Climax is a period of a woman's life that cannot be avoided. Many are concerned about the changes taking place in the body at this time. One of them is weight gain while maintaining the same lifestyle. Why is this happening? How not to get better during menopause? In the article you will find effective advice on lifestyle, diet, exercise. Consider also drugs that help you stay in shape.
Why does weight gain happen?
Why does a woman get better during menopause? In short, the reason for this is the hormonal imbalance associated with menopause. Menopause begins on average at 45-50 years. One of its characteristic manifestations is the suppression of ovarian functions. The result is a decrease in the level of female hormones. These are tarragon and progesterone. And they perform several significant functions in the body at once:
- Responsible for the state of the reproductive system. Under the influence of these hormones, the eggs mature, the uterus prepares for their fertilization.
- Ensuring the elasticity of the skin and mucous membranes. Thanks to these hormones, their tone and elasticity are maintained.
- Control over metabolic processes in the body. That is, a balance is ensured between the received and already expended energy. But during menopause, for example, out of the 1000 Kcal received, only 300 Kcal are consumed, and the remaining 700 Kcal are deposited by fat mass. This explains the weight gain with menopause.
Fat deposits will be deposited on the abdomen, sides, in the gluteal zone. Excess weight during menopause is classified into the following categories:
- Android (male). Fat accumulations are evenly distributed throughout the body.
- Gynoid (feminine). Fat masses will be deposited mainly on the thighs and buttocks. This makes the figure somewhat pear-shaped. Such weight gain is fraught with an increased risk of diseases of the veins and blood vessels.
- Abdomino-visceral. Fat deposits mainly on the sides and abdomen. This makes the figure look like an apple.
How to calculate BMI?
A woman must be sure that she really has extra pounds. How to calculate body mass index for women? BMI helps to assess the degree to which a person's weight matches his height. Thus, it becomes possible to understand whether a person's mass is really overweight.
How to calculate body mass index for women? Needoperate with a simple formula:
I=m/h2.
The values here are as follows:
- I - BMI itself;
- m - body weight in kg;
- h - height in meters.
For example: 80kg / (1.7m x 1.7m)=80 / 2.89=27.68…
Now turn to interpretation:
- 18, 5-24, 9 is normal.
- 25-30 - state of pre-obesity.
- 30-35 - obesity.
- 35-40 - severe obesity.
- 40 and above - very severe obesity.
How not to gain weight?
How not to get better during menopause? Many, unfortunately, believe that menopause weight gain cannot be prevented or stopped. But in fact it is not.
How to deal with weight with menopause? Experts advise to follow these instructions first:
- Psychological mood. Do not worry about the changes that occur with the body. This is a normal process that all women go through. It cannot be prevented. But it is possible to look great both during menopause and after it. Just the same, depressive, anxious moods are dangerous because they begin to "stick".
- Rational nutrition. It is important to remember that a rigid diet during menopause harms the body no less than overeating. During this period of life, the body must receive all the vitamins and minerals it needs. All that is needed is a correction of the diet, a transition to the predominance of protein foods in the menu.
- Physical activity. How not to get better during menopause? Continue to lead an active lifestyle. After all, energy begins to be spentthe body is less intense. So that its excess does not turn into body fat, you need to move more. We must not forget that the muscle tone is also weakened. That is, muscle tissue is replaced by fat. Only constant training can prevent this.
Lifestyle rules
How can a woman lose weight with menopause? It is important to follow just 10 basic lifestyle rules:
- Fractional nutrition. It is important to eat often, but in small portions. For example, six times a day, but with a serving weight of no more than 300 g. This contributes to the consumption of food eaten only to replenish energy losses, and not to accumulate fat masses.
- Water regime. Drink at least 1.5 liters of water (5-6 glasses) per day. Pure, non-carbonated, unsweetened. It helps to flush out toxins, break down fats, and improve skin elasticity.
- Before each meal you need to drink a glass of water, eat an unsweetened vegetable. This dulls the feeling of hunger, prepares the digestive tract for digestion.
- Chew your food thoroughly. This allows you to quickly reach saturation with food, helps further digestion and metabolism.
- Refer to light snacks with dried fruits, nuts. Of course, in moderation. But do not use bananas, dates and peanuts for this.
- The last meal should be 2 hours before bedtime, not at 6pm. This is an erroneous popular belief.
- Move more. These are walks in the park, morning exercises, swimming, cycling routes. Necessarilytake a few warm-up breaks if you have a sedentary job.
