[?] Subscribe To
This Site

Menopausal Weight Gain
and
what to do about it!

So menopausal weight gain has arrived and announced itself: "Hello, I'm middle age spread!" and the big question is what now?

Well the way I see it, you've got a couple of choices when it comes to menopause and weight gain: You can stress and feel frantic about it as many women tend to. And frankly given the thin obsessed culture we live in, that's totally understandable.

Here's the problem with that though -- stress in itself can lead to:

*comfort eating,
* eating less nutritionally,
* and the release of stress hormones like Cortisol that cause hormonal weight gain.

You could lose sleep about it. However, Dr. Eve Caulter from the National Sleep Institute claims that a lack of sleep may be the "royal route to obesity." And one of the problem might be that you're already losing sleep due to hot flushes and night sweats, which may be exacerbating your menopausal weight gain and middle age spread.

You could head off down to your local pharmacy to those shelves that hold all those miracle 'lose 40lbs in 4 week' cures - you know one of those famous lose weight quick diets. Only problem is they help you lose water and muscle and help you put on more fat in the long term. So they aren't the solution to middle age spread either.

Understanding Menopausal symptoms

Get to know the symptoms of menopause that impact on--and possibly exacerbate--how you're feeling about your menopausal weight gain.

Understand what is happening in your body and over which you seem to have little or no control. At least knowledge can reduce your levels of stress about it and make you feel more in control.

While there are many other symptoms too - these are the ones I've chosen because of how they might impact on how you feel about yourself.

So while middle age spread may be the one you most confront every time you dress, you're most likely also having to contend with:

* a faulty mirror - surely I can't suddenly be getting all these wrinkles and cherry moles? Your skin may change and feel thinner and less elastic

* your breasts may become less firm (um and probably more gravity fueled too. Mine seem to be having a race to see which of them are going to touch my toes first! You'd swear there was some kind of prize for the one that wins this contest.)

*facial hair... and here's the irony, you may actually find you start losing the hair on your head (which you don't want to do) and start gaining it on your upper lip and chin! * power surges--that's what I prefer to call hot flashes. I've had the occasional one that felt like it could have powered the whole of New York for a night!

* damp sheets (and usually not from wild sex like in the good old days) from all those night sweats which also have something to do with those disturbed sleeping patterns

* not feeling like being a very sexual being - and of course this may be because with menopausal weight gain we feel less sexy. But there's another aspect to...you might be having more urinary tract infections, vaginal dryness which cause difficulties with sex

* mood changes or depression: up one minute and down the next or just feeling plain down

* a worsening memory -- you know that saying: "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!" I've definitely felt that applied to me at times.

Well it's obvious that menopause isn't for cowards! Just looking at these symptoms is enough for me to march off and put in a demand that in my next life I come back as a man! (ok, I'm just kidding...but um... at times it has crossed my mind)

What to do about
Menopausal Weight Gain

Above all KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR! BREATHE! Menopausal weight gain isn't the end of the world! (even though I know if might feel like it!)

Don't focus on your weight gain, focus on staying active, fit and healthy! Menopausal weight gain, just like hormonal weight gain during pregnancy and puberty doesn't mean there is something wrong. Keep reminding yourself this is just means your body is doing what nature intended it to.

But ultimately -- and I acknowledge that this may be somewhat difficult to accept- whatever you do, don't increase your levels of self-hatred. Keep in mind that ALL average weight charts show that womens weight rises during menopause.

Try to stay relaxed and maintain an attitude of curiosity towards your changing body. And remember that by the law of averages your body weight will start going down again once you're past menopause.

I've read research that says we need up to 25-30% body fat at menopause and that a bit of extra weight is protective against osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs when our bones lose their honeycombed structure and along with that their strength and flexibility. And who knows what else it might be helping with that we aren't even aware of.

By the way, Leptin, which is a hormone that controls: feeding behavior and hunger, body temperature and energy expenditure, is produced by fat cells. It's another reason we need fat.

According to Dr. Gerard Karsenty from the Baylor College of Medicine, there is a link between fat cells, leptin, the brain, and bone density.

* Try not to eat too many refined sugars or diet foods - rather top up on fruits and vegetables.

* If you want to retain less water, consume less caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. All of these increase water retention.

* Live an active lifestyle. Exercise will speed up your metabolism and burn fat. And don't forget to incorporate some light weights to build up muscle mass which not only helps your metabolism but also is protective against osteoporosis.

* Don't blame yourself --remind yourself that this weight gain is just your body reacting to hormonal changes.

Have your menopausal body rant here

Here's the perfect place to rant about your changing body... Or just tell your story or share your self-acceptance tips....

Enter Your Title here (remember your title is what will get people to read your posts)

Rant below! [ ? ]

Close Help

Entering your rant or story is easy to do. Just type!...

Your story will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here.

TIP: Since most people scan Web pages, include your best thoughts in your first paragraph.

Upload A Picture (optional) [ ? ]

Close Help

Do you have a picture to add? Great! Click the button and find it on your computer. Then select it.

Just a word about the size....
The maximum image size accepted is 800x600. You can resize any photo larger than 800x600 pixels using any graphics software or Google's Picasa (for PC users) or iPhoto's Export function (on a Mac).

Add Picture Caption (optional)

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.