Gaining weight and struggling to lose it? You are not alone! Weight gain is very common in the menopause. A recent survey on my menopause Facebook page revealed that 94% of women had gained weight, with 79% gaining more than average (2-5lbs).
Thank you to everyone who asked questions today about why you gain weight during menopause and what you can do to help manage it, as well as a few general menopause questions. If you have any other questions please ask them in the comment section below or email me privately eileen@bioforce.co.uk.
Products mentioned in this video include:
Nordic Apple Cider tablets
Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar
A.Vogel's Menoforce Sage tablets for hot flushes and night sweats
A.Vogel's Kelp tablets
A.Vogel's Molkosan
A.Vogel's Balance Mineral Drink
A.Vogel's Menopause Support
Jan de Vries Craving Essence
Menopause is a time when women experience several changes in their bodies. One of the most common problems that menopausal women face is weight gain. This article will provide some tips on how to lose the extra pounds during this difficult period.
1. Establish healthy eating habits
1. Establish healthy eating habitsYou should start taking stock of your daily food intake. Keep a food diary so that you can see what types of foods you are consuming most often. Avoid using high-fat dressings, gravy, and canned soups in your diet. Make sure to include more fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet.
2. Exercise regularly
Include thirty minutes workout session in your day-to-day routine. You may take up swimming, yoga, or aerobics for this purpose. Also, add some weight training exercises to work out the rest of the body parts which do not get enough attention when you work on the abdominal muscles only. A healthy diet with regular workouts is a great way to shed extra pounds during the menopause period without putting too much stress on your body.
3. Stress management techniques
3. Stress management techniquesManaging stress during the menopause period is also helpful in losing weight. There are some simple ways to do this like deep breathing or meditation, listening to relaxing music, etc. Yoga and relaxation therapy will help you avert emotional eating which leads to weight gain.
4. Quit Smoking
Smoking can increase your appetite during menopause and lead to unwanted weight gain. To avoid this situation you should quit smoking before you reach the menopause stage of life or else there is a good chance that you might put on more than 10 pounds if not more than that. This may be very frustrating for many women but once they make up their minds they get rid of these extra kilos by changing their lifestyle habits.
5. Avoid Alcohol Intake
Avoiding alcohol is also helpful in avoiding weight gain during the menopause period. To understand this let's take an example of a woman who drinks 1 glass of wine every day before dinner. She eats 2-3 normal dinners supplemented with multi-grain bread, pasta, rice, and other starchy diet-rich ingredients daily. If she avoids drinking one glass of wine her total calorie intake will be lesser than what it was so far because the calories in the drink are equivalent to about 90 calories or more depending on the brand. It will be enough to bring down her average calorie consumption so that she doesn't have to starve herself later to lose weight after menopause.
6. Quit or Cut Down on Sugar Intake
6. Quit or Cut Down on Sugar IntakeCravings for sugar increase during menopause and this leads to overeating. To avoid this situation you should either quit eating sweet foods or else reduce the number of sweets and other sugary items in your diet. You may replace these high-calorie foods with low-fat yogurt, fresh fruits salad, etc. This will not only help you lose weight but also increase the intake of essential nutrients like vitamin C which helps manage stress-related symptoms.
7. Follow a Healthy Diet Plan for Menopausal Women
7. Follow a Healthy Diet Plan for Menopausal WomenOne more way that can help lose weight after menopause is to follow a healthy diet plan that reduces calorie intake while maintaining the nutrient content of foodstuffs. For example, you can eat 12 ounces of protein-rich foods like lean meat or egg whites for breakfast. You can have 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, 1 sliced apple, and a cup of green tea as snacks in between meals. For lunch, you can have 10 ounces of boiled fish with 2 cups of vegetables and fruit salad with yogurt dressing. A small bowl of oatmeal cookies will be the best pre-dinner snack while for dinner you may go for seafood steak along with stir-fried veggies.
8. Positive Thinking and Laughter
8. Positive Thinking and LaughterMenopause is a natural process in life but it can be stressful for many women. To avoid stress-related weight gain you should take care of your overall health well and try to stay focused on enjoying your life in this phase. You may also laugh more during menopause because humor is good for the overall psychological well being too. It keeps you relaxed and helps prevent various kinds of hormonal imbalances that often occur due to stress during the menopause period. These small lifestyle changes will not only help you lose weight after menopause but will also bring down stress levels so that these years of life can be enjoyed fully by each woman who experiences this change.
