Avoiding Weight Gain During Menopause

by Manet on July 2, 2009

In general, menopausal women aren’t having the time of their lives. However, menopause symptoms aren’t limited to night sweats and mood swings. Weight gain is a common result of both perimenopause and menopause. It’s estimated that most women will gain a pound a year during this time. Are the two situations really interrelated? Let’s take a look.

Most experts believe that the hormone levels that are brought about by a woman’s change in life are one cause of weight gain. Nevertheless, there are other things that lead to weight gain in women. Your age and lifestyle are also factors in the changes taking place in your body. Some of the reasons for weight gain are exercising less and eating more. Because of this, your body burns fewer calories because of its reduced physical activity. Your body composition alters as the ratio shifts to less muscle and more fat because of metabolic slowdown. Weight gain also depends a lot on your genes. If you come from a long line of stocky people, chances are good that you’ll be the same.

Drastic weight gain can lead to a number of health problems that might exacerbate menopausal symptoms. Experts have proven that women who gain more than 20 pounds after menopause are more prone to breast cancer by approximately 20 percent. However, those who lose some weight have better odds of escaping breast cancer. Those who lose about 20 pounds reduce their risk for breast cancer by 23 percent.

In order to keep from gaining weight and to maintain optimal health during menopause, a nutritious diet and regular exercise are highly recommended. When you exercise regularly, your metabolism remains higher and you burn off more fat on a regular basis. As well, you can increase your muscle mass by strength training, which also boosts your metabolism and helps maintain strong bones.

The benefits of a proper diet are well documented. However, it has been noted that in order to maintain your weight as you age, your body will need 200 fewer calories a day. This information relates to females in their forties. Once you enter perimenopause, adopting a nutritious eating plan will help you to avoid weight gain later during full menopause.

We should all accept the inevitable changes which will happen to our bodies. If you’re hoping to maintain the body you have now for the rest of your life, don’t hold your breath. We might despise the thought that our bodies won’t be taut forever, regardless of our efforts. But the best approach is to work at controlling the aspects of your health that can be improved.

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How To Drop Those Pounds

by Manet on July 2, 2009

Many people who are overweight or obese have decided not to diet per se, but to concentrate on engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining healthy eating habits in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, emphasizing lowered fat consumption, and an increase in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Talk to others who’ve successfully dieted, and they’ll tell you how encouragement from other along the way helped. For those serious of dieting, they should consider the Seattle HCG Diet Weight Loss plan

Fad diets that ignore the principles of the Dietary Guidelines may result in short term weight loss, but may do so at the risk of your health. How you go about managing your weight has a lot to do with your long-term success. Unless you’re like really obese where you need to remove the lard, gradual and slow weight loss should be your goal.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Check with your doctor. Make sure that your health status allows lowering your caloric intake and increasing your physical activity.

  • Go with eating less calories, but make sure you diet is still balanced, for loosing about two pounds per week. A diet including at least five servings of day of fruits and vegetables, which include whole grains, lean meat and low fat dairy. This may not be headline worthy, but it does shrink the waistline. It’s not “miracle” science — just common sense. To no surprise, this is the most product and health way to go.

  • You really do need to make time in your day for exercise. You can always start by climbing the stairs at work instead of riding the elevator, or parking at the far end of the lot instead of the closest. Then, assuming your physician gives the okay, gradually add some form of regular physical activity that you enjoy. Walking is a great exercise, since it’s free and most people already do it.

  • Just think about the great benefits of weight loss. Loosing 5-10% of your extra weight really pays off in great health benefits and increased stamina. If you are 5 feet and 4 inches tall, and weigh in at 150 pounds, then loosing around 10% of your weight would be a good mark to aim for. Those who best manage to loose the pounds and keep it off do so when it’s slow and steady.

For those who are really overweight, or even obese, weight loss needs setting realistic but stretch goals, and the commitment to finally change whatever is making them fat in the first place. Those with this weight have found great success in the Seattle HCG Diet Weight Loss plan. You should be driving towards a life where you both eat and exercise in moderation.

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