How to Lose Post-Menopausal Weight Gain

Natural menopause or the cessaton of a regular menstral cycle typically occurs when a woman is about 50. Women, at this time, also usually gain weight, as much as 15 pounds in some instances. Because of changes in hormonal levels, women can find it more difficult to lose weight because the body becomes more resistant to insulin, which causes the body to store more fat. As a result, fat after menopause often accumulates in the abdominal area which can put women at risk for such conditions as heart disease, high cholesterol, breast cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. Therefore, it's important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine to lose post-menopausal weight and keep it off.

Instructions

How to Lose Post-Menopausal Weight Gain

1

Reduce your calorie consumption by about 10 percent from what you've been consuming. This means eating a balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Avoid refined sugars and processed foods, and stay focused on eating only natural and wholesome foods. Eat smaller portions at your meals, and don't go back for seconds.

2

Maintain a daily program of exercise. Because your metabolism slows after menopause, it's important to exercise daily to burn the calories that would otherwise be stored as fat if you didn't. Include activities such as walking, swimming or bicycling in your daily exercise routine. These types of exercise, which burn calories and increase muscle mass, should be undertaken for at least 30 minutes per day, five days per week.

3

Drink at least eight glasses of water per day. Water speeds up the metabolism, which assists in burning calories and makes you feel full, so you don't eat too much.

4

Eat your food slowly. By simply taking your time when you're eating, your brain will signal your stomach that it's full much sooner, and you'll reduce your calorie consumption and, therefore, lose weight.

5

Avoid any crash diets. Only regular exercise and a healthy diet will keep the weight off. Fad or crash dieting can slow the metabolism because you're often starving your body, so, in return, it slows down as a natural mechanism to survive. Most people who go on fad diets often gain more weight back than they intended to lose in the first place.