Hot flushes, mood swings and sleep problems.
Extra kilos, changed body shape and difficulty losing weight.
Menopause is a time of change, but with a few tips, the discomfort does not have to last.
Are you trying to lose weight or want to avoid gaining weight, but are in menopause? According to Maria Särén, certified nutrition consultant and ICF coach, it is common that it is more difficult to maintain weight or lose weight during menopause:
For many, the symptoms come stealthily, which means that you don’t discover them until it is “too late”. Suddenly you’ve put on ten kilos, even though you’ve been eating and exercising just like usual. During menopause, sugar sensitivity increases.
Why menopause affects weight
However, you do not end up in menopause overnight, it is a hormonal process that goes on for a long time. Pre-menopause can start as early as age 35, then transition into menopause which can last until age 55 or even longer. Regardless of when it happens, many of our hormones are turned off. Among other things, the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone drop, while the stress hormone cortisol increases.
Menopausal symptoms nothing to worry about
All hormonal changes are natural and nothing to worry about. On the other hand, it helps if you understand what is happening, because it can contribute to the fact that you don’t always recognize your body, says Maria.
Cortisol can, for example, cause a changed body shape with more fat deposits on the stomach and back. And it can be nice to know that it is not strange.
This is how you keep track of your weight during menopause
What then can be done to lose or avoid gaining weight during menopause?
Eat! says Maria firmly and then fills in:
But be careful what. And don’t cut back on food, but instead replace fast carbohydrates and processed food with good fats and proteins to stabilize blood sugar and bring the body into better balance.
Rest and exercise are especially important during menopause
Resting is at least as important as moving if you want to lose weight.
The increase in cortisol during menopause means that you handle stress worse than before. Therefore, it is important that you review your life and reduce things that stress you. And it doesn’t just have to be things that increase your heart rate, but anxiety, worry and depression can also be experienced as a form of stress. How you find peace or recover doesn’t matter. The important thing is to find a way that suits you. If meditation doesn’t fit, maybe a walk in the woods will.
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