How To Lose Weight During Menopause

Research and clinical experience have revealed that women's major concern with midlife and aging is weight gain. Dr. Holly L. Thacker, executive director of Speaking of Women's Health, discusses how midlife women can lose weight during menopause.

Weight gain during menopause is a common problem for many women. There are, however, ways to lose weight and maintain your health during this time. Read on to learn more about how you can get back into shape when no matter what you do seems to work! You deserve it!

1. Try to stay active.

Even if you are not feeling like doing much, try to at least take a 10-minute walk every day. This is an easy way to get your routine back without having to do anything too strenuous (and gives you something else to focus on instead of the weight gain!).

2. Plan meals ahead of time.

This can be especially helpful if you are someone who does not feel hungry during the later stages of menopause and need some good ideas for low-fat foods that will keep hunger away (along with unwanted weight). Some options include salads, fruits, or non-fat yogurts. You can also replace half of your protein with vegetables when eating meat-based protein, like chicken or turkey.

3. Cut down on your salt intake.

All processed foods, like canned soups and frozen dinners, contain a great deal of sodium (salt). If you try to cut out these types of food items entirely, it will be too difficult to maintain your diet during menopause so try cutting them down as much as possible. Also, try avoiding pre-packaged condiments like ketchup and barbecue sauce because of the added sugars they contain. One way to reduce the salt content is by using more spices than salt in your cooking!

4. Learn what works for your body type/menopause stage/etc.

Every woman's situation is different so only you can determine what type of workout you need to do to lose weight. Some women report that strength training works well for them while others prefer longer cardio workouts. What matters is that you figure out what your body likes and take advantage of it!

5. Find a workout buddy.

Having a friend, relative, or spouse trying to lose weight with you can make all the difference in your menopause dieting success story! You have someone who understands exactly what you are going through and will not judge your efforts because they are facing the same situation as you. This gives support, motivation, and encouragement- helping everyone involved reach their goals more quickly (and successfully).

6. Keep track of your weight loss

This is an easy way to keep track of your weight loss! Not only will this help you know if/when you are losing weight, but it will also be another activity for you to focus on and look forward to (which is always good) and let's face it; we can all use some extra sleep. I recommend pedometers. If nothing else, they give encouragement and motivation because we like to see how much we walk throughout the day. Some options include Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer, Omron HJ-113 Digital Pocket Pedometer, Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer, or New Lifestyles NL-2000 Pedometer.

If you’re struggling to get through the day with little energy, it may be due to hormonal changes. The good news is that there are things you can do during menopause that will help make your life easier and more enjoyable. These tips should give you a better idea of what might work for your unique needs and lifestyle.

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Tags: Dr. Holly L. Thacker, lose weight during menopause, menopause, midlife women, weight and menopause, weight gain, weight loss, women, womens health