Talk to many women over 50 and you will quickly notice that menopause and weight gain are linked in their experience. It's very common to put on weight at an older age, and though some of this might be due to lifestyle changes, this doesn't explain why we suddenly develop a tendency to gain weight at different parts of the body, especially at the abdomen, while any weight we gained when we were younger would usually be centered at the hips.
Hormonal changes have a part to play in this, though the process isn't completely understood. At menopause, women stop ovulating, their monthly menstruation periods end, and the body generates much lower levels of the female hormone estrogen which causes the ovulation process. Less estrogen has been proven to generate weight gain in animals and it most likely is the reason why our bodies change. While women of childbearing age save fat in the lower body, after the menopause they save it at the abdomen instead, like men. This generates a greater risk of heart disease.
At the same time, both men and women tend to find their muscle turning to fat as they get older, and their metabolism slows down. This means that if you don't adjust your eating habits, you will probably find yourself gaining weight. A person 60 years old just doesn't need as many calories as a person 40 years old.
Sometimes hormone therapy with estrogen is prescribed to control menopausal symptoms. Many women will be surprised to find out that studies have shown that hormone therapy doesn't cause us to gain weight. Some women experience bloating and water retention during the early stages of hormone therapy but it's usually temporary and they haven't gained any fat. Hormone therapy can lower the risk of heart disease by preventing the changes in storage of body fat at the abdomen and lowering their bad cholesterol. However, in some studies, hormone therapy's been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
If you find that you're gaining weight around the menopause, there's several things you can do.
- Eat a healthy, low fat diet that contains plenty of fiber, avoiding sugar.
- Exercise regularly. As people get older their physical activity levels will naturally drop. Their work often becomes less physically demanding, there aren't any kids to run around after, we take less active holidays and do things way more slowly. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day will help to balance out the effect of this.
- Maintain your muscle strength and mass. You can use weights for arm muscles and walking or cycling for legs. Then there's swimming.
- Accept the changes to the shape of your body. If you're not overweight, but you just have a thicker waist and slimmer legs, that's fine.
Talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program if you have any medical conditions or your fitness levels are low. Your doctor can also help you with symptoms of the menopause and weight gain.