Why Women Gain Weight During Menopause?
If we talk about women, advancing age and weight gain are inter-related in most of their concerns. Women tend to gain weight at various stages of their life. But the propensity of gaining weight increases with the onset of their menopausal period.
Menopause is a stage when women stop ovulating. This brings to end their menstrual cycle. During this time, women in their forties and fifties find it difficult to lose weight. They also find it very difficult even just to maintain their weight. Most people even look at weight gain as one of the many menopause symptoms.
Weight gain in women of menopausal age cannot be wholly attributed to the hormonal changes though hormones play a major role in weight gain for women. Changing body composition is directly linked to lifestyle and aging.
The major reasons for weight gain in menopausal women include:
- Hormonal imbalance. The hormonal imbalance of menopausal women converts extra calories into fat.
- Eating too much. Some women in menopausal stage tend to eat more than their usual food intake because of the hormonal and emotional imbalance they experience. The excess calories are difficult to burn.
- Psychological reasons. The stress, fatigue and anxiety that menopausal women experience can lead to weight gain.
- Insulin resistance. Some menopausal women suffer from estrogen deficiency with normal testosterone level experience blood glucose metabolism failure. Because of this, the body chooses to store calories rather than burn them.
- Sedentary lifestyle. Most menopausal women live sedentary lives because of the discomfort they feel during this phase. As you grow older, lesser calories are required and extra calories are converted into fat. With a sedentary lifestyle, the weight gain increases.
- Lack of exercise. Those who are in the menopausal stage are not inclined to exercise. Less exercise means weight gain for most people especially those with sedentary lifestyle.
- Thyroid problems. The symptoms of thyroid disease is similar to the symptoms of menopause so it is difficult to detect. Both also causes weight gain and seeing a doctor to check the weight gain issue is necessary.
Now, can you still say that menopause and weight gain are always connected with each other? Well, the fact is there are always cause and effect to whatever actions you take. If you haven’t been living a healthy lifestyle, you will naturally end up not having a healthy body as you grow older.
Some women really do put on excessive weight during menopause. When this happens, do check the matter out with your doctor. It may be natural but it is better if the doctor sees that your weight gain is not out of control. It could be a sign that something is wrong with your hormone levels, blood sugar, or eating habits. There are risks that excessive fat stored around the abdomen can lead to an increase in risk of heart diseases and high blood pressure. It’s still best if you take precautionary measures as early as possible.
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