We all know menopause as being a natural decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s and 50s. But one of the symptoms of going through this different transition of life is weight gain. Many women experience “menopause belly” during this stage and would like to know how to reverse it.
Tami Best, MS, RDN, CDN, IFNCP, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who serves clients across the country, shared her recommendations with Brandi Walker about how women could get rid of menopause belly, whether menopause weight gain ever stops, and how long weight gain normally last.
Best has over 15 years of nutrition counseling experience. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in nutrition and dietetics and is board-certified in Integrative and Functional Nutrition. Her specialty involves working with clients with gastrointestinal issues and those trying to improve their mood and mental health with better food and nutrition decisions.
Menopause and Your Weight
Brandi Walker: How does menopause affect your weight?
Tami Best: Menopause leads to a drop in resting metabolic rate. Studies show there is often a drop in physical activity as well. The two combined can result in a 400-calorie decrease in energy expenditure.
Likewise low estrogen impacts the makeup of the gut microbiota. The gut microbiome plays a role in hunger in satiety hormone regulation.
How to Get Rid of Menopause Belly Naturally
B.W.: What steps should women take to lose weight when experiencing menopause?
T.B.: 20-30 grams of protein at every meal to preserve lean body mass. Lean body mass is more metabolically active than fat tissue and will help offset the drop in resting metabolic rate that comes with menopause.
- To complement the increased protein intake, aim for 30 minutes of strength training three times per week to bolster lean body mass.
- 10 grams of fiber at every meal to support a healthy microbiome which facilitates good hunger and satiety regulation.
- Low-refined carbohydrates such as processed breads, cereals, pasta, and rice. And Low intake of simple sugars such as cookies, candy, cake, and sugar-sweetened beverages including coffee drinks. We become less tolerant of carbohydrates with menopause.
Consider therapy that helps promote healthy stress, also known as hormesis. These types of stressors produce mitochondria which are needed for energy and a healthy metabolism. One example of this is using infrared saunas. Heat therapy has been shown to support insulin sensitivity, regulate blood sugar, reduce stress hormones, and improve sleep all of which can support a healthy body weight.
B.W.: How could women keep the weight off before, during, and after menopause?
T.B.: The average age for menopause is 52. It is wise to create healthy eating and exercise habits long before that age to help minimize unwanted weight gain. Increasing activity during the perimenopausal years has been shown to prevent unwanted weight gain during menopause. Likewise, looking for ways to manage stress is important as high levels of the stress hormone cortisol contribute to further reductions in estrogen during perimenopause.
In general, practicing good self-care before, during, and after menopause includes stress management, healthy eating, exercise, and sleep habits. A person’s body goes through dramatic changes during menopause so don’t go it alone. Work with health coaches, registered dietitians, personal trainers, hormone specialists, and other holistic healthcare practitioners to support you.
B.W.: What types of foods should be in a woman’s diet during menopause?
T.B.: Foods rich in polyphenols can help symptoms of menopause including weight gain. Ground flaxseed is rich in a type of polyphenol called lignans. When digested by the microbiome they become phytoestrogens. Aim to slowly work up to having two tablespoons per day. They can be added to unsweetened applesauce or yogurt or blended into smoothies or oatmeal.
Soy isoflavones that act like weak estrogens by binding to estrogen receptors. Consider incorporating edamame, tofu, and tempeh into your diet.
B.W.: Where could women find more information on the best dietary choices while experiencing menopause?
T.B.: Working with a registered dietitian is the best source of information for managing weight gain and other menopause symptoms. An RDE can help you personalize a food and lifestyle plan to help manage the many changes that come with menopause.
Does Menopause Weight Gain Ever Stop
B.W.: Why is it hard to lose weight during menopause?
T.B.: Estrogen is needed for a high metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and healthy fat tissue. With the loss of estrogen in menopause, we see more harmful belly (visceral) fat, insulin resistance, and inflamed fat tissue.
How Long Does Menopause Weight Gain Last
B.W.: What is the average weight women gain during menopause? What is the average age at which women normally gain weight?
T.B.: Age in general is what seems to dictate weight gain as opposed to menopause itself. Somewhere around age 45 women can begin a steady climb in their weight of .5 kilograms per year. Women in menopause endure changes in metabolic and body composition, losing more muscle mass and gaining more fat mass. It may be these opposing changes that contribute to weight gain.
B.W.: Does weight management become easier the older a woman gets?
T.B.: Symptoms are most debilitating in the first 1-2 years of menopause and tend to last longer with earlier onset of menopause. Weight gain can be steady if lifestyle changes are not made. Weight gain will tend to plateau by age 70. The good news is with healthy exercise, eating, sleep and stress management habits, this weight gain does not need to be inevitable.
Managing your weight during menopause could be a lot of work. But if you follow the advice of eating healthy, exercising frequently, and managing your stress, you could be successful in getting rid of menopause belly naturally.
For more information on Best and her services in improving your nutrition or Top Nutrition Coaching Services, check out her profile at https://www.topnutritioncoaching.com/nutritionists-near-me/states-tx-san-antonio#tami-best. If you have any further questions or comments about how you manage your weight during menopause, feel free to share your thoughts in the section box below. I’ll be happy to hear from you. As always, be sure to like or share this post with the next woman you know going through this.
