When women reach a menopause age their bodies have a tendency to gain weight. Gaining 10-15 pounds during pre-menopause and menopause stage is very common. Some studies have pointed out that weight gain during this period of time can also be the cause of increased risk of breast cancer.
Several factors are playing a major role in weight gain during menopause. One of the factors is hormonal changes, such as increased level of estrogen in the body. Increased level of this hormone has been scientifically proven to have menopausal women gain weight and decrease the amount of testosterone in the body.
The second factor is the insulin resistance. During menopausal period calories should be seriously taken into consideration. Every extra calorie that is not metabolized will be converted into fat. Stay away from processed and refined foods. These foods will cause weight gain in women after the age of forty years of age.
A third factor is stress. During stressful time the hormones lead the body into thinking that it won’t be getting food again for a long time so that it shifts to storing every calorie it takes in, thus causing weight gain.
It is possible for women to keep their weight during menopause under control. Balanced diet is the key. As mentioned above stay away from refined sugars and processed foods and instead consume lots of fruits and vegetables.
Women undergoing menopause and weight gain should also try to avoid crash diets. It will only makes things even worse as starving the body will only cause one’s metabolism to slow down and cause even more weight to be gained in the process. In the same way women during this stage in their lives should avoid losing large amounts of weight.
Do not try to loose too much weight in a short period of time during menopause. It can lead to increased risk of osteoporosis later on in life. It is a must that women during this transition stay physically active. Exercise is the best way to burn extra calories.
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