- Give up bad habits. They have a negative impact on he alth, slow down metabolism.
- Refer to calorie counting. By the age of 50, a person should consume 1000-2000 Kcal per day. Moreover, 60% of the diet is fruits and vegetables, 25% are proteins, 15% are "slow" carbohydrates.
- Regular medical checkups. With age, the risk of developing serious diseases increases. Especially during menopause. Do not forget to visit the endocrinologist, gynecologist and therapist every six months.
What should I give up?
How not to get better during menopause? Nutritionists recommend keeping a food diary. It records what dishes were eaten, in what quantity, at what time of the day. This data needs to be analyzed to determine what to part with, what to change.
It is important to avoid smoked or fried foods. The reason is that they are high in calories, hard to digest by the body. They should be replaced with stewed, boiled, baked foods, turn to steam cooking. Such food is much easier to digest and lower in calories.
Diet for menopause, according to experts, should not include the following:
- Alcohol. In particular, beer is a very high-calorie drink. Wine is allowed, but no more than 1-2 glasses per week.
- Animal fats. They are absorbed by the body for a long time, but are quickly deposited by extra pounds. Therefore, you need to limit yourself tolard, butter, fatty dairy products, especially those sweetened with sugar.
- Baking and baking. Such foods contain a large amount of carbohydrates.
- Sweet carbonated drinks. All drinks based on carbon dioxide are harmful to the figure, as these are "empty calories". The situation is aggravated by carbohydrate - sugar.
- Chocolate, sweets, cakes, pastries and other sweets. Abuse of these products is not recommended due to their richness in carbohydrates.
- Canned food. Usually canned foods contain s alt, which retains fluid in the body, which is fraught with puffiness, swelling.
- Smoked and fatty foods. Poorly absorbed by the digestive tract, virtually useless for the body. It is believed that they contain carcinogens.
- S alty food. As we have already mentioned, s alt retains fluid in the body. It is useful to reduce its consumption to 3 g per day.
What can you do without in your diet?
How to maintain weight during menopause? Turn to a balanced, nutritious diet. It is important that vitamins and minerals enter the body in the right amount with food. At the age of 45-50, much attention should be paid to the intake of calcium. Washing it out threatens brittle bones, brittle nails and hair loss. Other important elements are potassium and magnesium. They ensure the normal functioning of the vascular-cardiac system.
How not to get fat in menopause? In accordance with the above, it will be useful to fill your dietas follows:
- Fermented milk products, cottage cheese with a low percentage of fat. They contain the necessary calcium, allow you to get full faster.
- Lean meat, fish, liver, offal. The above is a source of collagen, which provides skin elasticity, is a building material for cells. These foods are also rich in polyunsaturated fats.
- Beans. Sources of vegetable protein. Bean dishes are low in calories, but allow you to satisfy your hunger for a long time. In addition, they contain substances that promote the speedy regeneration of cells.
- Vegetables and fruits. Together with these products, vitamins, fiber, which are indispensable for the normal functioning of the digestive tract, enter the body. Another plus is low calorie content.
- Baked goods made from durum flour or wholemeal flour. These are the so-called "slow" carbohydrates that are needed for the normal functioning of the endocrine system.
- Vegetable fats. Complete rejection of these nutrients is a big mistake. Fats should come, but only in the form of polyunsaturated structures. In particular, it is olive, linseed oil.
Sports load
Of course, weight loss measures will not be effective for menopause in women without an active lifestyle. To achieve the effect, you need to apply to classes regularly, at least 2-3 times a week. The duration of one workout is at least 20-25 minutes.
It is allowed to do exercises in several approaches, taking breaks of 5 minutes between them. Better to practice outdoors. Preferably start withlong walks, then add light jogging, therapeutic exercises.
It is important that the load increase is gradual. If the training is intense, long breaks are needed, because the muscles must have time to recover. This is no longer happening as fast as at a young age.
An important rule: training should add strength and energy, not take them away. If you feel worse, overwhelmed, it is difficult for you to do the exercises, it is better to change them to another program. Let's present some examples of effective gymnastics with menopause in women:
- Lie on your stomach. Draw it in towards your spine and then push it out. Repeat 25-40 times.
- Lie on your back. Raise your legs up. Hold them, then lower and relax the muscles. Repeat 6-10 times.
- Lean your hands on the wall, put your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down with your knees out to the sides, then rise up, tensing the muscles of the perineum, buttocks and thighs. Repeat 8-10 times.
