How to lose weight with menopause (after 50 years): the belly grows how to remove it (doctor's advice)

With the onset of the menopausal period, it is not easy to maintain a slim figure and ease of gait. The once thin waist suddenly thickens by tens of centimeters, and the scales show unprecedented results. It is not surprising that for beautiful ladies the question: how to lose weight with menopause acquires truly universal significance.

Gleaning information on Internet forums, women rush from one extreme to another, but the kilograms continue to come. And there, and not far from a nervous breakdown. If you don't want to join the ranks of desperate fatties, then this material is for you.

Why do women get better

Before you figure out how to lose weight during the onset of menopause, it would be good to get to know the "enemy" by sight. In the role of the latter, menopause, because it is he who turns yesterday's slender women into overweight women with swollen sides.

Many women of menopause admit that they eat like birds, and get better literally from a sip of water. This is not a fiction. The fact is that starting from the age of 27, the metabolism slows down (every 5 years by 10%). And that is not all.

Due to the estrogen deficiency that accompanies menopause, metabolic processes slow down, and adipose tissue begins to settle on the waist, hips, buttocks.

Hence the result: with the advent of menopause, more than 60% of women gain 2 or more kilograms per year.

Perhaps now women of the anorexic type will be delighted that at least during menopause, the figure will acquire the long-awaited bulges. But the problem is that in the menopausal period, fat is deposited disproportionately and it looks ugly. Awareness of one's own unattractiveness plunges one into complexes and depressive states, negatively affects intimate life.

Attention! If your waist circumference exceeds 88 cm, take care of your health urgently. Otherwise, get ready for the development of complications: diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart ischemia.

Body Mass Index Control

For women who know how to control their body weight, weight gain during menopause is not scary. Body mass index (BMI) can help you identify a problem early and take action. This is easy to do if you know the formula: BMI = weight, kg / (height, m) x2 (the index is equal to weight divided by height squared).

And now a cheat sheet for BMI results:

• 18.5-24.9 is a normal indicator that does not require correction;
• 25-29.9 - overweight with menopause, requiring increased physical activity and the transition to less high-calorie foods;
• 30–34.9 is a dangerous indicator indicating obesity of the 1st degree and requiring medical attention;
• 35–39.9 - grade II obesity;
• from 40 - obesity, life-threatening, requiring urgent medical attention.

Attention! Too fast a set indicates a serious hormonal disorder and requires medical attention. Otherwise, complications may develop: hypertension, circulatory disorders, diabetes mellitus, etc.

Why is it difficult to lose weight in menopause

Women who have lost their usual forms are naturally preoccupied with the question of how harmlessly and effectively to lose weight with menopause after 45 years. For some reason, even giving up gastronomic pleasures and grueling workouts in fitness centers do not give results (even the lost weight quickly gains back). Meanwhile, the problem is on the surface, women just forget about the period that provoked weight gain, and act according to the methods of like-minded women of fertile age. But menopause requires a special approach, taking into account the following factors:

Hormonal adjustment

Ovarian activity subsides and estrogen levels decrease every day. Departments of the endocrine system work hard to maintain the level of an important hormone. And adipose tissue plays an important role here, processing the formed testosterone into estrogen groups (more fat - more sex hormones). That is why the amount of fat accumulation depends on the degree of estrogen deficiency.

Add here:

• insomnia that occurs against a background of hormonal imbalance and provokes weight gain;
• a change in the level of progesterone (a hormone of reproductive age) and cortisol (a stress hormone), leading to a decrease in performance, a set of extra pounds, psychoemotional instability.

Maintaining hormonal levels is the most important step in the fight against excess weight with menopause.

A sharp decrease in estrogen levels or dysfunction of the thyroid gland affects the metabolic rate. In women with thyroid pathology before menopause, autoimmune reactions may occur. And there it is not far from obesity.

The thyroid gland is the most important organ of the endocrine system, which facilitates the condition of the female body during menopause.

Therefore, it is very important to monitor her health with menopause and at the slightest suspicion of a violation, consult a doctor. Symptoms should alert:

• hair loss in large quantities;
• swings from fever to chills;
• subfebrile temperature;
• slight bulging and photophobia;
• swelling of the neck and swelling of the face.

Loss of muscle mass

Over the years, muscle mass begins to thaw in both sexes. But with menopause, this process is accelerated. The key factors are natural aging of the body and hormonal imbalance.

But also do not forget about the decrease in physical activity, which is typical for people over the age of 50.

Insulin resistance

The decline in reproductive function is accompanied by a decrease in insulin sensitivity. We remind you that hormones affect not only the amount of accumulated fat, but also the zones of localization of the latter (the thighs, abdomen and buttocks fall under the blow). And this further reduces the sensitivity of the female body to insulin and increases the risk of obesity.

The reasons leading to an increase in body weight in menopause are not solved by diets and sports alone. They sit deep enough and require a qualified approach.

Weight Loss Secrets

Internet resources are full of doctors' advice on how to lose weight for a woman with menopause after 47-50 years of age (that is, in a timely manner). After studying the information and discussing it with practicing specialists, we have identified several effective, safe methods for the body and bring them to your attention:

We put things in order in the intestines

Normal intestinal microflora ensures the smooth functioning of the digestive system, supports immune properties of the body, affects the production of estrogen (deficiency of the latter contributes to a set of excess kilograms).

The success of losing weight during the period of estrogen deficiency is largely due to the state of the intestinal microflora. If there is a mess, the weight will come even from the water. To normalize, improve the intestinal microflora, switch to proper nutrition with menopause:

• give up the use of refined carbohydrates, sugar;
• enrich your diet with vegetables;
• focus on fermented foods, quality probiotics;
• lean on garlic, onions, artichokes, and other prebiotic-rich foods;
• use bone broth in your first course or drink it instead of soup;
• take collagen peptides daily;
• observe the drinking regime (from 1.5 liters of clean water per day);
• exclude intestinal irritants: flour and dairy, soy, legumes, fried;
• avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.

