and was so happy to find out as now I can take of this before hand.

The hormonal changes of menopause may make you more likely to gain weight around your abdomen, rather than your hips and thighs. Hormonal changes alone don't necessarily trigger weight gain after menopause, however. Instead, the weight gain is usually related to a variety of lifestyle and genetic factors.

The Mayo Clinic staff states:
Menopausal women tend to exercise less than other women, which can lead to weight gain. In addition, muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, your body composition will shift to more fat and less muscle — which slows down the rate at which you burn calories. If you continue to eat as you always have, you're likely to gain weight.

For many women, genetic factors play a role in weight gain after menopause. If your parents or other close relatives carry extra weight around the abdomen, you're likely to do the same. Sometimes, factors such as children leaving — or returning — home, divorce, the death of a spouse or other life changes may contribute to weight gain after menopause. For others, a sense of contentment or simply letting go leads to weight gain.


Is it risky weight gain after menopause?
(Web MD) Informs us that:


Weight gain after menopause can have serious implications for your health. Excess weight increases the risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. In turn, these conditions increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Excess weight also increases the risk of various types of cancer, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer. In fact, some research suggests that gaining as little as 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) at age 50 or later could increase the risk of breast cancer by 30 percent.

There's really no magic formula for preventing or even reversing  weight gain after menopause. We just have to follow some simple rules

More Magazine Give Us Some Examples:

Set aside 15 minutes: Go for brisk walks, practice your yoga poses, or drop and see how many push-ups you can do.

Take the long way: Use the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car at the far end of the parking lot, and walk whenever possible.

Be active on weekends: Do something physical for one hour each weekend day, such as gardening, raking leaves, or riding your bike.

Seek support: Talk to your friends and family about becoming more active. Join forces to motivate each other by planning activities together.

Keep it simple: Create an exercise-friendly environment by keeping walking shoes at work or an exercise bag in the car. Continue the activities you are doing now but do them more often.

Seek assistance: Your healthcare provider can help you determine the initial level of exercise appropriate for you. Increase the duration and intensity as you adjust to the new lifestyle.

Once your initial goals have been accomplished, work on a long-term plan.