9. Seek Professional Help for Weight Gain
If you feel that the efforts described above are not helping lose weight after menopause then it is always better to check with a doctor and get a thorough check-up. This will help you find out various other underlying causes of serious weight gain so that these can be corrected through medication or other treatment methods. These may include thyroid problems, decreased metabolic rate, high blood sugar levels, etc. So by taking care of your overall health well, eating healthy foods, and leading an active lifestyle during this period you will be able to avoid extra kilos and enjoy each phase in life while living a happy and healthy life.
Yoga has really helped me and pilates. I have lost 36 pounds and n menopause at age 50. I’m so happy because everyone told me I was going to gain weight 😁😉😊 and I lost
We love you Eileen…you are a god sent to us …for what we going trough ..you help us understand… Which is a great help…
Else I taught I’m getting very sick and picking up a very bad sickness😢💔…thank you👏👏👏😊
i am always having pain all over my body
Although muscle and joint pain are really common in the menopause, if you have all over pain and it is affecting your daily life then it is important to go and see your doctor.I have posted a video blog on joint pain and what you can do to help yourself so please do take a look.
http://www.avogel.co.uk/health/menopause/eileens-blog/2015/12/a-vogels-menopause-mondays-joint-aches-pains/
Vicious circle isn’t it ? The Docs want you to lose weight before they give you HRT, but then the you say that the menopausal body does not respond well to a low fat diet. They tell me that the exercise will sort out my anxiety , now you say that exercise will put my body in constant fright or flight . I have managed to still lose a stone and a half by doing gym & diet. So I am going to continue cos the Doctors want you to be thin , thin, thin ! What diet should I do if not low fat, ?? I have tried the Greek yogurt & coco powder trick and sorry my darling , it tastes awful. 💖💖💖
Hi Sallyanne
We are all very individual so if you are finding the doctor’s plan is working for you then please do stay with it. Sensible exercise is certainly good for you but we do find that a lot of women who go for it constantly don’t lose the weight – short, sharp bursts such as HIIT can be effective and it doesn’t take long which is great for those women who are really busy. Sorry, you didn’t like the yogurt and cocoa, it seems it’s a bit like Marmite – you either love it or hate it!
I just started taking symmetry female balance I feel much better so far. My period is not regular it came after 40 days. i found low impact high intensity workout it is effective i exercise 3-4 days a week I feel toned but I still feel fat not feeling the inches coming off. Think i need to cut down on my carbs I am also on green tea fat burners twice a day during the morning time so when I exercise in evening I burn more but sometimes I get palpitations
You are such a blessing thank you! I learn so so much from you.
My doctor put me on ponstan forte which is good for pain and it controls the flow of my heavy period
Hi Marina
Glad to be of help!
I would just be aware that there is often some caffeine in green tea products and this could contribute to palpitations!
for the past 2 months i have not gained any weight, I’m glad but would like to lost 10lbs. What would you suggest?
Hello Shirley, It is important to remember that any remedy cannot remove weight but used as an aid together with a calorie controlled diet. Check out Molkosan Original to kick start your day as an option and the Kelp to help improve the metabolism and as an aid to weight loss. It is rich in minerals, especially iodine, which is important for normal production of thyroid hormones in your body.
A.Vogel UK
Thanks for the info. I have been taking Sea kelp for a few years.
Is sourdough bread ok to eat would that be high carbs
Hi Frances
Sourdough is still high carb but is better for you than ordinary bread; just have in moderation!
Best Wishes
Eileen
Hi Eileen i have been having trouble with dizziness n neck pain n stiffnes i tried creams n exercises it is not working. N i have pain in my fingers these electronic feeling pain n weight gain.i m.trying to.eat my veggies n water n n chicken fish n grass fed meat. Can u tell.me what can i do for the pain in my neck fingers hands pain bone pain in my hands,n electric pain?
Hi Patricia
Neck pain can sometimes indicate a trapped nerve which could also be the trigger for the hand pain so it is important to get a proper diagnosis for this. You may find seeking the advice of a Chiropractor can be of benefit.
Nerve pain can also indicate low vitamin B12 or even diabetes so it is wise to see your doctor as well just to rule these out.
In the meantime you may find a magnesium supplement, approx 150mg twice a day can be of benefit.
Best Wishes
Eileen
Can i eat spagetti while i m in menopause? I will buy chopped tomatoes,in a can seasoned but i have to buy spagetti n can i eat cornbread too for my lunch or dinner?
I have pcos from 17 yrs
Hi Aaruhi
I’m sorry to hear this. Can I ask if you are currently receiving any treatment or on any medication from your doctor?
Best wishes
Eileen
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