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April 27, 2020 | Life | By Lisa Smith
Everyone knows that menopause is a trying time in a woman’s life. Menopause is often referred to as the “change of life,” and there’s a good reason for that. Any woman who has been through menopause knows that their life is about to change. One of the surprising changes you may experience is with your weight. it’s not uncommon for a woman to gain some serious weight while her body is going through all of these changes. Here we’re going to discuss the reasons why that is and how you can combat weight gain.
A leading theory is that the rise in estrogen levels is the reason why women gain weight after menopause. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why a woman’s body seems to pack on the pounds after going through the change. However, some of the weight gains might be due to stress eating. Nothing makes a woman feel more stressed out than when her hormones are all out of whack.
Going through menopause is a crazy enough time of your life as it is. Gaining weight makes you feel even worse about the situation. You look at yourself in the mirror and don’t like all the weight that you’ve gained. On top of the weight gain, you feel lousy from what’s going on with your body. It’s no wonder why women pack on the pounds by shoveling chocolate into their mouths during this time of their lives.
Sugar is the real reason why so many menopausal women gain weight. Should you use a sugar substitute even though they might have adverse health risks? No one knows if artificial sweeteners are harmful, but it’s safe to say that they’re probably not good. During these times, it’s okay to reach for something sweet with the fake sugar in it. Try to keep the consumption of sugar substitutes at a minimum, and you should be fine.
Food is comforting, and you need all the comfort you can get right now. You must keep your portion size in check if you want to maintain a healthy weight. Do you feel as if you must eat more than usual? If so, then try to eat more foods that are good for you. A little more salad or an extra piece of fruit isn’t going to wreck your diet. The same can’t be said about an extra slice of pizza or another serving of fried potatoes.
So, you’re already trying to get out of exercising. What’s the excuse that you’re using today? You can’t exercise because it’s cold outside? Maybe it’s raining, and you don’t want to get wet. You don’t need to go out to exercise. Sure, it’s great to go for a walk, but it’s not necessary. There is a multitude of exercises that you can do inside your home without the need for exercise equipment. Anyone who remembers who Richard Simmons is knows that you don’t need anything fancy to shed your excess weight.
You’re not 18 anymore. Do you remember back when you could lose weight by looking at a salad? It’s much harder to lose weight as you age. Going through menopause is difficult, and it’s so hard not to want to stuff your face full of all kinds of stuff. If you understand that the weight you gain now will be tough to lose, then hopefully, you’ll do your best to keep everything in check. Any weight that you gain now will put your health in jeopardy down the line as it will put you at risk of diabetes, osteoporosis, and even heart attacks. Simply put, keep the weight off by eating right and exercising regularly.