Increasing resistance to stress

The extinction of the reproductive function affects all parts of the female body, but the nervous system is especially affected. The unstable psycho-emotional background caused by hormonal swings, combined with worries about the impending old age, deprive the lady of at least some stress resistance. Hence, insomnia, seizing problems and excess weight gain.

Do yoga, start meditating, and very soon your stress levels will start to decrease. If the climacteric syndrome is too difficult, seek help from a specialist and get "reinforcement" in the form of special drugs.

Don't forget about strength training

As soon as the age approaches the menopause, the muscle mass begins to melt, and the physical form leaves much to be desired. That is why, with the advent of hormonal changes, the loss of muscle tone leads to weight gain.

Regular strength training in the gym will help to cope with the problem. Exercise under the guidance of a trainer and very soon you will get rid of fat deposits on the waist. Moreover, exercise will be an excellent prevention of bone fragility and reduce the severity of menopause.

Until now, experts argue about the frequency and duration of classes, as well as the permissible weight of sports equipment. After all, excessive physical activity during menopause not only does not help to reduce weight, but also increases the risk of complications. And if you decide to practice at home, start with small dumbbells and add training time gradually.

Do at least 2 sessions per week and build them up-down. Optimal parameters for women over 50:

• the best time is before noon;
• 3-4 trainings weekly;
• number of approaches: 4-5x12-15;
• respite between exercises: 50-60 seconds;
• the duration of the workout is no more than half an hour;
• dumbbell weight: light, moderate.

Attention! With menopause, angular and breath-blocking exercises should be avoided.

Normalizing sleep quality

At a gynecologist's appointment, patients with menopause are interested in why the belly is growing and how to remove it as soon as possible? Recommendations - you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.

The period of menopause is almost always accompanied by sleep disturbance. Many people cannot sleep for long periods of time and often wake up during the night. Not getting enough sleep is a sure way to gain weight (regardless of age). And if in youth the total body weight increases, then in women over 50, fat is deposited in the abdomen.

It is not difficult to eliminate the risks if you follow the daily ritual of falling asleep:

• go to bed at the same time;
• take away gadgets an hour before bedtime, give your eyes a break from the TV;
• cover the window with blackout curtains (this is especially true in summer, when it gets dark late);
• buy an aroma lamp and fill it with lavender oil (essential oil will relax, speed up falling asleep and ensure restful sleep);
• put a fan next to your bed, and instead of a warm blanket, cover yourself with a duvet cover (important for women suffering from nocturnal attacks of hot flashes).

We eat right

Diet with menopause is not sitting on one kefir, but establishing proper nutrition. In order not to feel hunger and at the same time to lose weight, make up your diet in advance, alternate dishes. Foods with a high energy index are suitable for breakfast. For an afternoon snack or dinner, a light meal. Optimal variations of a healthy menu for women over 50:

• boiled rice with vegetables + steamed meat (it is better to bake or steam products with menopause);
• vegetable puree soup with a slice of bread;
• spaghetti (durum wheat) with boiled chicken;
• fish with vegetables (baked in the sleeve);
• spinach and hard cheese salad;
• vegetable stew (tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, eggplants, potatoes, onions, carrots);
• oat, rice, buckwheat, pearl barley, wheat porridge on the water;
• egg white omelet with lettuce leaves.

This is just a short list of dietary meals. It can be increased with the help of a nutritionist.

Be sure to include fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet (they do not get fat). Sometimes you can indulge yourself with nuts and dried fruits. They will dull the feeling of hunger, and saturate the body with vitamins.

Eating rules in menopause:

• eat fractionally, up to 6 times a day (portions no more than 0.35 kg);
• drink more than 8 glasses of water (without gas and sugar);
• drink 200 ml of water or eat an apple before meals;
• do not rush, chew food as thoroughly as possible (this will reduce the risk of overeating, speed up the metabolism);
• have a hearty breakfast;
• snack on light fruits;
• last meal a couple of hours before bedtime.

Attention! Don't expect quick results. Losing weight in menopause is a long process. The norm for safe weight loss is no more than 1-1.5 kg per week.

Do you want to stop the process of gaining extra pounds? Make the calorie counting process automatic. If you have crossed the 50-year mark, your daily limit is 1200 kcal.

Make a diet so that it consists of vegetables and fruits (60%), protein products (25%), slow carbohydrates (15%). Self-control will help to keep yourself from gastronomic temptations, not to gain weight after losing weight.

We give up bad habits

Nicotine and alcohol addiction has a detrimental effect on women's health and negatively affects her appearance. An immoral lifestyle and bad habits accelerate the onset of menopause, aggravate the course of climacteric syndrome, inhibit metabolic processes, etc. It is not surprising that older women with addictions look older than their peers and begin to get fat long before the first manifestations of menopause. And add here the flabbiness of the muscles and the puffy face - isn't it a terrifying picture?

We visit a gynecologist every six months

The climacteric period should be under medical supervision. After all, hormonal changes that affect the functionality of organs and systems can lead to serious complications. To prevent this from happening, the doctor prescribes treatment, which consists in maintaining hormonal balance. And contrary to popular belief, it is HRT that accelerates the processes of weight loss.

It is important to understand that a woman can be beautiful at any age. The main thing is not to indulge in excesses and take care of yourself. Yes, menopause is not the easiest period, because it starts the aging process and a woman who refuses hormonal support can grow old and "expand" literally before our eyes.

I would like to believe that the above material will tell you how not to get better and stay healthy during menopause. Slimness and health to you!