Articles: Weight Loss

Actually talking to majority of the women over 50 you will quickly find that menopause and weight gain are linked in their experience. It is extremely typical to put on unwanted weight at this time and even though some of this are closely related to life style changes, that won't explain why suddenly we develop a inclination to place on excess weight at various parts of the body, especially the belly, while any weight gained when you were younger tended to be more centered around the hips.

The truth is without a doubt that hormonal changes will have a major part to play in this, even though the process is not really completely understood. At menopause a woman stops ovulating, her monthly menstruation periods end, and her body system produces reduced levels of the feminine hormone estrogen which is responsible for the ovulation process. Low estrogen levels cause putting on weight in animals and it almost definitely is the reason why people change shape. While women of childbearing age store fat in the lower body, after the menopause they store it on the abdomen instead, like men. This leads to a even more risk of heart disease.

When you reach this time in your life, both men and women usually tend to find muscle becoming to fat cells as they age, and the metabolic process slows down. Because of this if you do not adjust your eating style you will most certainly discover that your weight increases. A person of Sixty just does not need as many calories as a person of 40.

Hormone therapy with estrogen is sometimes prescribed to manage menopausal complaints. Many women tend to be surprised to know that numerous studies have shown that hormone therapy doesn't necessarily cause weight gain. Some women endure bloating along with water retention in the early stages of hormone therapy but this is usually short-term and they have not gained any fat. Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by preventing the changes in storage of body fat around the tummy and lowering cholesterol. However, hormone therapy has become linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in some studies.

If you find that you are gaining weight around the time you experience menopause, there are plenty of things that you can do.

Start with a healthy, low fat diet with a lot of fiber, avoiding sugar.

- Take frequent exercise. As people get older their physical activity levels naturally drop. Work often becomes less physically strenuous, there aren't any kids to chase around after, we take less active getaways and do things more slowly. Half an hour of moderate exercising each day should help to balance out the effect of this.

- Maintain your muscle strength and mass. Use weights for arm muscles and taking walks or riding a bike for legs.

- Accept the changes to the shape of your body. In case you are not overweight, but simply have got a thicker waist and slimmer legs, that is fine.

Consult with your doctor before starting any workout regime if you could potentially have any health conditions or your fitness levels are low. Physician can also help with conditions of the menopause and weight gain.