How to Lose Weight During Menopause By Marci Lall At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Menopause can be defined as the time when a woman's menstrual periods stop and her ovaries stop releasing eggs. This natural process of aging can have a woman on a crazy roller coaster ride every month. When a woman does not have her menstrual period for a year she is considered to be menopausal. During the years of 35-55 women experience weight gain and/or may find it harder to maintain the weight they are currently at. They may also notice that they gain most of their weight in their stomach area rather than their hips and thighs.

Lets quickly take a look at some factors of menopausal weight gain.

Levels of estrogen – A change in the level of estrogen is one of the causes for menopausal weight gain. With the ovaries slowing down in their production of estrogen, the fat cells can make up in estrogen production to some degree. This will lessen the effects of the declining estrogen.
  
Not taking part in physical activity - Menopausal women have a tendency to exercise less than other women, which can lead to weight gain. Decreased physical activity is not only strongly related to weight gain but is also related to the loss of fat-free mass and increased body fat seen in postmenopausal women. 

Eating more often - Eating more ultimately means you'll take in more calories, which are converted to fat if you don't burn them for energy.  

Decrease in metabolism – The number of calories you require for energy decreases as your metabolism slows and the amount of muscle you have decreases. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, the less muscle you have, the less calories you burn.  

Genetics – Genetic factors also can play a role in your weight gain. You might be inclined to gain weight around your stomach area as you age. This means you may have to work a little harder to maintain your figure.

For those going over and above their optimal weight, you may want to make some small lifestyle changes to balance your body's caloric requirement.

Here are some tips you can do to reduce your calories, increase your metabolism, and take control of your menopause. For the best results combine more than one tip.

Both aerobic and weight training exercises can help. Try to incorporate your cardio and weight training together (circuit training) to decrease fat and increase lean muscle mass at the same time.

Reduce your caloric intake by 250 calories a day.

Keep a food journal for a week and write down everything you eat

Keep a trigger journal write down things that set you off.

It could include:

What you were doing
What you were thinking
What you were feeling
With whom you were interacting
What they said to you
What you ate just before the onset of the problem

Find a quiet, peaceful place to regroup and recharge. You can simply read, sew; listen to relaxing music, and do anything you can think of to be free from all the stresses of the world. A great idea on how you could use this time is to boot up the computer and share with other women going through the same thing as you!

DO NOT WATCH the news! One of the most contributing factors to high stress levels is watching the local news. The worst times to watch is in the morning or before you go to sleep.

Laugh. Watch a funny movie, or read a funny book. Whatever your preference, laughter will help keep your mind off the stressful things.

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