Why is it that women typically start to see some weight gain during menopause? This question has plagued women for as long as they have been concerned about their weight. The statistics tell us that two-thirds of women entering their menopausal years will see a ten to twenty pound weight gain during menopause. Let's look at the causes and see if there is anything that can change that statistic for you.
As a woman ages (men, too, for that matter) they tend to slow down. This is not necessarily by choice, either. Although it is true that there are often no longer any kids to chase after, pick up after and clean up after... you would think this would be a perfect time for a woman to take up those activities that raising children kept her from, but no.
And even if she has not changed her eating habits or her activity levels, weight gain during menopause has now begun to creep on. Mostly, it is because of this metabolic slow-down.
As she enters the perimenopausal years (that time just before menopause) her body starts to betray her. It wants to slow down, so it starts slowing the metabolism. Just when a woman has more time to go bungee jumping or mountain climbing, her body is behaving as if those activities are just more trouble than they are worth.
Another cause for weight gain during menopause is the hormone issue. The ovaries are shutting down, and since they are a prime source for estrogen, the body wants to go into panic-mode and hang on to all the resources it has. Plus, it wants to make and store more resources. You see fat cells can manufacture estrogen. So, since the body's usual source is gone, weight gain during menopause happens because the body tries to keep the fat stores and build new ones, as well.
Combine that with the slowed metabolism and you have got a recipe for major weight gain during menopause. Is there a way to avoid that?
You can not stop the process of aging. The body wants to slow down and keep its energy stores. But you can avoid weight gain during menopause although circumventing those events is going to require constant effort. A sensible diet filled with nothing but healthy foods, plenty of water and supplementation of the missing elements, like vitamins and minerals will be required.
And you know we could not end this article without mentioning exercise. If you have been active up until now, great! Keep on doing what you are doing. But if you have been kind of sedentary, then that is something you will need to change. Look into finding an activity you like, like gardening, yoga or swimming, if the usual exercise routines do not appeal to you.
Weight gain during menopause is not inevitable, and with diligence, you can avoid being on of the statistics.
As a woman ages (men, too, for that matter) they tend to slow down. This is not necessarily by choice, either. Although it is true that there are often no longer any kids to chase after, pick up after and clean up after... you would think this would be a perfect time for a woman to take up those activities that raising children kept her from, but no.
And even if she has not changed her eating habits or her activity levels, weight gain during menopause has now begun to creep on. Mostly, it is because of this metabolic slow-down.
As she enters the perimenopausal years (that time just before menopause) her body starts to betray her. It wants to slow down, so it starts slowing the metabolism. Just when a woman has more time to go bungee jumping or mountain climbing, her body is behaving as if those activities are just more trouble than they are worth.
Another cause for weight gain during menopause is the hormone issue. The ovaries are shutting down, and since they are a prime source for estrogen, the body wants to go into panic-mode and hang on to all the resources it has. Plus, it wants to make and store more resources. You see fat cells can manufacture estrogen. So, since the body's usual source is gone, weight gain during menopause happens because the body tries to keep the fat stores and build new ones, as well.
Combine that with the slowed metabolism and you have got a recipe for major weight gain during menopause. Is there a way to avoid that?
You can not stop the process of aging. The body wants to slow down and keep its energy stores. But you can avoid weight gain during menopause although circumventing those events is going to require constant effort. A sensible diet filled with nothing but healthy foods, plenty of water and supplementation of the missing elements, like vitamins and minerals will be required.
And you know we could not end this article without mentioning exercise. If you have been active up until now, great! Keep on doing what you are doing. But if you have been kind of sedentary, then that is something you will need to change. Look into finding an activity you like, like gardening, yoga or swimming, if the usual exercise routines do not appeal to you.
Weight gain during menopause is not inevitable, and with diligence, you can avoid being on of the statistics.
It all comes to how much do you really want to avoid weight gain during menopause? Can you accept to feel fat and unattractive or not? Visit http://menopause-weight.blogspot.com/ for more information on weight gain during menopause.
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