If you ask a woman over fifty what effect she thinks menopause has had on her, weight gain will almost always make the list. It is very common to gain weight around this time, which probably won’t surprise you, but what might is that where you gain weight changes as well. Young women, when they gain weight, tend to put it on mostly around the hips. After menopause however, this shifts to the abdomen, and any weight gained is concentrated there.

After menopause the levels of estrogen in the body are drastically reduced. This is because estrogen is the hormone responsible for regulating the ovulation cycle, however it has also been shown in animals that low levels of estrogen cause weight gain. This most likely contributes to the post-menopause weight gain that women experience, most likely in combination with other hormonal changes. This is probably also the reason for the change in fat distribution. After menopause, women no longer store fat primarily in their hips, but rather around the abdomen like men. A downside to this, is that it does increase the risk of heart disease.

For everyone, both women and men, muscle is gradually replaced by fat as they age and their metabolism doesn’t work as hard. This is where the lifestyle comes into it – if you are eating the same diet you were ten years ago, you will be gaining weight, because your metabolism will have slowed a little with age.

Hormone therapy with estrogen is sometimes prescribed to control menopausal symptoms. Many women will be surprised to hear that studies have shown that hormone therapy does not cause weight gain. Some women experience bloating and water retention in the early stages of hormone therapy but this is usually temporary and they have not gained any fat. Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing the changes in storage of body fat around the abdomen and lowering cholesterol. However, hormone therapy has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in some studies.

There are one or two things in particular that you can do, if you notice yourself gaining weight after menopause.

- Keep to a low fat, healthy diet, with lots of fiber and minimal sugar.

- Exercise regularly. As you get older, you’re natural inclination is to exercise less. With no kids to look after, less active holidays, and a tendency to do things more slowly, it can be all too easy to slow down. So you need to take deliberate measures to counter this – even doing a half hour of moderate activity each day will help to keep you in condition.

- Keep your legs in good shape by regularly jogging or cycling, and lift weights to maintain fitness in your arms.

- Don’t try and fight fate. Accept that your body will change shape and composition, and as long as you are no overweight, this is nothing to be concerned about.

Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have any medical conditions or your fitness levels are low. Your doctor can also help with symptoms of the menopause and weight gain.

Whether you are interested in advice on getting rid of fat, or other articles on how to lose weight, check out the author’s site.

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