Why does menopause cause weight gain? And how to lose it
Weight gain is one of the most common menopause symptoms that women struggle with. Our whole body shape can change from an hour glass shape to more of an apple shape during the menopause years. Have you put on weight, particularly around your middle? That so called ‘spare tyre’ or ‘muffin top’ can make you feel self-conscious and your clothes feel a bit snug.
Did you find that suddenly you got to your 40’s and even though you’re eating the same food and doing all the same exercise as you did in your 20’s and 30’s you’re now putting on weight? And it’s sooo much harder to lose the weight than when you were younger.
There are a few reasons for this:
Metabolism
Through menopause and as we age our metabolism slows down. This is because we lose muscle mass from our 30’s onwards and it’s muscle that helps to increase metabolism. You therefore burn less calories doing any activity than you did in your 20’s and 30’s. That’s why it’s much easier to put on weight and harder to lose weight through the menopause transition years. Muscle strengthening is therefore important increase your metabolism.
Oestrogen decline
Oestrogen production in the ovaries declines during menopause therefore the body looks elsewhere to produce it. Fat cells produce low levels of oestrogen hence we increase our fat cells to increase oestrogen reserves.
Stress
Stress can also cause weight gain and we’re more susceptible to stress during menopause. The menopause transition years can be a stressful time. You might be dealing with other menopause symptoms, raising teenagers, looking after elderly parents or juggling career and home life.
When we’re stressed our body goes into fight or flight mode aka survival mode where cortisol (stress hormone) is released putting us on high alert ready for danger. This supresses all other bodily functions including fat burning which is stalled to conserve energy to fight for your life or survive a famine.
Fat is stored around your middle when you’re stressed to protect your vital organs as if you were going to be attacked by a bear or a lion in caveman times. That’s why it’s so important to manage stress levels so that stress doesn’t sabotage your weight loss efforts.
Blood sugar roller coaster
Stress, sugar and refined carbohydrates can cause a blood sugar spike which stimulates insulin (fat storage hormone) to be released. Insulin mops ups excess sugar in the blood and sends it to the liver and muscles or stores it as body fat. Because the sugar has been removed from the blood it causes blood sugar levels to crash which causes cravings for sugary foods.
When you satisfy these cravings with sugary foods the roller coaster continues. That’s why the blood sugar roller coaster leads to increased fat storage and cravings make it easy to gain weight. If the roller coaster goes on for too long it can increase risk of type 2 diabetes. Balancing your blood sugar levels within the ‘normal’ range is therefore important for menopause and for weight loss.
Sleep
Many women suffer with sleep problems during the menopause transition. Either finding it hard to get to sleep or waking up at 3am and not being able to get back to sleep. There are numerous research studies that show a link between sleep deprivation and increased BMI plus increased risk of obesity.
Sleep deprivation interferes with our neurotransmitters. Ghrelin (hunger signal) increases and Leptin (fullness signal) reduces with lack of sleep. Your appetite will therefore increase and the feeling of fullness will decrease if you are sleep deprived meaning you are likely to eat more. You are also more likely to make poor food choices and less likely to exercise when you’re tired and exhausted.
I’m a big supporter of body confidence. You should feel amazing in your skin whatever your shape or size. For women who are obese and not active however, there is an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and joint issues.
My goal is to support women to be happy and healthy in midlife and beyond. Losing weight following my holistic Re-Balance model will improve overall health, rebalance hormones and blood sugar levels, boost your confidence, help manage stress and support a long healthy life.
Weight loss isn’t a one size fits all solution. Every one of you is different and therefore a personalised approach with one to one coaching will help you achieve your personal goals in a way that works for you. The below tips are a great place to start and please do contact me for more personalised advice.
5 Tips to lose the menopause weight
1. Eat a healthy balanced Mediterranean diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, protein, healthy fats & fibre
2. Limit alcohol & ultra processed foods
3. Balance blood sugar levels by limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates, don’t skip meals and eat protein with every meal or snack.
4. Manage stress levels with self care and time for relaxation
5. Include movement into your daily routine. Strengthening exercise such as yoga, pilates, weights and resistance bands are great to build muscle strength. Most importantly, do exercise that you enjoy.
Why not sign up to our 8 week Healthy weight loss kick start programme? A holistic approach to healthy eating, fitness and lifestyle personalised specifically to your goals and your preferences.
I’ll give you the tools and empower you to make food choices that help you lose weight but also that you enjoy. This isn’t a fad diet full of restrictions, these are healthy eating habits for life so you won’t put the weight straight back on. We specially focus on hormone balance, liver detoxification and blood sugar balance essential for fat loss during menopause.
As your personal coach, I’ll motivate you to stay on track and I’ve got your back when things get tough. I’ll support you every step of the way so that you achieve your goals to feel your best again.
