Menopausal Weight Gain: So Not Fair!

Menopause.  It just isn’t fair. 

Not only do you get all of the lovely side effects of a decreasing supply of estrogen in your body, but your metabolism slows as well.  This is when many women notice the slow accumulation of weight.  The diet and exercise routine of yesteryear just isn’t cutting it anymore.

This can be especially problematic for breast cancer survivors who may have been thrown into early menopause with therapy or who are on hormone blockers as part of their treatment.  Weight gain is a common side effect of chemotherapy as well.

So what’s a girl to do?  Mother Nature doesn’t have to win this one, but losing the weight is going to be more difficult that it was before menopause.  Just accept that and get to it.

What changes can you make to your diet?  Here’s a checklist of things you want to make sure you are doing.  The closer you adhere to these, the less difficulty you will have with losing the extra weight.

• Use a food tracker to record what food you are eating and how much. The simple act of recording everything (yes, everything) you are eating is helpful in cutting back on your consumption.  Just don’t cheat!
• Eat whole foods instead of processed foods. Not only are whole foods so much healthier for you, you will likely be consuming more fiber which will fill you up faster and keep you full longer.  If it came out of the ground, off of a tree or bush, or is not in a package, it is likely a whole food.  And you will get the wide variety of nutrients that you need if you are eating fruits and veggies rather than food that comes out of boxes.
• Eat mindfully. Pay attention to the food you are eating and put away other distractions like the TV, your phone, a book…  Sit down at the table.  Have a conversation with your family.  Put your fork down between bites.  No food on your fork and in your mouth at the same time.  Chew slowly and really taste your food.  When you are halfway through what is on your plate, take a 5 minute break (time yourself).  It takes your brain about 20 minutes to figure out that you are full.  Give it that time.
• Eat to 80% full. Stop eating before you are full to give your brain time to catch up.
• Cut out snacks. Hunger between meals won’t kill you.  Drink a glass of water or have a cup of tea.
• Get regular exercise and add some strength training. By building your muscles (lean mass) you will burn more energy even while at rest.  And since we also lose lean muscle mass as we age, it is important to try to keep your muscles toned.  Yoga or lifting weights are great ways to add strength training.
• Cut out added sugars and sweeteners. Sodas (diet or regular), processed foods with added sugars, drinks with sugar or sweeteners, etc.  It will also help if you can pass on the alcohol, but if that is not possible, try to limit your consumption to one drink then switch to water or club soda.
• Get plenty of fat and moderate protein. The fat part of that may sound counterintuitive, but the truth is that healthy fats and protein will fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied for a longer period of time. The “low-fat” recommendation that has been pushed on us for years is not healthy, and it may actually be a reason for the obesity epidemic in this country.
• Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep causes a surge in the hormone cortisol which causes you to be hungry and can sap any will power that you might have.

Notice that watching your calories is not on this list.  Losing weight is not a game of calories in vs. calories out.  Listen to your hunger ques and eat mindfully.  Don’t be fooled by promises of rapid weight loss with crazy diets.  Slow and steady is really the only way that sustained weight loss happens.