Menopause and Weight Gain

Fat and forty often sounds derogatory. But it is an unpleasant truth for many individuals, particularly women. Forty is an age when most women start experiencing changes. Both physiological as well as psychological. The mirror does not seem to be friendly any more and you are shocked when you see a fat and frumpy figure within it. Now, many women dismiss the weight gain as a common phenomenon during menopause. It is not so. Menopause has no major effect on your body weight. Then why are you practically bordering on the obese?

Reasons- Things slow down once you enter your forties. The metabolism rate becomes sluggish and your food intake may not match the  speed of your metabolism anymore. Most of what you eat now gets stored in your body instead of being converted into energy.  This problem is not confined to women alone and you will frequently see older men with beer bellies hanging out.

Lifestyle changes- If you look around you will find that you have developed a more sedentary life of late. Be it at home or work, you are more than content to work from a fixed position. Think about getting up once in a while. Put away that bag of potato crackers while watching your favorite TV show.  Replace it with a healthier substitute and watch your tummy become trim again.

Exercise-  Start exercising with caution. Don’t go in for a rigorous schedule. Hitting the gym may not be advisable. You must remember that with a decreased calcium level in your body, you do run the risk of fracture at the slightest pretext. A daily brisk walk around the park will help considerably. Avoid taking the elevator and try climbing stairs instead.

Eating Right- Eat a lot of fiber rich food now. Added supplements of calcium and Vitamins in your diet will help you to combat the adverse effects of menopause. Drink plenty of fluids but refrain from too much of coffee or coke. Staying away from sugar will help you maintain your ideal body weight.