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Perimenopause and weight gain....

M

McKenzie

Guest
by Julie McCullough, MD


Remember the days when you could eat, drink and be merry and never have to worry too much about weight gain? Or were you always one of those of us who struggled with weight loss and could look at a piece of cake and gain weight?

After the age of 35, as women become “perimenopausal” and beyond, there are many changes in hormones and metabolism that occur. Not only are we less active in general, but our hormone levels change, which can result in changes in our lean body mass.

A lot of women will truthfully confess that they eat less and less and continue to not lose any weight. Many women will start to notice more fat deposits on their stomachs ( called central obesity) which they never had a problem with before. Why is this?

There are several key hormones that begin to decrease as women age. Estradiol, an estrogen, can start to fluctuate during perimenopause and decrease substantially in menopause, leading to hot flushes and vaginal dryness. Progesterone also starts to decrease along with testosterone levels, which can lead to poor sleep, moodiness, and decreased sex drive. Loss of both testosterone and estradiol increases risk for osteoporosis or “thinning” of the bones. Woman can lose up to 50% of their bone mass in the first 3-5 years of menopause.

There are many things a woman can do to improve her quality of life during the perimenopausal years and beyond:

· Eating a healthy diet of lower carbohydrates and sodium can help reduce bloating and water retention.

· Adequate caloric intake throughout the day (not skipping meals!) and higher protein/low fat diets will help stabilize blood sugars and boost metabolism during the day, reducing the risk for poor weight loss.

· Calcium supplementation of 1200mg per day can help reduce the inevitable bone loss that can occur as estrogen and testosterone levels fall.

· Omega 3 fish oils can help reduce cholesterol levels and risk for heart disease.

· Making a “date” with your partner to help bring back the romance in a relationship can help improve libido.

· Lastly, one of the most important things a woman can do to improve her quality of life is to incorporate a regimen of regular exercise into life’s hectic schedule. Strength training (working with weights) is essential to improving the metabolism of the menopausal female. The increase in muscle volume that occurs not only increases resting metabolism, resulting in more calories burned throughout the day, but also gives additional protection against bone loss and significantly reduces osteoporosis risk. Studies have shown that strength training is actually better than aerobic exercise for weight loss and fat reduction. Exercise in general can also increase endorphin levels (natural opiates secreted by the body ) which can result in improved mood, better sleep, and improved sex drive as well.

All women will experience change during the perimenopausal years, but you can take control of these changes and make them positive and enlightening, improving all aspects of what makes us who we are and how we feel.
 

Andrew

Registered User
Jun 11, 2005
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That's a nice concise list. I think I'll pass that on to some women I know. Thanks, Mckenzie!
 

MR .T

Registered User
Jul 26, 2005
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Ontario
Im going to email this text to some women I know. I think I will add.......... [IF YOU DO NOT SEND THIS TO AT LEAST 5 WOMEN YOU KNOW IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES YOU WILL DIE.]
That will gaurentee they resend. lol