- Sit on the floor Turkish style. Inhale as you raise your arms up and bend back. Then, leaning forward, exhale. Return to starting position. Repeat 5 times.
- Put your feet together and your hands on your waist. Sit down and then rise up on your toes. Repeat 6-10 times.
This warm-up is especially useful if you have been doing sedentary work for a long time.
Cardio Load
The main plus of cardio training is greater efficiency with minimal effort. What can be here? nordic walking,running, swimming, athletics.
If you have not trained before, then you need to devote 20 minutes to classes. Then gradually increase this time to 40-50 minutes. Systematic training - 3-4 times a week. It is very important not to overexert yourself here, since with menopause this negatively affects he alth. If you notice discomfort, discomfort, the intensity of the load should be reduced.
From cardio exercises, you can choose the following:
- 10 minutes of jump rope.
- Buckles forward, backward, right and left 10-15 times.
- Jumps with legs apart shoulder-width apart and spreading arms - 20 times.
Swimming and water aerobics
These are pleasant and he althy procedures. In particular, the prevention of osteoporosis, bone fractures, cardiovascular diseases. Such exercises will strengthen not only bone mass, but also the heart muscle. It should be noted that aqua exercises, unlike ordinary ones, do not put a strong load on the joints.
However, only systematic, regular classes are useful. Swimming is best given every day for at least half an hour. Practice water aerobics at least 2 times a week.
Pay attention to the following exercises:
- 15 minute water run. In this case, it is desirable to throw up the knees as high as possible. The arm movements are the same as when running on the ground.
- Spread your legs wide. Perform torso twists left and right.
- Keep your hands in the water parallel to the bottom of the pool. Move and pull quickly without bending.
- Let your elbows on the side of the pool, press your back againstwall. Raise your legs parallel to the bottom. Without bending, cross them alternately.
Yoga
Doing yoga with menopause has a lot of advantages:
- Restoration of cellular respiration.
- Improvement of metabolic processes.
- Prevention of dizziness and mood swings.
- Relieve menopause symptoms - sweating, shortness of breath, hot flashes.
- Prevention of vegetovascular diseases.
- Fighting overweight.
But with menopause, it is better to abandon poses associated with sudden movements, requiring long breath holdings, prolonged stay in the same position. As in other examples, only regular classes will help to achieve results here.
Homeopathy and dietary supplements
A woman should pay attention to a number of drugs that can cope with menopausal symptoms. But you need to take medicines only with the permission of your doctor.
Among proven and effective remedies, the following stand out:
- Remens pills. With menopause, the remedy is often prescribed by gynecologists. This is a homeopathic remedy that affects the hormonal background. Helps to alleviate the symptoms of menopause, normalizes metabolic processes in the body, has a beneficial effect on the psycho-emotional background.
- "Inoklim". This product contains fish gelatin, soy, vitamin E and vegetable oils. A dietary supplement that allows you to normalize sleep, cope with tachycardia, reduce arterialpressure.
- "Climaxan". A homeopathic remedy that allows you to deal with the following manifestations of menopause: insomnia, mood swings, tachycardia, hot flashes, dizziness, sweating.
- "Femiwell". The product contains extracts of red clover and soy. Helps to alleviate the symptoms of menopause, normalizes blood pressure, allows you to cope with headaches. Manufacturers recommend this remedy as a prevention of osteoporosis and breast cancer.
- "Klimaktoplan". Homeopathic tablets with estrogen-like effects. The drug normalizes the psycho-emotional state, eliminates vegetovascular disorders.
Drug Therapy
Is "Reduxin" prescribed for menopause? This is a weight loss drug. Its active ingredient is sibutramine. The drug is taken only for alimentary obesity with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 and more. And also with excess body weight, complicated by serious diseases. For example, diabetes.
If the weight has not increased so significantly, then the woman is prescribed hormonal drugs aimed, respectively, at filling in the missing estrogen and progesterone.
As an example, we list the following tools:
- "Klimonorm". The active ingredients are progestogen and estrogen. It is prescribed for changes in the condition of the skin, problems in the urogenital area, depression.
- "Ovestin". The active substance is estriol. Meanshelps restore normal microflora, the epithelium of the vagina, cervix, vulva, urethra.
- "Estrofem". The main component is estradiol. The drug was created to eliminate menopausal manifestations, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the bones.
It is possible not to gain weight during menopause. But for this you need to adjust your lifestyle: turn to a he althy diet, be more active, give up junk food.
