If your elastic waistbands are stretching and your scale numbers have skyrocketed, you’re not alone. Weight gain during menopause is a common side effect of hormonal changes.
Many women expect hot flashes or sleeplessness, but weight gain is often the least popular and most unexpected side effect of perimenopause and menopause. The good news is that you can control this change.
1. Eat a balanced diet.
When you’re trying to keep your weight in check, eating a healthy diet is the best way to go. That’s especially true around the time of menopause. During this time, life pressures like caring for elderly parents and stressful work schedules can make it hard to put your health first. In addition, the lack of sleep caused by hot flashes and night sweats can mess with your hunger and satiety hormones.
Another reason menopause can trigger weight gain is because the distribution of body fat changes. In perimenopause and menopause, women tend to carry more fat in their abdomen than in their hips and thighs. This is due to a decrease in estrogen, which can cause the body to store more fat.
If you’re having trouble keeping your weight in check, it’s a good idea to see an OB/GYN who can help you manage your symptoms. They can advise you on the best diet and exercise for your specific situation and may also prescribe medications that can help you lose weight. For example, GLP-1 agonists like Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) can decrease appetite, balance insulin and glucose levels and increase satiety.
2. Move more.
One of the most important things women can do for their health is get more exercise, especially aerobic and strength training. These workouts help build muscle and burn calories, and they can also reduce belly fat. This is an especially important step in menopausal women, who are at a higher risk of developing abdominal fat and related chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, says Garvan’s Professor Lesley Campbell.
When the estrogen levels start to decline during perimenopause, that can slow your metabolism and make it harder to manage your weight. This is why it’s crucial to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet.
Aside from helping you maintain your weight, walking can improve other menopause symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings and joint pain. It boosts oxygen flow and releases hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine, which can help boost energy levels. Plus, it can help relieve constipation by increasing the rate of movement of food through the digestive tract. Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 15 minutes of high-intensity exercises in your weekly workout.
3. Eat fewer calories.
If you’re a woman in your 40s, it’s not uncommon for those extra pounds to creep on — one to two pounds a year is normal. This is because your metabolism slows down, and you lose muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat. Plus, you may have more stress in your life due to family or work, which can cause you to eat more and exercise less.
Adding to the challenge, reduced oestrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause affect the way your body processes food and stores fat. Women’s resting energy expenditure (the amount of calories burned while at rest) also declines as they age. This can lead to a negative calorie balance, which causes weight gain.
Added to this, fat cells tend to accumulate around the belly during and after menopause, which can worsen symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia and headaches. Excess weight and belly fat is also linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. If you’re struggling to control your weight, ask your ob-gyn for help. They can recommend medication and nonprescription supplements that can help.
4. Drink more water.
The years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, can be a rocky ride. During this time, periods can stop and start, or become irregular and heavy. Many women experience irritability, fatigue and night sweats during this period. This is normal and usually reversible with some lifestyle changes.
Once a woman enters menopause, her estrogen levels decline, which causes the body to store fat, especially in the abdomen. This is because the decrease in estrogen triggers a change in production of hunger hormones, including leptin and ghrelin. This results in an increase in belly fat, which can raise your risk of heart disease and hypertension.
To prevent weight gain and to keep your metabolism functioning properly, drink at least 75 ounces of water each day. This is the best way to get more essential nutrients and keep your body hydrated. It’s also good for your hair, skin and nails, can reduce urinary urgency and bladder irritation, help alleviate hot flashes, night sweats and fatigue, and improve sleep quality. Try getting a reusable water bottle with the ounces marked on the side to track your daily intake.
5. Sleep more.
Women during menopause can expect to experience hot flashes and mood swings, but they may not realize that poor sleep is a common side effect. Insomnia and disrupted sleep can throw off the body’s production of ghrelin and leptin, two hormones that help control appetite.
A lack of sleep also can increase cortisol levels, which can lead to stress eating. And it can lead to poor food choices, especially foods high in fat and sugar. All of which can result in weight gain.
Poor quality sleep also can cause the body to store excess fat, especially in the abdomen. This is called abdominal fat, and it can increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and some cancers.
Get a good night’s rest by limiting caffeine and alcohol, exercising regularly, sleeping at the same time each night, and practicing relaxation techniques. You should try to do three or four workouts per week, including aerobic exercise like walking, swimming, biking, and running and core strength training. You can also incorporate HIIT, which is a combination of moderate exercise and short bursts of high-intensity activity, such as planks and push-ups.
6. Manage stress.
Menopausal weight gain often centers around adipose tissue, or belly fat. This is not only unsightly and annoying, it can also be harmful for cardiovascular health. In fact, one study found that women who gain the most weight in this period are at greater risk for coronary artery disease than those who gain less.
To combat this unwanted accumulation of fat, exercise is crucial. Adding moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, such as swimming, walking, or jogging, to your weekly routine is recommended. Incorporate strength training exercises 2 days a week as well, to promote the growth of muscle mass and help burn more calories.
In addition to physical activity, reducing stress levels through integrative techniques such as meditation, yoga, or massage therapy can help to control weight. Stress hormones release cortisol, which can slow your metabolism and cause you to eat more. If your stress levels are too high, try practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or acupuncture. Women who are perimenopausal, or within 10 years of their last menstrual cycle, may be able to benefit from hormone therapy, which does not cause weight gain, but can indirectly help address the dreaded “meno belly.” Hormones help regulate the body’s metabolic processes and increase bone health.
7. Try acupuncture.
Acupuncture activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress levels and stabilizing hormones to reduce menopausal symptoms. This includes weight gain, which is often caused by imbalanced thyroid hormones. Thyroid imbalances can lead to a slowing of metabolism, which in turn can cause the body to store more fat. Acupuncture can stimulate the thyroid and promote balanced hormones, enhancing digestion and energy balance, which can aid in weight loss.
Perimenopause, the ages leading up to menopause, is similar to puberty in that it is a time of changing hormone levels. Women experience a number of physical, emotional and mental changes throughout this process. Symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, fatigue, digestive problems and sleep issues. Acupuncture has been shown to alleviate these symptoms and help you feel more like yourself again.
8. Take supplements.
If you’re in perimenopause, you’ve probably seen your body shift from “normal” to “menopausal.” Fortunately, many women can avoid unwanted weight gain by making some lifestyle changes.
The best way to combat excess belly fat is to exercise regularly—ideally, on most days of the week. This includes cardiovascular activity like brisk walking and jogging, as well as muscle-strengthening activities two or more times per week.
Sleep is also important for combating excess belly fat, as is limiting alcohol intake. Too much alcohol can interfere with your sleep cycle, and poor-quality sleep can trigger food cravings for high-calorie foods.
In addition, a balanced diet that includes plenty of protein is critical for maintaining muscle mass. You should also aim to get 1,000 mg of calcium and 600 IU of vitamin D daily. These nutrients can help prevent bone loss and osteoporosis, which is common with aging and menopause. Your doctor can recommend the best supplements for you based on your specific health needs. Taking over-the-counter or prescription weight-loss drugs may also be an option, but this is typically only recommended when your health professional thinks you’ll benefit from it.
