WEIGHT GAIN WITH MENOPAUSE? HERE’S THE SOLUTION.

Menopausal weight gain… It’s not you being lazy. It’s not you from lack of effort. It’s not from not working hard enough. The majority of women are destined to gain weight due to hormonal changes. 

Studies show that visceral fat levels in women PREmenopausal typically lie around 8%. With menopause, visceral fat levels increase to 23% with NO change to diet and exercise. With this change comes an increase in inflammation, brain fog, cholesterol (LDL specifically), and risk of diabetes and heart disease. The inflammation on its own affects our joints, hair, skin and even brain!

The most frustrating part of trying to find a solution to this weight gain? The lack of research on women’s health. Doctors aren’t educated on women’s health. For decades there were no educational courses or continuing education credits on menopause research for board certified doctors. So doctors revert back to the only thing they know: “eat less and workout more.”

Now that more research has been done on women’s health, the “eat less and workout more” advice has proven to be FALSE, specifically to women experiencing menopause. In fact, if you’re spending hours doing cardio and eating too little, you could be doing more harm to your body than good. 

So what DO we do? Here’s what new research has found:

1.WEIGHT TRAINING

We’ve been taught the number on the scale is the most important indicator of health. But we never want to sacrifice muscle mass (and bone health) for the number on the scale. The lower the muscle, the higher the risk of insulin resistance. 

While weight training doesn’t always change the number on the scale, it sparks body recomposition, which is when you both lose fat AND build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. There are even workouts that have been proven to help rebalance hormones and mimic hormone therapy!

2.PROTEIN & FIBER INTAKE

Nutrition plays a key part in fat loss. To both build muscle and lose fat, protein intake is essential, along with fiber intake! Both of these keep you full, protein helps maintain and build muscle, and fiber promotes digestion and good gut health.

3.HRT (hormone therapy)

Hormone therapy has been all the rage lately. Hormone therapy replaces the hormones your body isn’t making enough of (which is what happens when menopause occurs). New research shows that hormone therapy can help immensely with menopausal weight gain, brain fog, hot flashes, inflammation, etc!

Special shoutout to Chalene Johnson and one of her most recent guests on her show, Dr. Mary Claire Haver for sharing the most recent research on menopausal weight gain!

To learn more about Dr. Haver’s research, HRT recommendations, nutrition and supplement recommendations, and lifestyle recommendations, click HERE