Menopause And Weightloss
For many women, menopause is a challenging time of transition from the reproductive years to the post-childbearing years. It occurs when female hormones naturally decline, and a woman’s body stops causing egg follicles to mature every month in preparation for pregnancy. It is considered complete one year after a woman’s last menstrual period. On average a woman will gain 1 to 2 pounds a year during those years of change and weight gain around the abdomen is one of the most common complaints of menopausal women. The sooner this is addressed the easier the transition past menopause.
Unfortunately, menopause can be difficult for some women because of its often uncomfortable symptoms. These can include hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, loss of interest in sex, and irritability. Unexpected weight gain is another frequent consequence of menopause.
Tips on how to lose weight after menopause:
• Drink more water, eight glasses a day is recommended
• Cut back on coffee and try to drink it black or use skimmed milk
• Drink green tea
• Take up regular exercise, dance to your favourite music for 30 minutes a day
• Replace TV snacks with raw vegetables and fruit
• Completely give up sodas of any kind, they contain a lot of sugar or aspartame both to be avoided
• Replace your evening meal with a homemade vegetable soup
• Eat more small meals as opposed to 3 main meals a day
• Choose wholemeal pasta and bread
• Add more omega3s to your diet by eating more sardines or salmon, these can be purchased fresh or if in cans decide on the ones in spring water instead of in oil.