Winning the postmenopausal weight battle isn’t easy. As women go through the transitional period of menopause, their ovaries stop producing the eggs. According to a study, the hormonal changes that happen in the body during this transition can lead to weight gain around the waist. What furthers this weight gain is the hormonal changes that happen in the body because of age. In addition, genetics can play a significant role in the accumulation of fatty tissues around the waist.
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How To Get Your Waist Back After Menopause?
While weight gain can affect your appearance to some extent, it has more to do with increased health risks. Once you start gaining weight after menopause, you put yourself at a greater risk of suffering from cardiovascular problems including stroke, high blood pressure, and heart attack as well. Researchers have also observed that women during the postmenopausal period are more likely to put on weight all over the body. This is why it is extremely important to address the postmenopausal weight gain in the most effective manner possible.
What is Postmenopausal Weight Gain?
As you approach menopause, your body starts producing less amount of estrogen and progesterone. Once you have the actual menopause, estrogen levels start fluctuating and eventually drop to a significant extent. As a result, the body fat from different body areas such as thighs, hips, and buttocks starts redistributing to the waist. Decreasing progesterone levels also compel the cortisol levels to increase. This is another reason for the bulging belly.
5 Ways to Get Your Waist Back After Menopause
Here are some of the best strategies that can help you reduce belly fat and get your waist back during the postmenopausal period.
- Lifestyle Changes: During the postmenopausal period, it is crucial for you to make necessary changes in your lifestyle. Once you modify your lifestyle with workouts and a healthy diet, soon you will be able to experience changes.
- Improving Healthy Habits: Whether you are already maintaining a diet or not, you need to improve healthy habits to keep the excess amount of weight at bay. Besides maintaining a healthy diet, you need to increase your physical activity. While many women start improving healthy habits, most of them fail to maintain these habits in the long run. That’s why you need to be cautious about being active and healthy eating over time.
- Effective Exercise Program: Strength training lies at the heart of an effective exercise program. In order to lose weight gain around the waist area, you need to add strength to your workout sessions. Once you start building muscle, you will be able to increase your metabolic rate. Building muscle can also help you to burn calories which can further contribute to weight loss. Ideally, you should resort to strength-building and cardiovascular exercises both of which can be done through a circuit-style workout. Start with strength-building exercises at least two times a week.
- Battling Sleep Issues: During the postmenopausal period, you might be suffering from poor sleep quality. With weight gain, sleep issues can get even intense. When your body suffers from lack of sleep, you will be feeling like eating more which will lead to the accumulation of fat. Shall you be suffering from disturbed sleep, you should practice keeping all electronic devices away at least an hour before sleeping. If you still suffer from issues related to sleep, please seek professional help from a doctor.
- Reduce Stress Levels: It is of utmost importance to diminish stress levels. During the postmenopausal period, you can be suffering from stress because of multiple reasons. Under such circumstances, you need to practice meditation and exercises which will help you to reduce stress levels.
- Check Medications: No matter whether you like or not, you need to understand the connection between weight gain and medication. Medication used for the purpose of treating menopausal symptoms can also lead to weight gain. That’s why it is worth talking to your doctor.
- Talk to a Weight Loss Expert: If you are still not able to lose weight despite maximizing physical activity and diet, it is time to talk to a weight loss expert. Before visiting a doctor, make sure that you measure your BMI. If your BMI is measured at more than 30, consult a doctor as soon as possible. Women during the menopausal period are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes. Timely medical intervention is much required for you to be able to lose weight in such cases.
According to the CDC, you need to do at least 150 minutes of intense physical activities in order to lose weight. In addition, you should do muscle-strengthening activities as well. During the menopausal period, start with these tips shared above and follow a mix of moderate and vigorous exercises in order to get back the shape of your waist.
