8 Ways to Fight Fat after
Menopause
by Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE
IVillage Article
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If you're a postmenopausal woman, you're probably fighting the battle of the
bulging tummy. Your pants and skirts don't fit anymore, and forget about wearing
your favorite jeans. But don't worry -- you're not doomed to a life of oversized
T-shirts and elastic waist pants. Here's what current research shows will work
for taking off those postmenopausal pounds:
1. Don't blame estrogen.
Decreased estrogen levels aren't piling on those extra pounds. Food choices and
activity levels have more to do with postmenopausal weight gain than estrogen.
(This is not to lessen the role of less estrogen having an influence in weight
gain.)
2. Easy on the vino.
Watch out for high-calorie alcoholic beverages. A study in the journal Menopause found a strong link between alcohol use and weight gain after
menopause. If you drink wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages, cut your intake
by at least 50 percent. For example, instead of two glasses of wine with dinner,
drink only one, or, instead of one bottle of beer on a night out, ask for a
glass and share the bottle with a friend.
3. Muscle up.
Loss of muscle mass often results in increased body fat. According to Miriam
Nelson, Ph.D., an associate professor of nutrition from Tufts University and
author of Strong Women Stay Slim, women lose 1/3 of a pound of muscle
every year after their mid-30s. That could add up to a six-pound muscle loss
over a 20-year period! Lost muscle typically is replaced with an equal amount of
fat, causing both weight and percentage of body fat to go up. The solution? Bulk
up those muscles! Regular exercise can rebuild lost muscle tissue as it burns
calories to help you lose weight at the same time.
4. Don't starve yourself.
Forget about very low-calorie diets. Anything less than 1,200 to 1,400 calories
may slow your metabolism, making it more difficult to lose weight. If you
exercise regularly, you may need 1,600 to 1,800 calories to keep your metabolism
humming.
5. Every bite counts.
A taste of the soup you're making for lunch, two extra crackers while preparing
dinner, a large scoop of ice cream while watching TV -- all add up to unwanted
calories and pounds. Eliminate unnecessary eating and you'll shave 100 to 200
calories off your daily intake.
6. Don't overeat out.
Watch out for restaurant portions -- they're huge! Split the entree with a
friend, order an appetizer or lunch-size portion, or take at least half the meal
home in a doggie bag.
7. Eat healthy.
Focus on nutrient-dense foods that fill you up while they provide essential
vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. A baked potato is more filling and
provides more nutritional value than french fries and the same goes for a piece
of fresh fruit vs. a glass of juice or a sandwich vs. a candy bar.
8. Mellow out.
Take a bubble bath, listen to relaxing music, or use your favorite method to
reduce stress. High levels of a stress hormone called cortisol pack on extra
abdominal fat, and that effect may worsen after menopause.
Does
losing weight take more during menopause?
by Cathy Taylor
ArriveNet Article
The need to lose weight haunts most women, and now even more
men, all of their lives. But wait until you hit menopause. It gathers around the
waist and hips; despite our best efforts to diet and exercise.
What we know is that this additional body fat is linked to your hormones. Most
women follow a conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet with lots of
processed foods. Eventually this diet creates a condition known as insulin
resistance.
When you are insulin resistant, your body converts calories into fat even when
you are dieting. Menopause feels like a losing battle, but it doesn't have to
be.
When you are stressed, as the body typically is during menopause, stress
hormones block weight loss. Despite adequate food, the body acts as if it's in a
famine and stores all spare calories as fat.
This leads to a metabolic disorder called adrenal fatigue.
Many women combine a high-stress life with a low-fat, high-carb diet which
creates a powerful hormonal imbalance which causes us to gain weight. Yo-yo
dieting exacerbates the problem.
Also, when a woman is on a high-carb diet she is often baraged with a craving
for sweets. The body can't maintain optimal blood sugar and serotonin levels, so
you snack and drink caffeine to feel better. That makes your insulin resistance
worse and the vicious cycle of gaining weight is accelerated.
During perimenopause, women lose estrogen which is an added factor to this
problem. As estrogen decreases, the body needs extra fat resources. Other
factors that play into this problem, are unresolved emotional issues, food
sensitivities, digestive issues such as yeast, and even heavy metal toxicity.
So what do we do?
The most important step is to GET HEALTHY!
Follow an eating plan like the one in the Schwarzbein Principle or the Zone
Diet.
You need protein at every meal, low carbs, very little to no processed food, and
lots of fruit and vegetables
Drink plenty of water
Take nutritional supplements including fatty acids
Stop weighing yourself, use your clothes as a gauge (focus on your health not
your weight)
Start exercising - walk 4-5 times a week for 30 minutes (it boosts metabolism)
Get help for emotional eating - you have to face your fears to get through them
Reduce the stress in your life, make time for fun and relaxation - strive for
BALANCE
Learn to love yourself during menopause and accept who you are and at what stage
in life you find yourself
