Menopause and weight gain: is there really a link?
Just like puberty, menopause is inevitable and represents a normal stage in women’s lives. This notion etymologically means “cessation of menstruation“, and indicates the period that occurs when the ovaries stop secreting reproductive hormones, progesterone and estrogen. A woman is considered to be menopausal after a year of missing menstruation. In France, menopause affects more than 400,000 women aged 45 to 55 each year. During this phase, they fear many changes and disorders more or less difficult to bear. Indeed, theirsilhouette changes, as well as the functioning of their organism.
Menopause and weight gain: Is there really a link?
Over the years, a woman’s body changes. Whether she notices a difference on the scale or not, she is no longer the same. Hiswaist thickens, hiships become rounded, and his body seems to have softened. So, some suddenly see the pounds stored without having changed their diet. In addition, 44% of European women believe that there is a link betweenmenopause and weightand think they have gained 2 to 4 kg.(1)
A change in morphology at menopause
Before continuing, remember that themorphologyof the woman changes during menopause. Thegynoidsilhouette gradually transforms into anandroid. With a low production of reproductive hormones, the body begins to change the distribution of concentrated fats onthe belly and waist. Muscle mass also decreases gradually and we have more fat mass. This leads to a decrease in resting energy expenditure or DER, as well as a gradual increase in fat mass, which can be likened to weight gain for some of us.
During the increase in fat mass, the place where our body stores fat changes. Since fat piles up in the chest and abdomen, we have more fat around the internal organs, especially the heart. Meanwhile, the decrease in muscle mass has a rather negative impact on our resting metabolism. The latter is the amount of energy that our body needs at rest to make our heart beat, breathe, function organs or circulate blood. When it drops, weburn fewer caloriesand tend to gain weight.
Keeping the line after menopause is possible!
It is entirely possible to maintain a pretty silhouette and beautiful shapes after menopause. Hence the great importance of practicingphysical activity on a regular basistag. The more active you are, the more likely you are to gain a healthy weight and maintain muscle mass. According to a study by Sanchis-Moysi et al., women who entered menopause 10 to 12 years ago and who still continue to play tennis are slimmer and moreover more muscular than those who are sedentary. Indeed, these first were able to preserve their weight, their muscle mass and also their silhouette. The sedentary, meanwhile, gained 8 kg more and stored more fat in their abdomen (60%).(1)
If you don’t really like working out, you can also maintain a good figure by being Activetag. Try, for example, to walk 4 or 5 km for30minutes a day. You also have the option of doingmuscle exercises for about 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.