Avoid Weight Gain During Menopause
The general rule of thumb is that, as a woman, you will gain one extra pound each year as you approach menopause. If it isn’t kept in check, this weight can really add up and lead to being overweight or full-blown obesity; the problem is compounded if you are already struggling with your weight. The good news is that there are some things you can do if you want to avoid weight gain during menopause.
It’s important to understand that this weight gain is caused by a lowered production of estrogen. The body reads the change in hormone levels as a signal to start storing more calories and this leads to gaining weight. It makes sense that if you could prevent the estrogen from being decreased (or make it so it doesn’t decrease it as much), then you wouldn’t gain as much weight.
There are several products on the market that are made to help decrease how much estrogen is lost. Some of these are natural remedies based on plant estrogens, while others are synthetic. That doesn’t always mean that one is necessarily better than the other, but it does mean that you should consider your alternatives carefully.
Hormone replacement therapy is big business, and some of the “cures” are questionable. However, many women have seen major improvements in their lives after taking something (natural or synthetic) to help their hormone levels. Not only do they find that they feel better, but many of them have also reported losing weight.
Apart from the natural gaining of weight associated with getting older, it’s also possible that some women going through menopause gain weight do to a lack of energy. While they used to be able to make it through a busy day and still have energy left over, they now find that they just don’t have the same “get up and go” that they once had. So, what’s one of the best ways to get more energy? Exercise!
It may seem counter-intuitive that exercise would give you more energy, when you need the energy to exercise in the first place. There may be some truth to that, but you need to take it on faith: regular exercise will increase your energy level. You don’t have to run a marathon, just participate in activities that get your heart pumping and you will soon notice a positive difference. Exercise burns calories, which will also help you to avoid weight gain during menopause.
Using the above tips will go a long way to improving your health and avoid weight gain during menopause. Of course just reading about them isn’t enough; you have to actually follow through on them if you want to realize the benefits that they provide.
Focus on the positive results and feelings you get the first time you go to exercise and bring that feeling back up to the forefront of your mind the next time you are heading out to exercise.
