Many believe weight gain is linked directly with (peri)menopause – but how unavoidable is this and what are the reasons behind it?

The Sciencey Bit
As women approach menopause, the reduction in oestrogen does correspond with weight gain.
As oestrogen lowers, resting energy expenditure (the amount of calories your body burns at rest) goes goes down.
Muscle mass also reduces (worth noting that the impact of this is less for those who do resistance training and eat plenty of protein). The less muscle we have, the fewer calories, we burn at rest – again, lowering energy expenditure slightly.
So, yes – menopause affects energy balance and energy balance affects fat loss.

The Good News
The effect of the above sciency bit is MINIMAL – it typically leads to a calorie burn reduction of 75 calories or less. So, if you previously burned 1800 calories per day, you’re now burning 1725 – that’s an apple…not much at all!

So…Why Do Many Peri-menopausal and Menopausal Women put on Weight????
The truth is, as we approach menopause, advice on how to keep weight off is not very different to that given to pre-menopausal women: eat in a calorie deficit, eat a good amount of protein and fibre, eat mainly whole foods and stay active.

The difference with ladies approaching and in menopause is that symptoms make this harder to do!

Good nutrition is more important than ever at this stage and all research shows that a good diet and exercise are the only antidotes for menopause which all health professionals unanimously agree on – but it is the most difficult time to stick with it. Let’s look at examples…

Example 1: If you are suffering with night sweats and haven’t had enough sleep, the next day, you will be low on energy (sugary snacks will appeal) and you might not feel up for cooking (making processed, convenience foods an easier option than cooking a meal from scratch).

Example 2: If hormonal ups and downs lead to low mood, it’s easy to see comfort in food – it’s not the hormones driving you to eat, it’s the rush you’ll get from eating highly palatable food which acts as a temporary pick-me-up when your hormones affect mood.

Example 3: Another symptom of menopause can be anxiety and stress (which can be heightened by other symptoms such as brain fog – the list of symptoms goes on!). Being stressed releases the hormone cortisol which is linked to increased appetite and cravings for sugary, salty, or fatty foods. Once we eat, the stress lessens and cortisol levels return to normal. In a nutshell, stressful situations can elevate cortisol, leading to overeating.

It’s easy to see how symptoms of menopause can make it really hard to stick to behaviours which promote healthy and balanced eating.

I work with lots of peri-menopausal and menopausal women; everybody’s symptoms are unique to them and, with the right support, it’s entirely possible to create a strategy to combat menopausal weight gain and to lose the weight you’ve put on.

If you need help to lose fat, please get in touch for a chat – I am friendly, love talking about nutrition and how to use it to lose fat, be healthy – without pressing pause on your life whilst you do it!

Contact me today to see real results and keep the weight off for good!