Weight Loss

GLP-1 Weight Loss Program

Menopause and Weight Gain:

Maintaining proper weight is a challenge for people of all ages. However, the older you get, the more difficult it can be. It has been found that 90% of women experience weight gain between the ages of 35 and 55, not coincidentally, during perimenopause and Menopause. While nutrition, exercise and lifestyle are critical elements to weight loss, balancing your hormones after the imbalance that perimenopause and menopause caused, is vital to your success in maintaining a healthier weight. Hormones and weight gain are closely related, if your hormones are not balanced, you can gain weight, especially with too much cortisol or too little progesterone, testosterone or estrogen.

The average weight gain is gradual, about 10 to 15 pounds starting in perimenopause and averaging to about a pound a year. However, women who experience early menopause as a result of surgical menopause (hysterectomy) tend to gain the weight at an even more accelerated pace. Menopause weight gain, thanks to the androgen hormone, tends to be located on your abdomen as opposed to your hips, thighs, or rear.

Hormones and Weight Gain

The hormone fluctuations in peri-menopause and menopause directly impact your appetite, fat storage, and metabolism. Hormones and weight gain go hand in hand. So, menopause weight gain is actually hormone weight gain.

Estrogen

It is common for estrogen levels to diminish during menopause causing cessation of ovulation. The decreased production of estrogen by the ovaries causes a woman’s body to search for other sources of estrogen. Another source of estrogen is fat cells, so your body learns to convert more calories into fat, in order to increase estrogen production. This means weight gain.

Progesterone

It is also common for progesterone levels to decrease during menopause. Progesterone’s role in weight gain is more deceiving; low levels of the hormone do not actually cause you to gain weight, but instead cause water retention or bloating. This annoying side effect makes you feel heavier and makes your clothes fit tighter.

Testosterone

Testosterone in a women works to build and maintain muscle mass among other things. These muscle cells work to burn calories in your body and cause a higher metabolism. Levels of this hormone decrease during menopause causing the loss of muscle mass and hence result in lower metabolism. This also results in weight gain.