The Reason why Weight Gain and Menopause go Together

Do you recognize these - hot flushes, moodiness, joint pain? Well along with these comes menopause and weight gain - all very normal. It's been estimated that the usual amount of weight put on due to menopause is about 10-15 pounds, that's round about one pound a year from the beginning of menopause. It's not surprising that the reason is the adjustment in how the body produces hormones, it's all the elements of going through menopause.

The Reason Why Weight Gain And Menopause Go Together.

For the duration of menopause, the quantity of the reproductive hormones that we create drop off and become intermittent. By the time menopause is over these hormones finish being produced totally.

One of the side-effects that with the decrease in the creation of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone is weight gain. Both estrogen and testosterone is the explanation for this. We'll take estrogen first. The reason is that fat tissue is another supply of estrogen for the body. Therefore, to make this hormone the body is encouraged to produce more fat tissue in order to compensate for the lower levels of estrogen.

Falling levels of testosterone is another explanation for menopause and weight gain. A fall in testosterone causes the body's metabolic rate begins to slow down meaning that you will be burning less calories when at rest. That then alters body fat distribution.

It is quite common to have an alteration in body shaping - going from a 'pear' to an 'apple' shape. This is due to the combined result of the reduction of these hormones.

Men and women have fat spread out differently around the body, but you may already be aware of this. On a man's body the fat tends to gravitate to the midsection and not the limbs or buttocks - commonly known as 'a beer gut'. For women, however, the fat allocation often goes onto the thighs, buttocks and upper arms rather than the midsection.

Menopause causes an adjustment in how fat is allocated to targeted areas because now it is more evenly spread out all over the body. The reason being there is a change to the body's androgen-to-estrogen ratio. The hormone androgen is largely a male hormone, however, in menopausal women the rise of this hormone will result in fat tissue being formed around the midsection the same as in men.

What Can You Do To Stop Menopause And Weight Gain?

There is no speedy way take care of menopause and weight gain as it is a process you go through, however there are solutions. Hormone Replacement or 'HRT' is one way of helping with the lessening of menopausal weight gain. Usually though, it's only a short-term relief and when you discontinue taking it the weight starts to increases.

Start Today To Keep The Weight Off.

So the key to menopause and weight gain is to eat small meals regularly, exercise 3-5 times a week and include some resistance training, because, apart from HRT it's just the same as with other people who are losing weight. What we strongly recommend to do is take a good look at the sorts of foods that you consume. Right now is a good time to commence some healthy, balanced eating habits.

During menopause the adjustments that are taking place to your body are perfectly normal, just remember this, even if it's not what you want!