Best Diet for Menopause: How to Lose Weight

 

Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist, founding physician of BistroMD shares the importance of finding the proper nutritional program that can help you “diet” healthy during menopause.

Menopause is a hormonal change that happens to women as they age, and it can cause weight gain. This blog post will provide helpful advice on how menopausal women can lose weight by following a diet plan. It also includes information about the best types of foods to eat and exercises one should do to lose weight during this transitional time. If you are looking for ways on how to lose weight, then continue reading!

1. Eat the Right Types of Foods

There are certain types of foods that menopausal women should eat to lose weight. These include proteins, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains. Protein contains amino acids which are essential for building muscle mass. Good examples of protein-rich foods are lean meat, seafood, beans, legumes, nuts/seeds, low-fat dairy products (a Greek yogurt is a great option).
Fruits are full of vitamins and minerals. The best fruits for this diet include apples (with skin), blueberries (acai berries are also good), grapes (limit these due to sugar content), strawberries (with seeds), coconut water (contains electrolytes) bananas, oranges, kiwi fruit, and pineapple.

Vegetables are also full of vitamins and minerals. Some good vegetables for this diet include bok choy, spinach, kale, cucumber, onions (choose cooked varieties), cabbage, carrots, zucchini, okra (if they irritate your stomach then limit these), red bell peppers (choose roasted varieties when possible), cauliflower (choose roasted varieties when possible), broccoli (choose steamed varieties when possible but do not go overboard with these because they can lead to gas).

Healthy fats reduce inflammation in the body while increasing the energy one gets from food. Healthy fat sources include nuts/seeds, coconut oil, avocado, dark chocolate (choose 70% or higher), olive oil (choose extra virgin varieties), and fatty fish (examples include herring, salmon, tuna ).

Whole grains are essential to losing weight during menopause. Whole grain products have larger amounts of nutrients than their processed counterparts. Examples of whole-grain foods include popcorn, brown rice (do not substitute white rice with this), oatmeal, wheat bread/pasta/crackers/pastries, oats, quinoa, amaranth.

2. Do Exercises That Help Lose Weight

One needs to incorporate exercise into their daily routine because it helps the body burn calories while toning muscles. Some good exercises that can help one lose weight during menopause include yoga, walking, swimming, weight-lifting, jogging, biking, tennis, dancing, and pilates.

You can also use exercise machines at the gym to lose weight during menopause. Some examples of these are the treadmill (increases heart rate), elliptical machine (low impact activity that tones muscle), stationary bike (burns calories and builds muscles), rowing machine (builds endurance), stair climber (burns a lot of calories).

3. Eat Breakfast

One needs to eat breakfast every morning because it helps fuel energy levels throughout the day while preventing snacks from being consumed later on in the day. Some good options for breakfast include fruit/yogurt parfaits, oatmeal, smoothies, eggs (poached/scrambled are healthier options), granola, vegetables with hummus, green juices (vegetables blended with fruits), and whole-wheat toast.

4. Snack on These Foods

It is important to include healthy snacks in one's diet because it prevents the body from getting too hungry. Some good examples of foods that help lose weight during menopause include apples, green tea (contains antioxidants), carrots, celery, yogurt (limit fruit flavors), dark chocolate (choose 70% or higher), popcorn, tuna fish, grapefruit juice (combine this with sparkling water for better taste).

5. Drink Water

Drinking water is essential to losing weight during menopause because it helps increase an individual's metabolism while providing the body with essential nutrients. Some good options of water include sparkling water (low calorie), coconut water, green tea, lemon ice tea, seltzer (low calorie).

6. Eat Foods That Increase Metabolism

It is important to eat foods that have ingredients that enhance an individual's metabolism so they burn more calories faster. Some examples of these foods are tomatoes, pineapple, papaya, pomegranate juice (good for digestion), fish oil (contains omega-3 fatty acids) berries.

7. Choose These Fruits

When possible choose fruits that are low in sugar content but high in fiber content because this will fill up one's stomach and provide the body with essential nutrients at the same time. Some options of fruits include apples (limit to two a day), pears, raspberries, strawberries (limit to three servings weekly), cherries (limit to four servings weekly).

8. Eat These Foods

When possible choose healthy foods over unhealthy ones because they are rich in vitamins and minerals that help balance hormones. Good choices for these types of dieting foods include almonds, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate (choose 70% or higher), kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower.

9. Include This Spice in Your Food

Cilantro has been known to improve digestion and contains antioxidants that make it easier for one's digestive system to function properly; this helps burn calories faster.

10. Choose These Condiments Over Others

It is important to replace mayonnaise, sour cream, butter, or any other type of unhealthy condiment with healthier options like salsa (very low in sodium), hummus (high in protein), and mustard (low in salt).

11. Eat Carbohydrates That Contain Fiber

When possible choose carbohydrates that are high in fiber because this makes one feel fuller for longer thus preventing the body from overeating; some examples of these foods include whole-wheat bread (limit to two slices daily), barley, white rice (limit to one cup per day) brown rice, vegetables, beans.

There are a lot of ways to go about dieting and losing weight. We hope this article has helped help you determine the best diet for menopause. Use these tips as a starting point, but don't be afraid to experiment with different approaches so that you can find what works best for your body!

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Tags: BistroMD, diet, diet food, medical, medicine, menopause, Nutrition, weight loss, women