Menopause Weight Gain

Does anyone know of any good websites to get more information regarding menopause weight gain and how to get it under control? I am just starting the "change" and it's very frustrating. Thanks!

Thinking that's an "old wives tail." I think it is more how one feels emotionally, mentally, and psychologically. Too many women here are LOSING weight and they are at the beginning, middle or end of the Change. Remember, you are not your genetics. Eat right, moderate exercise routine and keep a positive outlook, chances are you won't gain weight, AND your Journey through the "Change" should be less bumpy.

lizziebeth nailed it. I'm 12 years into menopause, and the change caused all kinds of new challenges for me. While increasing my activity and lowering my sugar used to be enough to drop weight quickly, now I have to do twice as much to get the same results. And my waist ballooned!

The protein is important, as is the weight-training to keep you from losing bone mass. (The first five years of menopause is where women lose 90% of the bone mass they're going to lose.) Cardio helps lessen hot flashes and emotional ups and downs, so try to do something every day that raises your heart-rate to at least 120bpm for 15 minutes. I was having hot flashes every hour on the hour for a year before I found that trick. Amazing the difference!

It will be harder to lose the fat, but yes, it absolutely can be done. Just stick with it.

Maybe I was lucky....I didn't gain any. In fact I was careful what I ate and lost weight!

Maybe I was lucky....I didn't gain any. In fact I was careful what I ate and lost weight!

Congrats to you! :happy:

Maybe I was lucky....I didn't gain any. In fact I was careful what I ate and lost weight!

Wow 102lbs lost!! Congrats, good job!!!

lol sorry....I thought your elbows were boobs at first :blushing:

HA! -- me too

The weight training and pilates is an excellent idea. We lose muscle as we age, which may account for some of the fat gains. It might be a good thing to have an assesment at the gym to find out your BF% which may help to set your goals for weight and fitness.

For myself, I find having a personal trainer helps to mix up my workouts up and keep me motivated. I'm trying to lose the weight slowly while lifting 3-4 days a week to try to maintain as much leam body mass as possible, and once I lose about 20 more pounds I'll probably switch to gaining so I can put on more muscle. I don't worry about the scale so much as my BF%.

Wow - I guess I was lucky I only gained 7 pounds post-menopause! And no, it's not an old wives' tale about the weight gain at and after menopause, otherwise there wouldn't be so many perfectly conscious people telling about their experiences. If you really want to get depressed about all this, head over to Power-Surge, a menopausal portal with various forums, including weight and fitness. There are people there who absolutely got DERAILED by menopause in general, including gaining a lot more than 20 pounds. Somewhere I read that average is anywhere from 10-30 pounds as far as what women often put on around menopause. Of course, everyone has somewhat different body chemistry, and of course lifestyle habits have a lot to do with how one navigates all this. Digestion changes, especially of carbohydrates, so if one is carb-sensitive to begin with even BEFORE the change, one will have to be extremely strict with one's intake of any carbohydrates in order to lose the weight. Those docs mentioned in other posts who urge their patients to lose the weight before menopause are spot on, it's a lot harder, although not impossible afterward, and one really does have to get on the stick with proper diet for one's body, and significant exercise. Plus the fact that our bodies are wanting to store more fat to make estrogen in the excess fat cells, to pick up where the ovaries left off, so our bodies ARE fighting us to a certain extent, some more so than others. No more of dieting a little, and having 5 pounds gone in 3 weeks without all that much effort. It takes more, and smarter effort. Since one requires fewer calories by virtue of being older, even with being active, those calories had better be good ones in order to meet our nutritional needs. In other words, not much room for junk, at least as much as possible anyway. About the belly fat, yes, that happens to nearly every woman, and it takes dietary control to keep that from getting out of hand. Again, too many carbs and too much sugar will make this worse.
Strength training of course is hugely important, and depressingly enough, the very demographic that stands to benefit the most(menopausal women)are the least likely to do it, still, even with all the info out there proving that it's good and that great results can be achieved. Age-related muscle loss is very real unless one tackles this now, or yesterday. The sooner one gets started, the better but any time is good. For those who say they don't want muscle mass, think again. When you're 80, do you want to be able to get up off the toilet by yourself? I know, a graphic example, but if one's legs have atrophied from muscle loss, one won't be able to, or do other independent living tasks, and then it's going to be really expensive to live. Treasure every pound of muscle one gains, seriously! Whatever affects muscle, also affects bone, training-wise too - a fact that a lot of people are unaware of.
Personally, I've been on some kind of weight-training since the early 80s(will be 65 next week) and am reasonably trim and firm, but aiming to drop 7 more pounds(I've lost 2 since I've been here). I also do Pilates(awesome body awareness and core training, and if done properly, a full-body system), cardio and hoop dancing so I'm pretty active, doing something on most days of the week. I've been averaging around 1400 calories a day and maybe eat back half my exercise calories.

OMG - the belly fat. I never had a muffin top, even when I was heavier. Lost 30 pounds in 2005 when I was 50. I'm up about 15. 7 years later makes a difference! I've always worked out, I run, strength train. Since I started MFP, I've tried to maintain 1200 calories a day. After 2 weeks, i lose less than 1 pound. I get discouraged easy. But, it beats the alternative - weight gain.

Keep at it.

I'm 43 and haven't started menopause but one of the reasons i lost what I have is my female trainer saying to me...you need to lose it before menopause because once you hit that it's a whole other story. My mum has been through it and was a successful weight loser 20years ago... Kept it off, conciencious... Now she could weep... Is ticked at how she feels she has to start again. It's all in the middle too.

Hi! I am a student nurse, and I recently came across an article related to this! You should take a look... in short the evidence shows the menopause doesn't cause weight gain but it changes the way to body stores fat - more likely to get "a belly" which is what a few of you have said!

Ultimately weight gain is determined by non-hormonal factors, rather than the menopause itself.

http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/communities/rcn_forum_communities/womenshealth/news_stories/menopause_and_weight_gain

xx