Losing Weight After Menopause is Easier Than Before
Would you be surprised to learn that losing weight after menopause is actually easier than before? I know I was surprised to learn that little fact! Losing weight after menopause is easier because of the differences in what processes your body engages to keep functioning properly.
Let's break that down a little bit. Prior to menopause, any fat that you accumulated tended to store itself in the subcutaneous levels of the body (just under the skin, above the muscles). At and after menopause, it stores viscerally (in and around the organs in your body, beneath the abdominal muscle wall). The thing to note here is that visceral fat actually responds better to your weight loss efforts than subcutaneous fat.
In fact, if you have been fairly active all along, you probably did not even notice the sudden 20 pound weight gain that most women are surprised with when menopause sets in. Of course, as with all weight issues, your lifestyle and genetics are going to play a big part in losing weight after menopause, too.
Menopause seems to trigger the "slow-down" effect in women. The metabolism slows, and even if you are still active, unless your eating habits change, it is possible to gain weight easier now than before. But knowing that is half the battle, right? Losing weight after menopause means monitoring your eating habits and activity levels. A good idea would be to start tracking everything you eat and everything you do, activity-wise, until you develop all new habits. A journal of some sort will give you clear insight into what is going on with your body.
Why is this important? What is 20 pounds, you might ask? Well, with a slowed metabolism, the obvious answer, here, is that the weight gain will not stop at 20 pounds. But there is more at risk here than weight gain-namely, your health.
Remember when I mentioned that your fat now stores itself viscerally? Visceral fat has been directly linked to some very serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, pulmonary problems, as well as knee and joint distress.
So, besides losing weight after menopause, you are going to want to pay especial attention to your activity levels for those reasons, as well. Resistance training is great for keeping the bones strong, and a calcium- and magnesium- rich diet will ensure strong bone health. Good nutrition will keep your systems functioning as they should and exercise will keep your metabolic rates up, making losing weight after menopause a right-easy bit of self-indulgence!
Let's break that down a little bit. Prior to menopause, any fat that you accumulated tended to store itself in the subcutaneous levels of the body (just under the skin, above the muscles). At and after menopause, it stores viscerally (in and around the organs in your body, beneath the abdominal muscle wall). The thing to note here is that visceral fat actually responds better to your weight loss efforts than subcutaneous fat.
In fact, if you have been fairly active all along, you probably did not even notice the sudden 20 pound weight gain that most women are surprised with when menopause sets in. Of course, as with all weight issues, your lifestyle and genetics are going to play a big part in losing weight after menopause, too.
Menopause seems to trigger the "slow-down" effect in women. The metabolism slows, and even if you are still active, unless your eating habits change, it is possible to gain weight easier now than before. But knowing that is half the battle, right? Losing weight after menopause means monitoring your eating habits and activity levels. A good idea would be to start tracking everything you eat and everything you do, activity-wise, until you develop all new habits. A journal of some sort will give you clear insight into what is going on with your body.
Why is this important? What is 20 pounds, you might ask? Well, with a slowed metabolism, the obvious answer, here, is that the weight gain will not stop at 20 pounds. But there is more at risk here than weight gain-namely, your health.
Remember when I mentioned that your fat now stores itself viscerally? Visceral fat has been directly linked to some very serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, pulmonary problems, as well as knee and joint distress.
So, besides losing weight after menopause, you are going to want to pay especial attention to your activity levels for those reasons, as well. Resistance training is great for keeping the bones strong, and a calcium- and magnesium- rich diet will ensure strong bone health. Good nutrition will keep your systems functioning as they should and exercise will keep your metabolic rates up, making losing weight after menopause a right-easy bit of self-indulgence!
I know how difficult it is to motivate yourself to put extra effort in exercising when you don't feel like doing anything. That's why losing weight after menopause is easier with the right healthy diet plan, which helps you not only lose weight but it will protect you from gaining more weight. Visit http://menopause-weight.blogspot.com/ for more information on losing weight after menopause.
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