How to Prevent Weight Gain During Menopause

During menopause there are several factors that fight against a women's ability to maintain a healthy weight. Between hormone fluctuations, a slower metabolism, loss of muscle and the stress of everyday life, weight gain seems inevitable. Luckily, there are a few things women can do to give their bodies the balance they need in order to prevent weight gain during menopause.

Instructions

• 1

  Adding soy to your diet can help balance estrogen levels.

  Add soy to your diet. Estrogen levels drop during menopause, and the body looks to other sources, such as body fat, skin and organs, to replace the estrogen. This will make the body hold on to fat despite diet or exercise levels. Eating more soy or taking soy isoflavones tablets will replace lost estrogen and balance your hormones. Replacing some daily dairy products or meat with soy will also lower calories in your diet, which will assist in losing weight.

• 2

  Eating fruits and vegetables assists in balancing hormones and weight loss.

  Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables contain phytoestrogens, chemicals that trick the body into thinking it has more estrogen than it actually does. Fruits and vegetables also contain boron, a mineral that assists the body in maintaining estrogen. Eating more fruits and vegetables is also healthier: They are lower in calories and make you feel full longer.

• 3

  Foods like oatmeal are a healthy way to eat carbohydrates.

  Eat a diet low in simple carbohydrates. Carbohydrates found in foods like white bread, processed snack foods, pasta and alcoholic beverages increase blood sugar levels and disrupt your metabolism. Eating too many simple carbohydrates may lead to insulin resistance, a condition in which all calories you consume turn into fat. Choose complex carbohydrates, found in vegetables, fruit, oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat breads, instead.

• 4

  Eat protein, such as lean chicken, to build muscle.

  Add a little protein to each meal. After age 35, muscle mass begins to break down into fat. Eating protein, along with exercise, will help build muscle. Choose nuts, bean and lean meats, such as poultry, fish or turkey.

• 5

  Boost your metabolism with daily exercise like walking.

  Boost your metabolism. Adding exercise to your daily routine will accelerate your metabolism, build muscle, reduce stress and lower your risk of heart disease. Do some form of exercise --- including aerobics, swimming, walking, biking or sport or strength training --- at least 30 minutes each day.

• 6

  Get enough sleep to manage stress.

  Manage stress. Chronic stress causes the body to release the hormone cortisol, which reduces your ability to lose weight. Calm stress through regular exercise, getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, taking a daily B-complex vitamin and, if necessary, seeking counseling or therapy.

• 7

  Try herbal supplements. Black cohosh, wild yam, chasteberry, St. John's wort and dong quai are supplements that assist in balancing your hormones so your body can lose weight.