After menopause, women also experience a change in their body shape, especially around their waist and abdomen.
Menopausal weight gain can increase stress and anxiety
HIGHLIGHTS
- Changes in your lifestyle can prevent menopausal weight gain
- Exercising can help keeping menopausal weight gain at bay
- Being active is more important than exercising in menopausal women
Menopause and weight gain... the two may seem to go hand in hand. In most menopausal women, weight gain becomes inevitable, even though they are consuming the same amount of calories as earlier. After menopause, women also experience a change in their body shape, especially around their waist and abdomen. This transformation affects many women psychologically as well. It can cause increased amount of stress, anxiety and depression as well. To get rid of this weight gain, there are many lifestyle changes that you need to inculcate in life.
Photo Credit: iStock
Also read: Ladies, Menopause Symptoms Might Spike During Your Early 50s
1. Hormonal changes in the body are the primary reason for menopausal weight gain. However, aging and genetic factors can also contribute to this gain in weight.
2. Also, women feel less active than before. There is a decrease in the muscle mass and muscle turn into fat.
3. There is a decline in the rate at which you use energy during exercising. This means that menopausal women need to invest more time in exercising, along with exercising with more intensity.
4. With menopause, the body's metabolism rate also changes. The body holds on to the fat more than it used to pre-menopause.
5. Menopausal women often experience stress which leads to production of cortisol hormone. High cortisol levels can increase weight around the waist.
6. Lack of exercise, eating unhealthy and lack of sleep are other reasons for weight gain after menopause.
Also read: You Can Enjoy Pain Free Sex Post Menopause: Here's How
Exercising after menopause
1. Weight gain after menopause will be less if you are more active.
2. Apart from weight loss, exercising reduces risks of osteoporosis and various cardiovascular diseases.
Photo Credit: iStock
3. Exercising regularly keeps your joints and muscles strong.
4. It improves overall health and relieves from depression and anxiety.
Also read: Did You Know Men Too Go Through Menopause? Know All About The Male Menopause
Here are the exercises you should do after menopause
1. Strength training and weight training can be considered good exercises after menopause. They improve metabolism and build muscle mass. Doing exercises on machines, exercises with dumbbells and yoga can all be helpful to prevent menopausal weight gain.
2. Aerobic exercises which are of a lower intensity can also be helpful to get rid of menopausal gain in weight.
3. And above all, it is more important to be active than just exercising. Activities like going for a walk, gardening or playing with your grandchildren will help you be more active.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
