If you talk to most women over 50, you'll quickly find that menopause and weight gain are related to their experience. Weight gain is very common these days and while some of it may be due to lifestyle changes, it doesn't explain why we suddenly tend to gain weight in different parts of our bodies, especially the stomach. Weight gain when we were younger mostly centered on the hips.
The truth is that hormonal changes play a role, although the process is not fully understood. During menopause, a woman stops ovulating, her monthly periods stop and her body produces very low levels of the female hormone estrogen which is responsible for the ovulation process. Low estrogen in animals has been shown to cause weight gain and is almost certainly the reason our body shape changes. While women of reproductive age store fat in the lower body, after menopause they tend to store it in the abdomen like men. Heart disease risk is raised as a result.
Also, both men and women tend to turn muscle into fat as they age, and metabolism slows down. This means that if you don't change your eating habits, you may gain weight. A 60-year-old doesn't need as many calories as a 40-year-old.
Hormone treatment with estrogen is now and then prescribed to control menopausal symptoms. Many women may be surprised to learn that studies have shown that hormone therapy does not cause weight gain. Some women experience bloating and water retention in the early stages of hormone therapy, but this is usually temporary and does not involve fat. Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing changes in body fat storage around the abdomen and lowering cholesterol. However, some research has linked hormone therapy to an increased risk of breast cancer.
If you find yourself gaining weight around menopause, there are several things you can do.
- Eat a healthy, low-fat diet with lots of fiber, and avoid sugar.
- Practice regularly. As people age, their level of physical activity naturally decreases. The work often becomes less physically demanding, there are no children to run after, we take less active holidays and work slower. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day will help balance the effects.
- Preserve your muscle strength and mass. Use weights for walking or cycling for arm muscles and legs.
- Accept changes in your body shape. If you're not overweight, but your waist is fat and your legs are thin, that's fine.
Consult your physician before starting any exercise program if you have a medical condition or have a low fitness level. Your doctor can also help with menopausal symptoms and weight gain.