Weight Gain and Menopause

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The “Menopot”

This may look uncomfortably familiar. You may have even seen this in your own mirror. You are looking at the dreaded Menopause pot belly, or ”Menopot.”

Besides the health issues involved, a simple thing like clothes shopping becomes a traumatic experience. Hearing the howls of rage and cries of frustration of perimenopausal and menopausal women in dressing rooms is downright scary.

Where Did These Pounds Come From?

Menopause and weight gain seen to go hand in hand. But do we really gain weight BECAUSE of menopause?

Experts suggest that we actually gain weight during perimenopause for several reasons. As we age our metabolism slows and we lose muscle mass. Then, as our muscle is replaced by fat, our metabolism slows even more. Ackk! Without intervention it’s a never ending cycle.

We don’t exercise as often as we should, and we don’t always do the right kind when we do exercise. We simply aren’t increasing our physical activity levels or building enough muscle to raise our slowed metabolism.

Our bodies don’t need as many calories as we age, yet we continue to eat the way we always have… and so we gain weight. When we treat ourselves to a few cookies, have some ice cream to cool down, or some chocolate to help those cravings, we gain LOTS of weight. Combine this with a slowing metabolism and we become obese.

Menopause and Health Issues

Obesity is described as being 20 percent (or more) above the recommended weight for your height, age and build.
The Mayo Clinic tells us that menopausal women carrying an extra 20 pounds - or more - raise their chances of developing breast cancer by up to 20 percent. That’s not good news!

Due to hormonal changes, our cholesterol levels may also change. The HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) levels drop, and the LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) rise creating a greater chance of heart disease.

Lower the risk of heart disease with a Cholesterol Lowering diet

With declining hormone levels, there is a greater chance of developing osteoporosis because bone is not being made as quickly as it is being lost.

High Blood Pressure often shows up in perimenopausal and menopausal women and it’s nothing to fool around with. It can lead to stroke, heart attack and kidney issues. There are obvious connections between weight gain and blood pressure, because the more weight you carry the harder your heart, arteries, and blood vessels all have to work. For unknown reasons, some women that are not overweight will develop high blood pressure during this time, after a lifetime of normal readings. High blood pressure needs to be monitored. It is often called the silent killer because it has no outward symptoms.
Insulin Resistance and abdominal weight gain is a problem many women deal with. For the Menopot set, weight gain around the mid section is a sign that you are already insulin resistant, and that is not a good thing.

So what is Insulin Resistance?

Simply put, insulin is a hormone. It has several important functions, but it is secreted by some snazzy sounding little cells in your pancreas each time you eat. Insulin keeps your blood sugar (glucose) levels at an even keel. Glucose is the basic fuel your body runs on. The foods you consume are converted into glucose, and what fuel the body cannot use immediately is stored as fat.

Some foods like simple carbohydrates can have negative effects on your blood sugar levels. These are foods that enter the bloodstream quickly like sugar, white bread, chips, soda, fruit juices and so forth. When you eat or drink something sweet or starchy (simple carbs) your blood sugar levels rise sharply. Insulin is released to bring the levels back within normal ranges.

Over time and without dietary changes, your cells become resistant to insulin. Your pancreas must secrete even more insulin to keep your glucose level regulated. This initially results in rocketing blood sugar levels when you’ve eaten, followed by too much insulin being secreted. This “extra” insulin causes those high blood sugar levels to drop like a stone. You are now feeling exhausted and craving something sweet or starchy to perk you up. When you eat the next handful of chips or piece of candy, the cycle starts all over again.

A very dangerous problem here is that when your blood sugar levels can no longer be controlled, diabetes occurs.

Now before you go and hide in the closet…

Remember that there are at least two really great things you can do for yourself:

Lose Weight and Eat well!

Eat sensibly, cut out crummy useless calories, and improve your diet by eating whole foods. With some basic dietary improvements you should notice some nice perks!

You may lose a little weight, which means your blood pressure tends to normalize and insulin resistance decreases. If you follow a healthy diet that is rich in vegetables, protein, and the good carbs your body needs, you should begin to feel better.

Which diet is right for you?

Move your body to increase your metabolism

When you start exercising regularly, your energy levels will rise and your metabolism increases. You’ll feel less sluggish and have more energy. Some aerobic type of exercise is good, and brisk walking is great. You may want to learn a little about weight training.

Nope, we’re NOT talking “Ah-nold the Terminator” here, but you might want to try some simple weight training to keep the old muscle mass from shrinking and perpetuating that slow metabolism.

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