You are eating and exercising the way you always have, but now you seem to be gaining weight, especially around your midsection. What’s going on?
For many women, especially in their 40s and 50s, this is a very common problem. These are the years the body is going through the hormonal transition that leads to menopause. A woman’s cycle can become irregular, and the production of estrogen and progesterone decreases.
The big drop in estrogen levels in particular can create some alarming symptoms, including the famous “hot flashes,” but also vaginal dryness, urinary tract infections, irregular periods, thinning hair, mood swings and more. And while any of these can certainly impact quality of life, one of the most bothersome is the weight gain. Is there anything women can do? Read on to find out.
Weight gain, it’s not just the estrogen
The decrease in hormones, along with aging in general, is what triggers the metabolic changes in the body. One key change is an age-related change in lean body mass that results in fewer calories being burned. This can be offset by serious, progressive weight training as we will discuss below, but without it, lean body losses can be as high as 3-8% per decade after your 30s and even more after 60.
This can be true in women and men. Genetics, lack of sleep and a lowered level of physical activity all play a role as well.
In women, the loss of muscle tone from declining estrogen and lack of stimulating exercise causes them to lose lean body mass and accumulate more fat as the metabolism slows down. And because the hormonal milieu around menopause favors more androgens, the weight that is gained tends to come more often in the area around the waist, rather than the hips or thighs where estrogen may put it. So while studies have shown that weight gain seems to be the same among middle-age women, no matter what stage of menopause (pre-, post- or whatever) they are in, there definitely seems to be a body composition shift with menopause that favors more of that weight being deposited in the waist.
The power in the plants
To prevent that age-related gain in weight that comes around midlife it is important to get about 10% fewer calories per day in your 50s and above than you did in your 30s. That’s about a 200 calorie a day reduction on average, and one of the only ways that can be done sustainably (without feeling like you are on a diet and always restricting yourself) is to eat a more whole food, plant-based diet. Such a style of eating provides the most nutrition per calorie in a form that allows you to eat to satiety without overeating. You can literally eat more food while getting fewer calories.
Another big key to this style of eating is its beneficial effect on your gut microbiome. A growing body of research suggests women going through menopause experience a reduction in the diversity of microorganisms in the gut. Dropping estrogen levels have been shown to increase the prevalence of Firmicutes, a type of gut bacteria that generate inflammation and slow metabolism and are tied to weight gain. Fortunately, eating a diet rich in fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains equal to 25-30 grams a day (or more) is great to improve this balance, lose or maintain weight, and improve health.
Don’t forget protein
To maintain body leanness while going through menopause you may need to cut calories by 10%, but you want to do that by increasing fiber 10-15 grams and protein, too, by about the same amount. The loss of estrogen increases the likelihood of losing lean body mass, and adding unwanted body fat. But adding fiber and protein both have a satiating effect, preventing overeating, and a little extra protein may be beneficial to help add lean body mass if you make one other important shift in your exercise program.
Lift heavy weights
Lifting heavy weights that allow about 6-8 reps or so create a new demand on muscle fibers that you won’t normally access without a dedicated exercise program. Aging creates a selective reduction in your body’s largest, most powerful muscle fibers, unless you stimulate them with exercise that demands their use. Heavy weightlifting exercise is that stimulus for these muscle cells and the bone they are attached to. While regular physical activity in the form of walking, running, cycling, yard work, etc., is good and should be done, it will not replace the youthful, stimulating effect that you get from high-intensity resistance exercise.
The bottom line
The good news is that while going through menopause is inevitable, the weight gain is not. By understanding the impact of lowered estrogen levels on your body you can increase your intake of fiber-rich, plant-based foods to enhance your microbiome and mood and prevent unwanted fat gain. And by shifting your exercise program to more power-based, and heavy, weightlifting you can enhance muscle tone and metabolism perhaps beyond anything you have experienced since you were very young. Give us a call at (706) 278-WELL if you need help implementing any of these things, and we’ll see you in the gym.
Thomas Morrison is a fitness coordinator at the Bradley Wellness Center.