Menopause Weight Loss Tips

Many women are simply delighted when they enter into menopause. They're thrilled that they no longer have to deal with PMS and menstrual periods. However, one of the not so pleasant side effects of menopause can be weight gain.

Weight Gain is More Likely Than Not

• Menopause does tend to make women gain weight, according to Bodylogicmd.com. In fact, the weight gain may begin during peri-menopause, which can last several years. A woman may gain a pound a year during each year of peri-menopause. If you become menopausal due to a hysterectomy, you may gain weight even faster. This weight gain is due to the male hormone androgen that women possess. When a menopausal woman gains weight, it will probably be in her belly and not be evenly distributed as it was when she was younger. Another hormone that contributes to weight gain is progesterone, which diminishes when a woman becomes menopausal. The lack of progesterone results in water retention and bloating. Furthermore, as estrogen declines in a woman's body this can also prompt weight gain. The body still needs estrogen so it tries to find a new source and it does: Fat cells contain estrogen so your body begins to convert calories into fat to increase estrogen production.

Not Easy but Do-able

• Now that you know why you've gained weight you can proceed to lose it, if that's your desire. There isn't any magic bullet that is going to solve this problem for you. Losing weight after menopause may not be easy but the concept is simple, according to the Mayo Clinic. Cut back on the calories that you consume. As we age, our metabolic rate slows down, which means we can't eat as much as we once did without suffering the consequence. The Mayo Clinic notes that a menopausal woman needs approximately 200 fewer calories a day to maintain her weight and should limit her calorie intake even more than that if she actually wants to drop some pounds. Don't lose the weight too rapidly because your body will react to this by conserving energy which make it even more difficult to lose subsequent pounds.

Move More, Eat Less

• Increase your daily physical activity and not only so you can lose weight but to prevent the onset of osteoporosis (porous bones) that can plague post-menopausal women. Include strength training (weight lifting) in your exercise routine so that you can maintain strong, healthy bones and achieve more lean muscle mass and less body fat. Face it: The less active you are, the more weight you're going to gain and the less able you're going to be able to lose it.

Avoid Certain Items

• To avoid water weight gain and bloating, avoid drinking too much alcohol or caffeine and also avoid smoking because, according to Epigee.org, these activities can result in water retention and that icky bloating feeling that we all hate.

Stay Clear of Energy Dense Foods

• Stopmenopauseweightgain.com recommends that menopausal women need to stay clear of what are considered energy dense foods that contain a bunch of calories in a very small portion, such as soft drinks, ice cream, French fries and, of course, chocolate. Try to reduce the portions of everything that you eat. Starvation is not the way to go; moderation is.