Weight Gain in Menopause- How to Manage your Weight

Countless women approaching, or in the midst of menopause find themselves starting to gain weight. This weight gain is most prevalent around their hips and waist; it does not seem to go away no matter how much you diet. Things that used to work to keep you trim no longer have the same effect or work at all. Weight gain in menopause, and the lack of ability to lose it are the most common complaints of women moving through this phase of life.

As years go by a woman’s body can become contaminated with toxins. Once under control before menopause, the toxins now interfere with the metabolism functions that keep weight within a reasonable range. They must be stored to keep them from affecting major organs of the body, and are stored as fat cells. When a woman attempts to rid herself of the fat via crash diets or other unhealthy means, these toxins are released into the blood stream and have unpleasant side effects.

The body only wants to be in it’s natural state of balance; it’ll use any means it has to maintain these fatty toxins stored, rather than lose weight. Toxin release may cause inflammation and bloating that is typically linked with menopause. Its also common during this phase of life to develop food sensitivities that can circumvent weight loss efforts.

Many women have been sensitive to certain foods for years, but the ameliorative effects of estrogen on the digestive tract mask the sensitivity. Once a woman decreases her estrogen levels during menopause, any food sensitivities show up and a woman may start relying on foods that are much less nutritious and put her body into a hoarding mode. This leads to weight gain even, though she may be eating less.

Weight loss is not only about will power or the calories you do or do not consume. Losing weight involves putting the body and mind back into balance; it is a complex process, and becomes harder still during menopause for obvious reasons. The body is in a state of hormonal flux and imbalance, old toxins are coming into play, and there is a large amount of stress.

The most important things for a woman going through the Change, are to manage the stresses in her life and to learn how to eat the foods that work for her. This will let her have the body she is used to, without having to go through the pain of starving herself to lose weight.
For more on menopause treatment and menopause hot flashes, visit medopedia.com.
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