In general, menopausal women aren’t having the time of their lives. However, menopause symptoms aren’t limited to night sweats and mood swings. Whether you’re in perimenopause or full menopause, you can expect to gain some weight. Studies indicate that many women will put on an extra pound each year throughout menopause. Are the two situations really interrelated? Let’s find out.

The change in hormone levels that accompany menopause are believed to be a significant factor in weight gain. Nevertheless, there are other things that lead to weight gain in women. Your lifestyle and age also contribute to the changes that your body undergoes over the course of time. The causes of weight gain are largely because of a less active lifestyle and eating too much. And so you burn fewer calories because you’re less active. The composition of your body changes as it builds up more fat and less muscle, a result of a slower metabolism. Weight gain also depends a lot on your genes. If your parents are naturally stocky, there is a good chance that you will inherit the same body type.

Since extreme increases in weight can cause health complications, it could compound the symptoms associated with this condition. Experts have proven that women who gain more than 20 pounds after menopause are more prone to breast cancer by approximately 20 percent. But women who lose weight have a better chance of avoiding breast cancer. Those who lose about 20 pounds reduce their risk for breast cancer by 23 percent.

In order to keep from gaining weight and to maintain optimal health during menopause, a nutritious diet and regular exercise are highly recommended. When you exercise regularly, your metabolism remains higher and you burn off more fat on a regular basis. Moreover, muscle mass can be increased through strength training, which further increases your metabolism and builds up your bones as well.

It’s no secret that a nutritious diet is important. But it’s common knowledge that you need to consume 200 less calories each day just to keep your weight where it is. This fact applies to women who are in their 40’s. Once you enter perimenopause, adopting a nutritious eating plan will help you to avoid weight gain later during full menopause.

We should all accept the inevitable changes which will happen to our bodies. If you think that your body will stay like it is right now, think again. We might despise the thought that our bodies won’t be taut forever, regardless of our efforts. But the best approach is to work at controlling the aspects of your health that can be improved.

Tags: Menopuase

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