Maybe when we were still young, or even children, we ever wondered about why our mothers’ or grandmothers’ bodies turned into bigger ones and got a weight gain, even though they were just having meals in small portions? As time passes, we finally know that women tend to have a changing process as their age is added every year.
The metabolism of women’s bodies is different from men’s because their bodies consist of different hormones that play important roles. It becomes more apparent when they are in the perimenopause and menopause periods, which can cause hormonal shifts that lead to their body size changing.
Then, Why Does Menopause Lead to Weight Gain?
Menopausal weight gain for midlife women can be difficult to manage. Several physiological and hormonal factors contribute to this issue, making it essential to understand why these changes occur and how to address them effectively. The factors are as follows:
1. Declining Estrogen Levels Disrupt Fat Distribution
Estrogen plays a crucial role in regulating fat metabolism and determining where fat is stored in the body. During menopause, estrogen levels drop, leading to a shift in fat distribution from the hips and thighs to the abdominal area. This shift results in an increase in visceral fat, a deeper type of fat that surrounds internal organs and is strongly linked to metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation.
2. Slower Metabolism and Reduced Muscle Mass
As women age, their metabolism naturally slows down, meaning the body burns fewer calories at rest. Additionally, menopause is associated with a gradual loss of muscle mass, a condition known as sarcopenia. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, a decrease in muscle mass lowers overall calorie expenditure. If a woman continues consuming the same number of calories as before menopause without adjusting her diet or increasing her activity levels, weight gain becomes inevitable.
3. Increased Insulin Resistance
Hormonal changes during menopause can contribute to insulin resistance, making it more difficult for the body to regulate blood sugar levels. As a result, the body stores more fat, particularly around the midsection. Insulin resistance can also lead to increased cravings for sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods, which further complicates weight management. Over time, this can contribute to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
4. Sleep Disturbances and Increased Stress Levels
Menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, and hormonal imbalances can significantly impact sleep quality. Poor sleep disrupts the balance of hunger-regulating hormones, particularly ghrelin and leptin, which leads to increased appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods. Additionally, menopause can elevate stress levels, leading to higher cortisol production. Elevated cortisol levels encourage fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area, making weight loss more challenging.
5. Emotional Changes and Decreased Motivation for Physical Activity
Many women experience mood swings, anxiety, and depression during menopause, which can reduce their motivation to stay active and maintain a healthy diet. Emotional eating, often triggered by hormonal fluctuations, can lead to excess calorie consumption, particularly of comfort foods that are high in sugar and fat. Over time, these behaviors contribute to gradual weight gain and make it harder to maintain a healthy weight.
6. Reduced Physical Activity
As women age, they may become less physically active due to increased fatigue, joint pain, or lifestyle changes associated with menopause. A decrease in physical activity further slows metabolism, making weight gain more likely. Regular movement, including strength training, walking, or yoga, becomes even more important during this stage of life to counteract the effects of hormonal changes and maintain overall health.
Understanding these contributing factors can help women take proactive steps to manage their weight during menopause. With lifestyle adjustments such as a balanced diet, strength training, and stress management, it is possible to maintain a healthy weight and overall well-being.
How to Manage Weight Gain During Menopause?
For some women, it’s not easy to manage ourselves to do some necessary actions regarding stabilizing our weight during perimenopause until postmenopause periods. However, I believe that with a strong will and discipline, we can get through this period more easily.
The following actions are the necessary ones women should do in their effort to stabilize their weight:
1. Prioritize Strength Training.
Spend your time doing some strength training, such as dumbbells, planks, squats, lunges, etc. Strength training helps retain muscle mass and boost metabolism. You can also frequently substitute these pieces of training with cardio, such as walking, cycling, or swimming.
2. Adopt a Balanced Diet.
As women enter midlife, their bodies undergo significant changes due to hormonal shifts, metabolism slowdowns, and aging-related factors. Protein, fiber, healthy fats, and low-GI (glycemic index) foods are crucial for maintaining general health, energy levels, and weight management.
Protein helps retain muscle mass and boost metabolism. Fiber aids digestion and supports heart health. Healthy fats play important roles in balancing hormones and maintaining brain health. Then, low-GI foods can stabilize blood sugar and energy levels.
3. Get Quality Sleep.
Improve sleep quality to balance our hunger hormones. We can do several things, such as set a consistent bedtime with sufficient sleep duration every day, engage in calming activities before bed, such as reading, meditation, or warm baths, and optimize our sleep environment by setting our bedroom to be cool, dark, and quiet to reduce disturbances.
4. Manage Stress.
Use relaxation techniques to reduce cortisol levels that can trigger stress. Get more patient and not overreactive; do your hobbies or meditation, yoga, etc. They can boost our mood, calmness, and happiness.
5. Stay Active.
Incorporate daily movement, such as gardening, walking, and cleaning up our home. By staying active, we can burn calories in our bodies, even without doing exercises.
Tips for Sustainable Weight Loss
Every woman has different DNA. Some of them tend to stay fit and slim, but others don’t. The second ones might need extra effort to reduce more lbs or kgs. Some other women may get easy in both weight loss and then gain weight afterwards if they are not disciplined enough to keep their bodies staying fit and slim.
So, here are some essential tips for sustainable weight loss:
1. Stay Hydrated: Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to support metabolism.
2. Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep to regulate hunger hormones.
3. Manage Stress: Use techniques like journaling, aromatherapy, or spending time in nature.
4. Limit Processed Carbs & Sugars: Reduce refined carbs and focus on whole foods to maintain blood sugar balance.
Women’s bodies are unique. And beyond their uniqueness lies something magical that will become the place a new generation begins. Where new optimism begins to sprout.
Like a flower, there is a time when the buds start to bloom until the flowers start to wilt. And when they start to wilt, they need special care to keep them fresh. One way is to maintain hormonal stability and take care of their bodies, like taking care of their roots and branches or stems.
Ladies, there is still much information regarding menopause and its correlation with weight gain. However, that won’t be enough if I tell you here. So, if you want to know further, please join my FREE webinar that will be held soon, entitled “How To Handle Menopause Weight Gain & Shine Through.” [Click the title link.]
Last but not least. I pray you stay healthy, young, vibrant, and in blossom forever! 🌸🔆