How To Lose Weight Around Menopause
Over the past 25+ years of clinical practice as a board-certified Ob/Gyn, thousands of women have asked me this same question, “Is menopause making me fat?”
For those of you who might need a refresher in all of the terminology, here’s a simplified version of what you need to know.
Menopause is defined as the time during a woman’s life when her menstrual cycles stop for 12 straight months- one whole year without bleeding – going from a reproductive state to a non-reproductive state.
Prior to this time, cycles become irregular and many other symptoms can occur such as hot flashes, night sweats, irritability and mood swings – this is called “perimenopause” and can last from 4-12 years before menopause. The average age in the United States for women is 51-52 years of age.
Back to the muffin top. Did you know that the average weight gain during the menopause transition is approximately 5 pounds?
Part of this is due to interrupted sleep, with night sweats causing you to wake up with sheets completely wet. This then leads to poor sleep quality, which over nights, leads to daytime irritability, brain fog, fatigue and much less motivation to put on your sneakers and head to the gym. This more sedentary lifestyle also leads to burning less calories, more fat deposition and feeling like your body is no longer yours.
Well, what about this fat deposition change from hip/thigh to belly? Is this harmful to my body?
We have different types of fat and the fat we can't see, that's below the surface, can be really dangerous. That type of fat can lead to Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer.
Yet – don’t be discouraged. There are ways to combat this battle of the bulge.
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In health and happiness,
Dr. Diana