How to Lose Perimenopause Weight

It is not unusual for a woman to gain weight as she approaches her menopause years. The frustrating thing is that the weight becomes more difficult to lose once estrogen levels in the body begin to decline. To make matters worse, decreased activity, as individuals get older, slows down the metabolism making it easier to put on unwanted pounds. As a result, many women gain weight around the waist and hips. The good news is that some basic lifestyle changes can put you on the right track to losing the weight.

Instructions

• 1

  Consume fewer calories than your body burns, but do not restrict calories to less than 1,800 calories each day. If you do, your body may begin conserving fat, and that is not what you want it to do. A good rule of thumb is to reduce your daily caloric intake by 200 calories to maintain your weight once you reach your mid-40s. Limit dietary fat to no more than 35 percent of the total number of calories you consume each day.

• 2

  Get more estrogen back in your body by eating foods like soy, yams, wheat, rice, alfalfa, apples, cherries, plums and potatoes. Foods rich in estrogen help to boost low levels of the hormone, which is stored in fat. Eating a healthier diet is also considered to be a safer alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Findings of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) show that synthetic hormones increase a woman's risk of heart disease, strokes and blood clots, as well as breast and ovarian cancer .

• 3

  Exercise to boost metabolism and build muscle mass. Increase your level of physical activity and exercise for at least 30 minutes four to five times each week. Include both aerobic and strength training exercises in your workout program.

• 4

  Stop stepping onto that bathroom scale. Obsessively watching the numbers on the scale will not help you to lose the weight any faster. It should be enough for you to monitor your weight just once each week. Weigh yourself at the same time every week, but let how you feel and how well your clothing fits be your primary guides.

• 5

  Keep stress in check. Women going through perimenopause often find themselves at a point in their lives when their careers are the most challenging and their family obligations the most demanding. Add to that, aging parents who may need more of a woman's time and help. Lifestyle habits do make a difference when you want to lose weight. Not only can stress make you want to eat more, you have to be mentally healthy in order to succeed at taking off the pounds and keeping them off.